An aptly-named gardener has watched an ordinary sunflower seed grow into an 11ft 6in giant.
Bill Flowers planted the seed in fertile ground at his Dudley Road home in Grantham at the end of March, at around the same time as his tomatoes.
The sunflower now stands about 3.51 metres tall – almost twice the height of 5ft 6½in Bill.
Bill Flowers reaches up towards the giant sunflower, which stands almost twice his height. Picture: Perry Flowers
His grandson, Perry Flowers, photographed Bill alongside the towering plant and also captured a goldfinch perched on its flower.
Perry said he had to stand “way back up the garden” to fit Bill and the sunflower into the shot. He used a 200mm camera lens to photograph the bird, describing its appearance as a “lucky shot”. Sunflower seeds are among the core diet of goldfinches.
Bill does not regularly grow sunflowers or enter gardening competitions. He occasionally picks up seeds and tries growing different plants.
Bill Flowers is dwarfed by the 11ft 6in sunflower growing in his Grantham garden. Picture: Perry Flowers
He said: “It was just out of an ordinary pack of seeds, a seed box from Belton Garden Centre. It makes no difference to me.”
Asked for his growing advice, a modest Bill added: “I’m not an expert on sunflowers – just put it in a bit of fertile ground.”
A goldfinch perches above the flower head of Bill Flowers’ giant sunflower. Picture: Perry FlowersBill Flowers is dwarfed by the 11ft 6in sunflower growing in his Grantham garden. Picture: Perry Flowers
According to Guinness World Records, the tallest sunflower in the world measured 35ft 9in and was grown by Alex Babich in Indiana, United States, in September 2025. The record in the UK is 26ft.
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