Winner of Northampton allotment’s sunflower competition stands at nearly three metres high

A green-fingered local community has been battling it out to see who can grow the tallest sunflower and the one with the biggest head.

Rothersthorpe Road Allotments crowned the winners of their adult and child competition on Sunday (August 30) after months of growing.

The competition, which is in its second year, had around 25 entrants this year and the four winners were awarded a £5 Dobbies voucher to aid their gardening hobby.

Standing at 110 inches, Iwona Ozdoba’s sunflower won the tallest grown by an adult and at 99 inches, for the second year, Tonis Jokubene won the children’s category.

For the largest head, Patrycja Czarnecka won the adult round with a measuring of 17 inches, and Scarlet Mullinger took home the child’s award with a sunflower head of 16.5 inches.

Organiser and treasurer of the council owned allotments, Dave Askew, said: “Last year we had a BBQ on the judging day, but obviously this year that wasn’t possible.

“But it was important to still run the competition as at the start of the pandemic we all worked together to get the council to overturn the decision to close allotments.

“So many people have come to me and said they need this for their mental health so it’s been a Godsend to keep it open.

“The winners of the competition were shocked and extremely happy.”

The allotment also runs a pumpkin growing competition, which will be judged in October.

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