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. The show, sponsored by Hortipak, takes place today and tomorrow (18 and 19 June) 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. The winner of the Visitor Vote Award will be announced on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 June.
The HTA National Plant Show takes place on 18 and 19 June at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
For more information:
www.nationalplantshow.co.uk