STONELEIGH, UK: Agapanthus ‘AMB001’ ‘Fireworks’ from Fairweather’s Nursery has been crowned this year as Best in Show at the New Plant Awards on the opening morning of the HTA National Plant Show which took place June 18 – 19, at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.
When discussing the winner, the judges commented, “The agapanthus has the ‘wow factor’. It has a romantic, naturalistic look and looks exceptional even when in tight bud. It is a good commercial plant and looks to be a good improvement on its predecessor, ‘Twister’, because it is more robust and fills the pot quicker, therefore better value for money. It is exciting to have a fantastic plant that looks great in the container and in the border.”
The judges also recognised that the houseplant category was worthy of note due to an increased number of entries, with foliage houseplants on trend. There was also an increase in new retail concepts, with some good plant names for retail and those new to gardening.
The New Plant Awards, sponsored by the RHS, are the beating heart of the show and create an area bursting with inspiration for visitors. This year there has once again been over 100 entries – meaning that over the history of the show over 1,000 new plants have been showcased.
The winners are:
Annuals
Gold and Best in Category – Impatiens walleriana ‘Beacon®’ – Ball Colegrave Ltd
Silver – Hypoestes phyllostachya hippo ‘Rose’ – Kernock Park Plants Ltd
Silver – Nemesia fruticans hybrid ‘Boysenberry’ – Kernock Park Plants Ltd
Silver – Solanum ‘F1 2414’ Plum Tomato’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Helianthus annuus ‘Sunsation® Yellow F:1’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Fuchsia ‘Bella Faya’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Fuchsia ‘Bella Laura’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Fuchsia ‘Bella Maria’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Fuchsia ‘Bella Fuchsia ® Lisa’ – W D Smith & Son
Bronze – Petunia x hybrida ‘Amore Pink Hearts’ – Profitplant UK & Batchmere Ltd
Bronze – Petunia x hybrida ‘Amore King of Hearts’ – Profitplant UK & Batchmere Ltd
Bronze – x Petchoa hybrida ‘BeautiCal French Vanilla’ – Earley Ornamentals Ltd
Herbaceous Perennials
Gold and Best in Category – Agapanthus ‘AMB001’ ‘Fireworks’ – Fairweather’s Nursery
Gold – Agapanthus ‘Poppin Purple’ – Wyevale Nurseries Limited/ Fairweather’s Nursery
Gold – Buddleia davidii ‘Monarch® Blue Knight’ – Allensmore Nurseries Ltd
Gold – Dianthus x allwoodii hort ‘Cherry Burst’ – Whetman Plants International
Gold – Digitalis isabelliana (‘ISOB007’PBR) PBRAF ‘Bella’ – Hillier Nurseries Ltd
Gold – Lysimachia christianiae ‘Sunburst’ – Kernock Park Plants Ltd
Gold – Nepeta nervosa ‘Neptune’ – Allensmore Nurseries Ltd
Silver – Agapanthus ‘Andbin’ ‘Ever Sapphire’ – Fairweather’s Nursery
Silver – Dianthus ‘Aztec Star’ – Whetman Plants International
Silver – Dianthus ‘Blushing Star’ – Whetman Plants International
Silver – Dryopteris wallichiana ‘Jurassic Gold’ – Seiont Nurseries Ltd
Silver – Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ – Fairweather’s Nursery
Silver – Salvia guaranitica ‘Amante’ – Wyevale Nurseries Limited and Darby Nursery Stock
Silver – Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Coral Red’ – Lovania Nurseries Ltd
Bronze – Agapanthus ‘WP001’ ‘Ever White’ – Fairweather’s Nursery
Bronze – Digitalis x hybrida ‘Pink Panther®’ – Profitplant UK & Batchmere Ltd
Bronze – Geum ‘Fiery Tempest’ – Farplants Sales Ltd
Bronze – Geum ‘Coral Tempest’ – Farplants Sales Ltd
Bronze – Salvia greggii ‘Amethyst Lips’ – Seiont Nurseries Ltd
Bronze – Salvia greggii ‘Cherry Lips’ – Seiont Nurseries Ltd
Bronze – Sempervivum ‘Gold Nugget’ – Lovania Nurseries Ltd and Newey Ltd
Houseplants
Gold and Best in Category – Aloe zebrina ‘Danyz’ – Javado UK
Gold – Rhapidophora tetrasperma ‘Minima’ – Javado UK
Gold – Senecio peregrinus ‘Jumping Dolphin’ – Javado UK
Silver – Anthurium andreanum ‘Anthfytwal’ – Profitplant UK & Batchmere Ltd
Silver – Philodendron bipinatifidum ‘Philodendron’ – Profitplant UK & Batchmere Ltd
Silver – Philodendron hastatum – Javado UK
Silver – Tradescantia nanouk – Javado UK
Bronze – Asplenium nidus ‘Campio’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Cambria Odontioda ‘Nippon’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Philodendron atom selloum ‘Atom’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Tillandsia intermedia x streptophylla ‘Curly Slim’ – Javado UK
Shrubs and Climbers
Gold and Best in Category – Clematis ‘Elodi™ Tudor Patio® Evipo 115 (N)’ – The Bransford Webbs Plant Company & The Guernsey Clematis Nursery
Silver – Clematis ‘Sugar Sweet’ – New Leaf Plants Ltd
Silver – Hebe ‘Sunrise’ – The Bransford Webbs Plant Company
Silver – Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Harry’ – Lovania Nurseries Ltd
Silver – Lavandula angustifolia ‘BeeZee Blue’ – Darby Nursery Stock
Silver – Lavandula angustifolia ‘BeeZee Pink’ – Darby Nursery Stock
Silver – Lavandula stoechas lamorosia ‘TM Purple Flag ®’ – Javado UK
Silver – Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Breebay’ – Hillier Nurseries Ltd
Silver – Vaccinium angustifolium aiton × V. corymbosum L. ‘Berrybux’ – Javado UK
Bronze – Cordyline australis (‘TUS019’PBR) EU 49536 ‘Pink Star’ – Hillier Nurseries Ltd and Newey Ltd
Bronze – Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Kazan’ – Javado UK
Trees and conifers
Gold and Best in Category – Tilia x europaea ‘WILTIL’ ‘Golden Sunset’ – Frank P Matthews Limited
Silver – Prunus pumila var. besseyi x armeniaca ‘Aprikyra’ – Frank P Matthews Limited
This year’s judging panel include Sabatino Urzo from the RHS, Ken Cox from Glendoick Garden Centre, Tamsin Westhorpe co-chair of the Garden Media Guild and Melanie Livingston plant buyer from Fron Goch Garden Centre with HTA’s Director of Operations Martin Simmons overseeing.
All New Plant Award entries can be viewed at the show and visitors too can have their say by taking part in the Visitor Vote Awards, sponsored by Floramedia.
