Clematis 'Beautiful Bride' from New Leaf Plants has been crowned "Best in Show" at the New Plant Awards on the opening morning of the HTA National Plant Show at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry. A free flowering variety, Clematis 'Beautiful Bride' produces a stunning display of large pure white flowers. It is excellent for growing over an arch or pergola as well as on walls and fences.
Commenting on the overall winner judge Peter Catt from Liss Forest Nurseries said, "This plant really provides a 'wow' factor which is what we were looking for. Its large pure white flowers produce a fantastic display all the way up the stem and its clear stamens are a real feature. Extremely well presented it is a highly saleable and marketable plant in a garden centre setting and, with such a wonderful name, it is sure to do well and have wide appeal."
The plant was bred by Szczepan Marczynski and introduced to the UK market by specialist clematis and climbing plant nursery, New Leaf Plants, based in Evesham.
This year's awards, sponsored by the RHS, attracted over 90 entries across 5 categories:- annual, breeder innovation, hardy nursery stock, herbaceous perennial and houseplants. The judges awarded 12 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze awards.
The winners are….
Annual
Gold and Best in category:
Verbena hybrida 'Lanai Twister Pink' – Syngenta FloriPro Services
Gold:
Mecardonia hybrid 'Magic Carpet Yellow' – Earley Ornamentals Limited
Pelargonium hybrid 'Calliope Rose Splash' – Syngenta FloriPro Services
Verbena 'Wicked Purple' – Young Plants Limited
Silver:
Petunia hybrid 'Mini Blast Rose' – Earley Ornamentals Ltd
Bronze:
Petunia 'Sweetunia Johnny Flame' – Young Plants Limited
Breeder Innovation
Gold and Best in category:
Pear (Pyrus) 'Benita Rafzas'™ – Frank P Matthews Ltd
Silver
Aspilla 'Brasilia Gold' – Channel Island Plants (UK) Ltd
Diascia hybrid 'Aurora'™ Apricot – Ball Colegrave Ltd
Hardy Nursery Stock
Gold, Best in category and Best in Show:
Clematis Beautiful Bride – New Leaf Plants
Gold:
Hebe 'Blue Ice'- Lowaters Nursery
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Love' ™ (H19-17) – Javado UK
Physocarpus 'Amber Jubilee' – John Woods Nurseries
Picea pungens 'Blue Diamond' – Kilworth Conifers
Silver:
Hebe 'Garden Beauty Pink' (Lowpapi) – Lowaters Nursery
Lavatera 'Ruby Star' – West End Nuseries
Bronze:
Sambucus nigra Blue Sheen – Hillier Nurseries
Herbaceous Perennial
Gold and Best in Category:
Penstemon 'Riding Hood Blue'- Fairweather's Nursery
Silver:
Leucantheum superbum 'Real Glory' – Eagle Plants Ltd
Tradescantia 'Swallowtail' – New Forest Plants
Bronze:
Digitalis 'Illumination Chelsea Gold'- Farplants Sales Ltd
Houseplant
Gold and Best in Category:
Begonia elatior 'Glory Lemon' – Beekenkamp Plants
Silver:
Phalaenopsis 'Phantom' – Javado UK
The New Plant Award judges were HTA President Caroline Owen from Scotsdales Garden Centre, Gardener and TV broadcaster Christine Walkden, well known plant breeder Peter Catt from Liss Forest Nurseries, RHS Trials Manager Mark Heath and Head of Horticulture at the Garden Centre Group Tim Clapp. HTA Operations Manager Martin Simmons chaired the judging panel.
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 at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 26 June.
There is still plenty more to see at the Show where the plants do the talking! Register here to attend the HTA National Plant Show
http://www.nationalplantshow.co.uk/
Source: Horticultural Trades Association