'End of era' for gardener's 30-year-old flower

A gardener has said it is the "end of an era" after a 30-year-old plant flowers, which means it is about to die.

Somerleyton Hall & Gardens in Suffolk, is home to a rare giant spear lily.

These plants are native to eastern Australia and flower just once before dying.

Head gardener at the estate Simon Gaches said the moment was "really exciting and sad at the same time".

The flower was gifted to Mr Gaches by the late Will Giles of the Exotic Garden in Norwich 10 years ago when he died.

The plant is grown indoors and its 8ft (2.4m) flower spike appeared last October which is just starting to open.

It can be seen in the Somerleyton estate, near Lowestoft, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

In the UK, this plant has only been seen a few times over the last 30 years mainly in specialist glasshouses in botanic gardens like in Edinburgh or Cambridge.

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