Retired building surveyor Peter Glazebrook's onion weighed in at 14lbs 11oz to pick up the £500 first prize in the Heavy Onion Competition at this year's Harrogate Autumn Flower Show.

It was the fourth heaviest seen in more than 20 years of the competition at the Great Yorkshire Showground and did not topple the world record which stands at 16lbs 8.37oz.

Mr Glazebrook, 64, from Halam, Newark, won the competition in 1991 with a meagre 10lbs 9oz onion.The winners have got a bit bigger since then.

"A lot of the success comes from getting the right seed. Mine came from Billy Lamb in the North East and he deserves a lot of credit," he said.

Mr Glazebrook specialises in growing giant vegetables such as leeks and pumpkins and recently won the award for most points at the National Amateur Gardening Giant Vegetable Show at the Royal Bath and West Showground. "I'm having quite a fortnight," he said.

A stunning display of vegetables by Medwyn's of Anglesey picked up the Best in Show award in the Horticultural nursery awards on the family firm's first appearance at the Harrogate show, which continues tomorrow.

Medwyn Williams said: "I'm ecstatic. We have had 10 consecutive gold awards at Chelsea Flower Show and thought it was about time people in the North got to see what we had to offer but we did not expect this."

Mr Williams had talked of retiring from Chelsea but says his son Alwyn has left the army and is keen to continue. "I suppose we are thinking again now."

As chairman of the National Vegetable Society he said the entries in the show classes at Harrogate this year were outstanding. "You will not see better anywhere in the world."

Hilary Dodson, chairman of the Northern Fruit Group which is holding apple tasting for visitors said the weather had hit some crops but "apples are prolific this year." Figs have also been doing well.

In the Flower Arranging classes the judges praised Susan Fairhurst from North Craven Flower Club for her entry in the The Fading Year which won her the Best in Show award.

"A classical interpretation with beautiful colouring and an excellent choice of plant material," they said.

Best in Show in Floristry went to Chris Ablett of Beverley for his spinning top arrangement in the Childsplay class.

Old London Town was the theme for some intricate flower arranging displays with Barwick-in-Elmet Flower Club doing Covent Garden, Harrogate Flower Club – Old Kent Road; Huddersfield Flower Club - Savile Row; Wetherby Flower Club – Harley Street; Knaresborough Flower Club - Fleet Street and Ossett Flower Club doing Threadneedle Street.

There were 26 Premier awards in the trade awards at the show this year compared with 23 last year, 27 gold (26 in 2007) 13 Silver Gilt (18) 13 Silver (11) and 5 Bronze.(6)

Results

Best in Show: Medwyn's of Anglesey, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey

Premier: Brian & Pearl Sulman, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds; C J Hempsall & Sons Ltd, East Markham, Newark; Craig House Cacti, West Bromwich; D K Plants, Cheadle, Stoke on Trent; David Stead Orchids, Shadwell, Leeds; Derbyshire Bonsai, Chesterfield; Devine Nurseries, Withernsea, Hollym; Edrom Nursery, Coldingham, Eyemouth; Eversley Nursery, Hesketh Bank, Preston; Fernatix, Stoke Ash, Eye; Glen's Garden, Burton Pidsea; Hampshire Carnivorous Plants, West End, Southampton; Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Freefolk Priors, Whitchurch; Harts Nursery, Oakhanger, Crewe; Hippopottering Nursery, Haxey, Doncaster; Mary Green, Hornby; Mickfield Hostas, Mickfield, Stowmarket; National Vegetable Society, Burley-in-Wharfedale; North of England Bonsai, Darlington; Northern Fruit Group, Otley; Oak Tree Nursery, Barlow, Selby; Packhorse Farm Nursery, Tansley, Matlock; Pinewood Bonsai, Formby, Liverpool; Potash Nursery, Bacton, Stowmarket; Primrose Bank, Kexby, York; Southfield Nurseries, Morton, Bourne

Gold: Barnsdale Gardens, Exton, Oakham; Cath's Garden Plants, Heaves, Kendal; D'Arcy & Everest, St Ives; Dibleys Nurseries, Ruthin, Clwyd; Fibrex Nurseries Ltd, Pebworth; G Kirby, Leeds; Green Garden Herbs, Carlton, Selby; Harrogate Orchid Society, Leeds; Hartside Nursery Garden, Alston; High Park Nurseries, Southport; Jacques Amand International, Stanmore; Matthewman Sweetpeas, Thorpe Audlin, Pontefract; Maureen Iddon Hardy Plants, Hesketh Bank, Preston; Morton Hall Gardens, Ranby, Retford; Norfield Nurseries, Colnbrook, Slough; Oska Copperfield Nursery, Leicester; Philip Tivey & Son, Leicester; Plantagogo.com, Crewe; R V Roger Ltd, Pickering; Roualeyn Nursery, Conwy; Show Glads, Bramcote, Beeston; Slack Top Nurseries, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge; Stonecrop Herbs, East Lound, Doncaster; The Fern Nursery, Market Rasen; The Plant Lovers, Candlesby, Spilsby; Topiary by Design, Thorpe Bassett; W Robinson & Sons Ltd, Forton, Preston

Silver Gilt: Basia's Garden Plants, Sutton, Ely; Big Leaf, Shelsley Walsh; Cairnsmore Nursery, Castle Douglas; Dark Star Plants, Osmotherley; Green End Farm Nursery, Bradfield; Halls of Heddon, Heddon on the Wall; Holden Clough Nursery, Bolton by Bowland, Clitheroe; Hoyland Plant Centre, Hoyland, Barnsley; Laurence Hobbs Orchids Ltd, Crawley Down; Roanne Nurseries, Kilham, Driffield; Taylors Clematis Nursery, Sutton Askern, Doncaster; White Cottage Alpines, Sigglesthorne, Hull; Wilford Bulb Company Ltd, East Leake, Loughborough

Silver: Brookfield Plants, Ashford; Brownthwaite Hardy Plants Ltd, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth; C & K Jones, Tarvin Sands, Chester; Clifton Plants, Kirkley, Newcastle upon Tyne; Frank Charlton's Chrysanthemums, Sunderland; Goldenfields Nursery, Tarvin Sands, Chester; Hoeplants, Bishop Monkton; Hooksgreen Herbs, Stone; Reed's Nursery, Market Rasen; Rougham Hall Nurseries, Rougham, Bury St Edmunds; The Old Walled Garden, Hadlow, Tonbridge; Trecanna Nursery, Gunnislake; Triffids, Oakhill, Radstock

Bronze: Barton Nurseries, Wisbech; Harptree Nursery, West Harptree, Bristol; NCCPG, Smelthouses, Summerbridge; Style Roses, Holbeach, Spalding; T3 Plants - Wall End Nursery, Stoke Prior, Leominster

Societies show champions.

National Vegetable Society: Best in Show, David Metcalfe, Nelson. British Gladiolus Society: Grand Champion Spike, Trevor Fawcett, Aylesbury. Royal National Rose Society: Challenge Cup, Alice and Tony Bracegirdle, Ramsbottom, Lancs. British National Carnation Society: Gold Cup, Mr and Mrs Reg Willis, Filey. British Cactus and Succulent Society; Best Succulent in Show, Barry and Sue Webster, York; Best Cactus in Show, Ms Hazel Long, Barton-on-Humber. North of England Bonsai Association; Best in Show Ken Rix, Derbyshire. National Chrysanthemum Society – Northern Group: Best Exhibit, Mrs Phyllis Jones, Anglesey. National Dahlia Society, Neville Weekes Cup winner, Brian Warriner, Barrow-in-Furness. British Fuchsia Society: Best in Show, Dave Johnson, Coniston, Cumbria. Pelargoniums, Maurice Brierey, Normanton, Wakefield. Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers Association: Blue Riband award, John Chandler, Harrogate.

Educational & Scientific exhibits

Gold: British & European Geranium Society; British Streptocarpus Society;

Silver Gilt: British Clematis Society; The Delphinium Society (Yorks & Lincs); The Hardy Plant Society (West Yorks)

Silver: Craven College; Laneside Alpine & Hardy Orchid Nursery

Bronze: Harrogate & Ripon Beekeepers' Association

Garden Design

Gold: Denis Matthews Garden Design, Earswick, York

Silver: Gardens by Design, Keighley