World record-breaking veg grower Gareth Griffin isn’t letting this year’s unseasonally wet weather deter him from showing his homegrown giant veg at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show.
Staged by the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS) at Newby Hall, Ripon 13-15 September, the autumn flower show attracts more than 30,000 visitors and showcases the best in garden produce and flowers.
Last year Gareth from Guernsey beat the previous world record with his giant onion which weighed in at 8.9kg (19.7lb). This year Gareth is hoping to take a super-sized cabbage and tomato to the show.
Fascination with growing giant veg competitively runs in the family and Gareth’s wife Wendy plans to enter a giant cucumber for judging.
Gareth said: “My efforts to surpass last year’s giant veg world record have unfortunately fallen foul of this year’s wet and dull weather which is not what onions like.
“There is no secret ingredient to success. It’s a matter of choosing the right seeds, giving them good soil and light and looking after them. Achieving the world record last year was the culmination of more than 30 years of trying and is no guarantee of future success.
“I was lucky that multi record-breaking Peter Glazebrook shared some onion seeds with me helping to set me on the path to success. You never really know how big your produce is going to be until the week of the show owing to factors such as pests and splitting so it is a tense time.
“The giant vegetable growing community is highly competitive, but it is a friendly rivalry and that is a big part of the appeal for me. My fellow enthusiasts were the first to congratulate me on breaking the world record and there is a real camaraderie, with growers sharing their seeds, tips and ideas.”
Success with his giant onion at last year’s show not only secured Gareth the world record but also internet fame, with more than 157,000 views of his entry on the Guiness Book of Records website.
Gareth said: “There is a lot of public interest in giant vegetables – particularly onions, pumpkins and tomatoes. I think it is because they capture the imagination, while being fundamentally the same as any regular sized vegetable found in all of our kitchens.”
Gareth plans to continue growing for long as he can. He says he enjoys looking forward and planning for the next season and it keeps him fit and active.
Taking centre stage at this year’s Harrogate Autumn Flower Show will be magnificent floral displays, delicious produce, expert gardening advice and fiercely contested competitions, including for giant fruit and veg.
Billed as an inspiration for gardeners of all abilities, visitors to the show can also enjoy Newby Hall's award-winning gardens, live talks and cookery demonstrations, great garden shopping and stunning floral art installations within historic Newby Hall itself.
The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show is one of two flower shows hosted annually by the NEHS, with the Spring Flower Show taking place in Harrogate in April. Last year’s Autumn Flower Show committed over £163,000 in support and promotion of the work of specialist societies and groups, and charitable horticultural organisations.
Tickets are £23 per person available online from https://www.flowershow.org.uk/
or £28 on the door. Admission includes access to Newby’s gardens which feature some of Europe’s biggest herbaceous flower borders, 15 stunning garden ‘rooms’ and family adventure garden.
