David Latimer first planted his bottle garden in 1960 and last watered it in 1972 before tightly sealing it shut 'as an experiment' The hardy spiderworts plant inside has grown to fill the 10-gallon container by surviving entirely on recycled air, nutrients and water Gardeners' Question Time expert says it is ' a great example just how pioneering plants can be' To look at this flourishing mass of plant life you'd think David Latimer was a green-fingered genius.