Echium-grower Margaret throws down a challenge
Observer reader Margaret Deeprose e-mailed this picture, saying: "I thought you might be interested in the attached photo of my Echium pinniniana (Pride of Madeira).
"It is 12ft 3 inches. As you can see, I am standing beside it and I am 5ft, but we did actually measure it.
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Hide Ad"It took two years to grow to this height and bloom. Apparently it will die after flowering so I have to take seeds if I want any more.
"They have one in the Manor Barn garden and when I was visiting the Open Gardens at Cooden, one man had several in his garden ( but not quite a tall).
"I thought it might be a bit of fun to ask if anyone has a taller one as you do with the sunflowers."