The most jaw-dropping vegetables from the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Giant Vegetable competition

Each year, the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Giant Vegetable competition sees a quite unbelievable array of giant fruit and veg.

Richard Mann with his winning giant pumpkin, taken from an admittedly-cheeky angle....
Richard Mann with his winning giant pumpkin, taken from an admittedly-cheeky angle....
(Image credit: Danny Lawson / PA Wire / PA Images)

It's always well worth a look, and photographer Danny Lawson was on hand at this year's show to capture some truly spectacular images of the winning veg — and the people who produced them.

From the care and attention shown by judges through to the staggering scale of some of the produce, it's a lovely record of an event that's a great British institution.


Biggest cucumber: 36.2 inches

Graham Barratt with his winning giant cucumber that is 920mm long, after he scooped 1st prize in the cucumber category of Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

Heaviest cabbage: 4.5 stone (27.4kg)

Craig Pearson with his winning giant cabbage weighing 27.4 kilos, after he scooped 1st prize in the cabbage category of Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.


Biggest pumpkin: Just under a third of a tonne!

Richard Mann with his winning giant pumpkin weighing 291.7 kilos, the scooped 1st prize in the pumpkin category of Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

The other end of the size spectrum

Judging takes place during the Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

Judging takes place during the Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

'To me... to you...'

Two men carry a giant marrow as judging takes place during the Giant Vegetable competition at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

And finally, these must be the world's prettiest carrots

Judging takes place during the National Vegetable Society UK Championships at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show in Yorkshire.
(Image credit: PA Wire/PA Images)

Graeme Watson's Gooseberries arrive for weighing at the Egton Bridge Old Goosberry Show. Photo by Andrew McCaren/LNP/Shutterstock

Graeme Watson's Gooseberries arrive for weighing at the Egton Bridge Old Goosberry Show. Photo by Andrew McCaren/LNP/Shutterstock
(Image credit: Andrew McCaren/LNP/Shutterstock)

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Credit: Alamy

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Toby Keel

Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.