MILLY AND THE GIANT LILY

By Jon Moreno - Friday, August 10, 2007

Milly Norris, three, from Freshwater, demonstrates the strength of the leaf of a rare hybrid Victoria lily at Ventnor Botanic Garden - and amazes visitors - by using it as a seat. Picture by Laura Holme.

VISITORS to Ventnor Botanic Garden had to look twice in amazement at the sight of youngster Milly Norris sitting on its biggest attraction, a rare lily.
The three-year-old Freshwater girl was at the attraction with mum Maddy to view the monster specimen on Monday.
The garden demonstrated just how strong the leaves are by allowing Milly to sit in its centre.
The 35ft diameter Longwood hybrid is a cross between two Victoria lilies. Only six plants are known to exist in the UK.
The lily is grown from seed each year and this specimen will die in October. Grown under greenhouse conditions, the species was so named because a specimen was presented by Kew Gardens to Queen Victoria at Osborne House in 1850.
Its biggest leaf has a 5ft diameter. The record stands at 8ft 9½in, grown by Chris Kidd, now head gardener at Ventnor Botanic Garden, when he worked at Kew in 1996.
The garden’s Friends Society funded the project to the tune of about £10,000.
Mr Kidd said: “It’s a first for the Island and takes us into a different league as a botanic garden. We have grown this lily on a shoestring. It is a huge achievement for us.”

MILLY AND THE GIANT LILY

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