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Widow overjoyed as nine-foot-tall sunflowers grow in late husband’s vegetable patch

Pat Gore with her nine foot sunflower. See SWNS story SWLEsunflower. A widower has spoken of her joy after sunflower seeds she planted in her late husband's vegetable patch "grew and grew" - to stand NINE FEET tall.  Pat Gore, 76, took up gardening as a form of therapy last year after losing her beloved husband of 52 years John to lung disease.  Unable to maintain his vegetable patch on her own, earlier this year Pat decided to plant sunflowers instead - in memory of her husband.  Pat watched on in amazement as the flowers got bigger and bigger, to the point now where they stand nine feet tall and measure 12 inches across.
Pat Gore planted sunflower seeds in her late husband’s vegetable patch, which have grown nine feet tall (SWNS)

A widow has spoken of her joy after sunflower seeds she planted in her late husband's vegetable patch "grew and grew" - to stand nine feet tall.

Pat Gore, 76, took up gardening last year after her husband of 52 years died of lung disease.

Unable to maintain John’s vegetable patch on her own, earlier this year Gore decided to plant sunflowers instead.

Gore watched on in amazement as the flowers got bigger and bigger, to the point where they now stand nine feet tall and measure 12 inches across.

Read more: Family finally visits sunflower planted by Duchess of Cambridge in memory of their son

Pat Gore with her nine foot sunflower.
Pat Gore found gardening very therapeutic after her husband John died of lung disease. (SWNS)

She said: "The vegetable patch was John's pride and joy so when I got these sunflower seeds I thought that was the perfect place to put them.

"I’ve been watering them every night and taking good care of them – and they’ve grown and they’ve grown and they’ve grown.

"I’m chuffed to bits with them – and I’m sure John would be too."

Retired crane driver John died from pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, in February 2019.

Gore, who worked as a delivery driver, said her husband passed away aged 78, just ten days after falling ill.

The couple had two children together and four grandchildren.

Read more: Widow poses in wedding dress every year to remember deceased groom

"After John died I started doing more and more gardening and I found it very therapeutic, it really helped me," said Gore.

She planted the sunflower seeds in April in the vegetable patch which her husband lovingly maintained for years.

"He absolutely loved his patch, he'd spend hours out there,” said Gore, who lives in Clay Cross near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

"Before dinner in the evening I'd shout out and ask for whatever I needed, whether it was potatoes or onions, and an hour later it would be there on our plates.

"His favourite were runner beans, they were his pride and joy."

John Gore. See SWNS story SWLEsunflower. A widower has spoken of her joy after sunflower seeds she planted in her late husband's vegetable patch "grew and grew" - to stand NINE FEET tall.  Pat Gore, 76, took up gardening as a form of therapy last year after losing her beloved husband of 52 years John to lung disease.  Unable to maintain his vegetable patch on her own, earlier this year Pat decided to plant sunflowers instead - in memory of her husband.  Pat watched on in amazement as the flowers got bigger and bigger, to the point now where they stand nine feet tall and measure 12 inches across.
John Gore 'absolutely loved' his vegetable patch. (SWNS)

On the patch of land Gore’s husband once tended now stand 26 beautiful sunflowers, and the widow says more are growing by the week.

“When we had gusts recently I was really worried about them but they coped,” she said. “They’re very strong – and they’re multiplying.

“I’ve noticed lots of little sunflowers are now starting to grow from the taller ones. The bees love them.”

Gore said neighbours had remarked on the stunning sunflowers.

“They’ve raised some smiles during what has been a difficult time," she added.

According to the Guinness World Records the world's tallest sunflower measured 30ft and was grown by German Hans-Peter Schiffer in 2014.

Additional reporting by SWNS.

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