Britain’s most passionate gardeners descended on North Yorkshire today to flaunt their jaw-dropping horticultural triumphs.
The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show showcased an impressive array of horticultural talents with its grand display of giant vegetables, attracting participants to Newby Hall and Gardens in Ripon for this unique competition.
Michael Wilson, from Peterlee, stole the show with his mammoth pumpkin, which tipped the scales at a staggering 149.45kg – that’s heavier than a baby elephant and about the weight of a standard refrigerator.
Beaming with pride, Michael posed beside his prize-winning veg, which took centre stage during the competition.
Meanwhile, Andy Dawson, from Billingham, proudly presented his huge marrow, which weighed in at a hefty 66.70kg.
The sheer mass of the supersized gourd left visitors wide-eyed: when posing next to it, the marrow reached his past the height of Andy’s waistline.
Not to be outdone, Chris Marriott, from Mansfield, wowed judges with a giant carrot that clocked in at a remarkable 9.5kg – roughly the same as your average two-year-old.
And John Simpson, from Durham, showcased his hulking cabbage, which tipped the scales at around 29kg – about the weight of an average-sized bulldog.
The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show delivered a spectacular celebration of green-fingered greatness as contestants took part in the giant vegetable competition in the grounds of Newby Hall and Gardens, in Ripon (Pictured: Chris Marriott from Mansfield poses with his winning giant carrot)
The event, which runs from 19-21 September 2025, is one of the biggest dates in the gardening calendar, drawing in up to 30,000 visitors over its three-day run.
Nestled in the historic setting of Newby Hall, one of England’s finest stately homes, visitors can also enjoy the award-winning gardens, live talks and demonstrations, and garden shopping.
Harrogate Flower Shows are organised twice a year, April and September, by the North of England Horticultural Society.
It’s a leading gardening charity set up in 1911 to promote horticulture across the north.
It was originally held in the town’s Valley Gardens, before moving to the Exhibition Halls in 1983 and the Great Yorkshire Showground in 1995.
It comes after a pumpkin which is heavier than three baby elephants took over a couple’s allotment, last week.
Justin Griffiths and Kay Walker, from Ashtead, are the proud growers of the 860lb (390kg) produce, which now dominates their plot at the Leatherhead Poors Allotments.
The monster veg is an Atlantic Giant variety, which is known for ballooning to enormous sizes – but even the green-fingered pair admitted they didn’t expect it to get this large.
Chris Marriott wowed judges with a giant carrot that clocked in at a remarkable 21lbs- roughly the same as your average two-year-old
Grower Michael Wilson, from Peterlee, stole the show with his mammoth pumpkin tipping the scales at a staggering 149.45kg- which is heavier than a baby elephant and about the weight of a standard refrigerator
Beaming with pride, Michael posed beside his prize-winning veg, which took centre stage during the competition
Fellow grower Andy Dawson, from Billingham, proudly presented his huge marrow, which weighed in at a hefty 66.70 kilos
Meanwhile John Simpson, from Durham, showcased his hulking cabbage, which tipped the scales at 55lbs- about the weight of an average-sized bulldog
John beamed as posed next to his winning cabbage at a weight of 55 lbs following judging of the giant vegetables at the Harrogate Autumn flower show
For comparison, a baby African elephant tips the scales at between around 90kg and 136kg, meaning the festive flora weighs more than three of them combined.
Later this month, the couple plan to take the pumpkin to the UK National Giant Vegetables Championship at the Malvern Autumn Show.
On the plot, they also have tomatoes and leeks, and they used to grow carrots and potatoes, but now the pumpkin has taken over.
Now the couple need to come up with a plan to move the giant pumpkin at the end of the month.
Speaking to the BBC, Justin suggested they could use an engine crane or ‘lots of people with a tarpaulin’.
The couple also have a second pumpkin which is on the larger scale, estimated to weigh around 250kg.
According to the Guinness World Records, the heaviest pumpkin was weighed in California in 2023, coming in at 1,246.9 kg.
Last year two twin brothers smashed a British record after growing a monster pumpkin that weighed more than a ton, and was so big that it needed a crane to lift it onto scales at a county show.
Last year two twin brothers smashed a British record after growing a monster pumpkin that weighed more than a tonne and was so big that it needed a crane to lift it onto scales at a county show
Ian and Stuart Paton, 63, spent three hours a day for three months cultivating the gigantic 1198.2kg squash in Lymington, Hampshire.
They then ‘very carefully’ drove four-and-a-half hours to the Malvern Autumn Show in a bid for it to be crowned the ‘world’s heaviest pumpkin’.
Unfortunately, they fell just short of the world record 1,247kg but were delighted to set a new British record with their creation which weighs the same as a small car.
Green-fingered Ian said: ‘It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication.
‘Me and my twin brother work as a team and we spent three hours a day over three months tending to it each day.
‘We put the seeds down in April and then pollinate in June, they are quite fast growing and this one is 113 days old.
‘We drove it up in the back of a large Volvo very carefully, staying at around 50mph. You get some strange looks from other drivers that’s for sure.
‘Some people pull over further up the road and then follow you again just to get another look. They shout ‘is that real?’ and we shout back’ yep’.
‘Nobody is going to be heavier than this today, I’m very confident of that. The sponsors of the show are going to carve it up at the end.
‘They have a professional pumpkin carver. I’ve been told what they are going to turn it into but I’m sworn to secrecy. But it’s hilarious.’
