Southsea couple hope to claim new record for world’s tallest daffodil
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House owner Ivan Jones, 49, has measured the giant flower at 5ft 2in tall, which if accepted by Guinness World Records would exceed the current 5ft 1in record held for a daffodil grown on the Isle of Wight in 1979.
Ivan, who works as catering manager at Portsmouth Academy, said: ‘I have measured it several times and I’m confident it beats the previous record. I have emailed the Guinness World Records and sent pictures of the flower being measured and I’m waiting for them to respond.
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Hide Ad‘I first noticed it in February and since then it has just kept growing and growing. It has grown up between the roots of the ivy which seems to have supported the stem to help it to keep growing upwards.’
The daffodil bulb was bought and planted by wife Gina Jones, 48, who said she has ‘got her green fingers from her father who was a keen gardener’.
Gina said: ‘It was back in February when I looked out of the window and saw the head of the flower and just thought what are you doing up here? We measured it and even back then it was 3ft 5 inches tall. Since then it just seems to have kept on growing.’
The bulb for the mammoth flower was bought from Wilko and grown in compost from B&Q.
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Hide AdGina added: ‘We didn’t buy any special compost or large type of daffodil. The garden is north facing and at this time of year only gets the sun for around an hour in the morning.’
With the daffodil starting to show the first signs of wilting, the couple are planning to have the flower pressed and preserved between two pieces of perspex and mounted in memory of Gina’s sister Kelly Martin, 24.
Gina said: ‘Kelly took her own life during the first lockdown as she was struggling with mental health issues. Hopefully next spring the bulb will produce a new flower which will be even taller.’