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British gardener grows a pumpkin weighing over 1,200 kilograms

Growing a pumpkin may sound like an ordinary gardening activity, but British grower Ian Paton has taken it to an extraordinary level. His giant pumpkin weighed 1,295.8 kilograms at a competition in Wargrave, England, on October 3, 2026. Officials confirmed it as a new world record at the event. The pumpkin was named “Bagheera”, after the panther in The Jungle Book, following a suggestion from Paton’s son. It exceeded the previous record set by Paton and his twin brother, Stuart, in 2025. The brothers had spent more than fifty years growing giant pumpkins together. Although Stuart retired after their earlier achievement, Ian decided to continue. His latest success shows how an unusual hobby can develop into a lifelong passion.

Producing such an enormous pumpkin required much more than planting a seed and waiting. Paton told Guinness World Records that he spent up to six hours a day caring for his plants over a two-month period. He grew them in a greenhouse, which helped provide a longer growing season and allowed him to manage shade. Despite his achievement, he still has another goal: to grow a pumpkin weighing 3,000 pounds, or approximately 1,361 kilograms. His story raises an interesting question about why people enjoy challenging themselves. For some, the greatest reward might be winning a competition. For others, it could be learning a new skill or seeing small improvements every day. You may not have space for a giant pumpkin, but you can still choose a personal challenge and enjoy watching your efforts produce results.

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Talk about these words from the article.

ordinary / extraordinary / giant / competition / world record / exceeded / retired / achievement / lifelong passion / greenhouse / growing season / goal / reward / improvements / efforts

Discussion

1. What surprised you most about this pumpkin?

2. Have you ever grown flowers, vegetables or fruit? How did it go?

3. Why do you think people enjoy growing unusually large plants?

4. Would you spend several hours a day on a hobby? Why or why not?

5. Do you prefer doing hobbies alone or with other people?

6. Which matters more to you: winning a competition or improving your own skills?

7. If you could attempt a world record, what would you choose?

8. What personal goal would you like to work towards over the next year?