A new Guinness World Record for the largest mosaic made of gourds was set last Wednesday, October 18, by a family-run farm in the British city of Southhampton. In a massive horticultural display honoring Tim Burton’s 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas, the record-squashing artwork features over 10,000 multicolored pumpkins and gourds laid across more than 2,000 square feet.
The accomplishment was achieved by Sunnyside Farm owners Ian and Louise Nelson, who worked with a 10-person staff over five hours to recreate the iconic image of Jack Skellington basking in the eerie glow of the full moon. Known by the surrounding community for its homegrown vegetables, fruits, and other locally-produced goods, the family farm usually celebrates spooky season every year with a special mosaic composed of various Cucurbita — the technical name for pumpkins, gourds, and squash.
In past renditions, the Nelsons have created sprawling images of a pumpkin wearing a mask (in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic), Paddington Bear, and Cinderella’s enchanted coach.
“We feel officially amazing,” Ian and Louise Nelson’s son Tom said in a public statement upon breaking the cucurbita mosaic world record. “Although we didn’t build the mosaic for the recognition, it was fantastic to receive the accolade and it has meant a lot to the team who has spent many hours building the seasonal displays.”
Historically, autumn is “always a busy time of year for fruit and veg records,” Adam Milward, managing editor of Guinness World Records, said in a statement shared with Hyperallergic. On October 9, Travis Gienger broke the record for growing the world’s heaviest pumpkin with a weight of 2,749 pounds.
“It can sometimes be easy to get wrapped up entirely in the biggest produce,” Gienger continued. “But what Sunnyfields Farm has proven in their Halloween-themed gourd display is that when horticultural prowess is combined with a little creative flair, it’s possible to reap some truly spook-tacular results.’