Here in the UK, we love our gardens. Did you know that across the world, there are over 3 million different species of plants? Whilst we don’t have that many in our average British garden, we still see a dizzying array of blooms and trees, some native and some exotic. Have you wondered about world records involving plants, flowers and gardens? Here are some fascinating records about the world of horticulture:

The Oldest Germinated Seed

The most recent record for the world’s oldest seed came from a date palm, discovered during an archaeological dig at King Herod’s Palace near the Dead Sea. Discovered in 2005, it was nicknamed ‘Methuselah’ due to its ancient age. Carbon dating revealed it to be around 2,000 years old!

Biggest Plant

The largest known organism was recorded in 1992 from a network of aspen trees in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, USA. The trees, from a single root system covered an area of 106 acres!

Earliest Known Tree

The species that has survived the longest is the Ginkgo biloba tree in Zhejiang, China. It first grew on earth some 160 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

The Largest Flower Garden in the World

Covering an area of 72,000sqm area, the Dubai Miracle Garden goes down in the record books as the biggest flower garden on the planet. The garden is also surrounded by a flower-decked wall. One of these walls is aiming for a Guinness World Record all on its own, by being the longest flower wall in the world with a circumference of 1km. Your garden might not be this impressive, but there’s no reason why you too can’t have a stunning green space. Why not consider adding unique focal points like Corten Metal Garden Sculptures. For more information, visit http://www.afsculpture.uk/portfolio_page/corten-metal-sculptures/

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Longest Carrot

This monstrous carrot measured in at more than 19 feet! Grown in Nottingham, using plastic tubes, compost mix and a 45-degree angle, the world record was set in 2007 after 14 months of nurturing the carrot.

The Tiniest Orchid

At the Cerro Candelaria Reserve in Ecuador, a U.S scientist found an orchid that measured a perfectly-formed and tiny 2.1mm across. It was cream in colour and exquisitely perfect, just a miniature version.

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Biggest Organic Cucumber

This record belongs to the Segee family, who managed to grow a 28-pound cucumber!

Biggest Vertical Garden

You’ll find this in Singapore and it covers an area of over 2,000sqm over a 24-storey condominium in Bukit Timah. It has some pretty impressive green credentials too (please excuse the pun). It is expected to achieve savings of more than half a million dollars in energy and water costs.

Tallest Rose Bush

In New Jersey, USA a man has cultivated a rose bush that stands a whopping 18 feet and 6 inches tall. This is a world record for the tallest self-supporting rose bush.