Nominees announced for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year

Nominees have been named for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year for 2026. This annual award celebrates outstanding plants with a new or improved feature, setting them apart from those already on the market. Floral exhibitors in the Great Pavilion are invited to submit new plants to the competition ahead of the show. Entries are carefully considered by a shortlisting panel of RHS and industry experts, who whittle down the number of contenders to no more than 20. These shortlisted plants go on to be displayed at the show where, on Press Day, members of the RHS Expert Groups view them and elect a winner.

The decision is based on three criteria: novelty and innovation, garden performance and likely appeal for UK gardeners. The final vote is informed by the entry information submitted ahead of the show and the 'wow' factor of the plants on display.

All the shortlisted plants can be seen on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year display in the Great Pavilion.

2026 Finalists
Anisodontea capensis Carnival Lights Candy Apple
Breeder: Plant Growers Australia Ltd. Exhibitor: Sparsholt College. Supplier: Hillier Nurseries Ltd. A colour breakthrough with large dark-red flowers, (unlike the pink shades currently available). Can be grown in pots or borders and will flower from May until beyond Christmas. H x S: (in mild areas): 80-100cm x 40-60cm. Prefers sun to light shade and free-draining soil. Heat and drought tolerant. Does not need pruning or dead heading. Hardy to -5 ºC.

Anthurium Michelle
Breeder: Dr Jeff Block. Exhibitor: Growtropicals. Supplier: Growtropicals. Striking, heart-shaped leaves with a glossy sheen. Leaves emerge in shades of burgundy purple with reddish veins, maturing to a dark green velvety sheen and contrasting white veins. Resilient, with lower humidity and watering needs than other Anthurium. H x S: 40 x 60cm. Low maintenance houseplant. Thrives in indirect light.

Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss'
Breeder: Peter Moore. Exhibitor: Kernock Park Plants. Supplier: Peter Moore. A truly perennial Antirrhinum cultivar, producing a non-stop succession of purple blooms over a very long season. Strong resistance to rust and powdery mildew. H x S: 60-90 x 45-60cm.

Cercis griffithii Blue Lagoon ('Rafmar 1')
Breeder: Thompson & Morgan. Exhibitor: Hare Spring Cottage Plants. Supplier: Raf Lenaerts. The first Cercis with grey-blue foliage. This contrasts beautifully with pink spring flowers, transforming it from a spring-flowering feature into a full-season statement. It is easy to grow and low maintenance, tolerating variable conditions. H x S (after 5 to 7 years) 2.5m x 1.5m. Plant in full sun to semi-sun in well-drained soil. Water regularly until fully established.

Clematis 'Minamo-no-Yousei'
Breeder: Tetsuya Hirota. Exhibitor: Sparsholt College. Supplier: Thompson & Morgan. Also known as Clematis MOCHI and with flowers that look delicately brushed or spray-painted. Flowers open first as single blooms, then gradually develop through semi-double to fully double blooms, creating interest over a 120-day flowering period. Compact habit, ideal for containers and small gardens. H x S: 150 x 40cm. Plant in sun.

Clematis Queen's Nurse ('Evigsy159')
Breeder: Raymond J Evison Ltd. Exhibitor: Raymond Evison Clematis. Supplier: Raymond J Evison Ltd. Two flower colours on one plant: new growth has pale pink/lilac blooms striped with a dark bar; mature wood has deep pink blooms without stripes. Flowers spring to early summer and repeat flowers in autumn. H: 125-150cm. Named to raise awareness and funds for the National Garden Scheme and The Queen's Institute of Community Nurses. Suitable for gardeners of all levels.

© RHSQueen's Nurse

Dicentra 'Passion Hearts'
Breeder: Hans Hansen from Walters Garden. Exhibitor: Gardeners Delight Nursery. Supplier: Gardeners Delight Nursery. Unlike traditional shade-loving bleeding hearts, this hybrid has full-sun tolerance. Distinctive pink bicolour blooms appear continuously from spring to autumn. Its blue-green foliage adds further appeal, while its hardiness, vigour, resilience, and flowering longevity make it perfect for pots and borders. H x S: 60 x 60cm.

Euphorbia × martini Walberton's Little Treasure ('Waleulitr')
Breeder: Walberton Plants Ltd. Exhibitor: The Classroom Garden. Supplier: Walberton Plants Ltd. The first all-yellow variety of Euphorbia × martini. Bright yellow leaves in spring become yellow-green in summer, then yellow again in autumn. Yellow-green flowers with red nectaries appear in spring, often repeated mid-summer. Compact branched habit. H x S: 30 x 30cm. Easy to grow in a sunny or lightly shaded place, preferably in well-drained soil.

© Plants For Europe Walberton's Little Treasure

Hosta Red Ninja ('Nk2021')
Breeder: Ninja Kramer. Exhibitor: Sienna Hosta. Supplier: Fairweather's Nursery. Unique red Hosta, with deep red foliage and green margins. Stunning purple flowers from late summer to early autumn. Low-maintenance, ideal for mixed borders, balconies and terraces. H x S: 35 x 50cm. Prefers partial sun and well-drained soil. Gentle morning sun gives best colour. Hardy to -23 ºC.

Hydrangea paniculata Groundbreaker Ruby ('Lc No27') (Groundbreaker Series)
Breeder: Alex Schoemaker. Exhibitor: Hare Spring Cottage Plants. Supplier: Suttons. A low growing form of Hydrangea paniculata which creates a dense, ground cover. Flowers open white, then deepen through pink to vibrant ruby-red, creating a carpet of colour from late-summer to autumn. Ideal for ground cover, border edges, and containers. H x W: 40 x 70cm. Prefers sun to part-shade in moist well-drained soil. Requires little to no pruning.

Jamesbrittenia 'Jammin' Coral'
Breeder: Proven Winners Europe. Exhibitor: Kernock Park Plants. Supplier: Proven Winners Europe. Reliably tough and resilient Jamesbrittenia with intense bright pink flowers. Repeat-flowering throughout the summer, with no need to dead-head. Heat and drought tolerant, it thrives in containers and at the front of borders. H x S: 15-20 x 20-30cm. Grow in full sun in free-draining soil.

Pennisetum advena Tiny Tails ('Tus022')
Breeder: Tuszynscy Gospodarstwo Ogrodnicze and Grzegorz Tuszynski. Exhibitor: Ashcroft's Perennials and Ornamental Grasses. Supplier: Ashcroft's. This breakthrough variety stays ultra-compact and neat, making it ideal for small gardens, patios and balconies. Remarkable flower power with abundant soft, long-lasting plumes. H x S: 50 x 30cm. Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. In early spring cut back to a few centimetres.

Pittosporum Green Mound ('Jule1')
Breeder: Frederic Julien. Exhibitor: Sparsholt College. Supplier: Hillier Nurseries Ltd. A hybrid of two Pittosporum species, exhibiting the best features of each. A compact evergreen mound with sweetly scented white flowers that fade to yellow. Ideal for borders or containers, free flowering and hardy to -12°C. H x S: 150cm x 150cm. Easy to care for and disease resistant. Prefers full sun to light shade and thrives in most free-draining soils.

Prunus 'Sumaura Fugenzo'
Breeder: Unknown. Exhibitor: Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Supplier: Frank P Matthews Trees. Unique Sakura cherry also known as Prunus Japanese Lanterns with double frilled flowers with white, pink and green petals that darken as they mature. Flowers have 30 or more petals creating a stunning effect reminiscent of Japanese paper lanterns. Bronze young leaves and vibrant autumn colour. H x S (after 10 years): 5m x 4m.

Rosa Amirose ('Korhulth005')
Breeder: Kordes Roses. Exhibitor: Hare Spring Cottage Plants. Supplier: Hillier Nurseries Ltd. Rosa persica hybrid with compact form and fragrant flowers throughout summer. Peach-coloured buds open to fragrant pink flowers with a purple heart. Drought tolerant and disease resistant, ideal for border and containers. H x S: 40cm x 50cm. Prefers full-sun to light-shade, in fertile well-drained soil. Easy to grow needing little care. Fully hardy.

© Plantipp Rosa Amirose

Rosa Watford Forever ('Harjester')
Breeder: Philip Harkness. Exhibitor: Harkness Rose Company. Supplier: Harkness Rose Company. A robust and vigorous bicolour rose with pointed buds opening into blooms that have access to pollinators and a long flower life. Exceptional hardiness and resistance to winter damage. A compact, bushy habitat well suited to small gardens and pot growing. Easy to grow. Plant in soil high in organic material. Water in the mornings and liquid feed every 7 to 10 days. H x S: 65 x 60cm.

Streptocarpus 'Sirius'
Breeder: Lynne Dibley. Exhibitor: Dibleys Nurseries. Supplier: Dibleys Nurseries. Fully double variety producing big, inky purple flowers with deep-purple veins over a pale-yellow base. Early flowering, quick growing, and exceptionally floriferous over a long season, February to December. Being sterile, its flowers last significantly longer than standard Streptocarpus. H x S: 36 x 34cm. Easy to grow houseplant. Requires good indirect light.