Biggest head prize winners

We changed the plan and decided that there should be an annual prize for the tallest sunflower and another award for the biggest flowerhead!

Uncle Ken has kindly made another trophy and John Le Measurer presented it to the proud winners Keith and Margaret Stevens, landlord and landlady of the Rose and Crown, whose head was a whopping 29cm (11.4").

That's about it for this year. I think next year is going to be even more competitive and along side the sunflower contest John Le Measurer is suggesting a biggest marrow contest! Plants will be sold on May Day Bank Holiday Monday outside the Rose and Crown - it will probably be raining!

Bye for now . . . . . .

Sunflower contest sees Andy shine

The winner has been announced of a flower-growing competition, held in honour of a keen gardener.

Jane Kelly, of Broad Road, Bocking, started the competition after her father, Eric Miller, died in 2005.

She said “When he went into hospital, he was growing a sunflower, which he was very proud of. When he didn’t come out of hospital, I decided that holding a sunflower growing competition in his honour would be very fitting”

Andy Duzniak, of Station Road, Braintree triumphed with a sunflower that stood more than 12 feet tall, and he attributed his success to “good soil and luck”.

As champion, Mr Duzniak collected a handcrafted trophy, made out of yew by Eric Miller’s brother Ken. The competition , which attracted people from all over mid-Essex, began on the May bank holiday with sunflower plants being sold outside the Rose and Crown pub, in Bocking.

The sale of plants raised over £150 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Mrs Kelly, 52, and her sister-in-law, Helena Kelly, who helped to organise the event, now hope the competition can become an annual event. As champion, Mr Duzniak collected a handcrafted trophy, made out of yew by Eric Miller’s brother Ken. The competition , which attracted people from all over mid-Essex, began on the May bank holiday with sunflower plants being sold outside the Rose and Crown pub, in Bocking.

The sale of plants raised over £150 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Mrs Kelly, 52, and her sister-in-law, Helena Kelly, who helped to organise the event, now hope the competition can become an annual event.

Braintree and Witham Times, Wednesday September 12, 2007-10-09 Essex
Weekly News, Thursday, September 20, 2007