Pagham woman is '˜delighted' with 18-flowered lily

Patricia Bacon has been delighted by her best-ever collection of 18 of the blooms which have risen to more than 5ft 7ins.

“I’ve never had this many before,” she said.

“They are getting bigger and bigger every day.

“There were 15 blooms last year. I don’t know why they have done so well now.

“But they are sheltered from the winds from the west by some jasmine.”

Mrs Bacon, 82, of Harbour View Road, planted the lilies with their large white trumpets four years ago.

She is a keen gardener who spends up to four hours a day tending to her plants at this time of year.

She said: “I like the results I get from that amount of work.”

Mrs Bacon is also proud of her petunias and is looking forward to the flowering of her white and mauve lavetera.