Growers explore the outer limits

KEEN gardener, Mrs Billie Catt, has waited a year to break the record for the tallest hollyhock in town.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Sep 2002, 11:17 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 19:48 BST

A hollyhock of over 11ft was reported as record-breaker last year.

Billie said: "We measured them last year but they didn't beat the record holder. I kept telling my husband that this year they must have been over 11ft, but he wasn't convinced."

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Billie said she was not sure what had given her plant an extra boost this year.

"We haven't had any terrible storms, just some windy weather recently. I was cutting them down because it was windy and I didn't want them to fall. My husband told me to lay it down and measure it, and it was exactly 12ft."

l A NEW record to break is that of tomato-grower Dennis Franklin of Royston Gardens. He has grown tomatoes for years but cannot explain why his plant has been so successful this year.

One tomato has reached 1lb 2oz. Dennis said: "This particular plant has gone mad!"