Hulking 16ft Echium could be the UK's tallest garden plant

The hulking Echium, grown by keen gardener John Easey, 76, often draws envious stares and admiring glances from passing neighbours at their plot at the village allotments in New Church Road.

It was planted with a tiny, “barely visible” seed, but over the course of a year has rocketed skywards.

Several gardeners across the country have come forward over recent years to proclaim their Echium the tallest in the land.

But at almost 16 and a half feet, the average height of an adult giraffe, Mr Easey’s whopper towers at least two ft higher than most of its kind.

Another 16ft Echium, grown by Barbara Thatcher in 2017, was previously proclaimed the tallest garden plant in the country.

On beating this envied record, Mr Easey’s wife, Carole, 75, said: “Well I can’t imagine there’s many bigger – I don’t know how it doesn’t break.

“He had to pull a lot of the bottom leaves off because the leaves get big and go all over the path, they also get quite prickly.

“Yes, he’s extremely proud, there’s already another one coming through for next year.”

Mr and Mrs Easey approached the Gazette after spotting a recent story on a 14ft Echium.

Mr Easey quickly scrambled to measure his specimen to see how it matched up to this effort.

The garden flower, which is known as the Blue Steeple Tower of Jewels, is native to the Canary Islands and is an endangered species.

Mrs Easey said: “He got hold of two eight foot sticks, which he taped together and then he got them right up to the top.

“He measured the little bottom bit too, and it is exactly 5 metres tall.”

She added: “When the village held an open gardens event, they do open allotments as well, we had a notice up saying people could walk down and have a look at it and everyone loved it.

“Originally it’s from a seed which you can hardly see - how you get something like that from a seed I don’t know.

“Our friend was given one from her brother’s allotment, and he said ‘That can grow up to about 10ft.’

“John said ‘No, they’ll grow more than that – you want to come to the allotment and look at ours.’

“She said ‘Christ, I don’t want that in my garden!’”

The couple have long kept a plot at the allotment, which has served as a lifeline to many during the months of lockdown.

The couple grow and harvest everything from spring onions and runner beans to cabbages and potatoes.

Mr Easey even grew out radishes to spell out ‘NHS’ in honour of the country’s healthcare workers.

West Bergholt parish councillor Norma Smith said: “It’s the centre of the village and when the lockdown was put in place we kept it open, with very strict rules.

“When I was here I looked around and for people, especially the elderly gents, it was hugely beneficial to their mental health - it was really important.”

Mrs Easey, who has owned a garden landscaping company with her husband for 35 years, said: “John was up here every day during lockdown.

“When I said ‘You’re going back to work’ he said ‘Have I got to, I quite getting used to this.’

“It must’ve been awful for people living in flats.”

Amused, she glances at the Echium and adds: “I think John wants a row of them next year.

“When you see it in the wind you wonder how it even stays up.

“He’s put a lot of care into these plots, he’ll be here most weekends and evenings.”