The shortlist for the coveted RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year award 2026 has been announced ahead of the Chelsea Flower Show 2026, and there are plenty to be excited about.
The RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year recognises outstanding plants with a new or improved feature, and is judged from plants bred by exhibitors in the Great Pavilion.
“This year, I think there are some very very strong contenders for the winner," says gardener and podcaster Michael Perry. "From the hosta to the hydrangea, from the anthurium to the prunus. It’s actually quite hard to call, even though I have a soft spot for the Hosta!!”
Exhibitors submit new plants to the competition and entries are considered by a shortlisting panel of RHS and industry experts. The shortlist of 20 plants go on display in the pavilion and a winner is chosen on the Monday of the show.
The plants chosen are recognised for novelty and innovation, garden performance and appeal for UK gardeners.
Last year's winner was Philadelphus PETITE PERFUME PINK ('P1') bred by Alan Postill and launched by Hillier Nurseries.
Full shortlist of the 2026 RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Award
Anisodontea capensis CARNIVAL LIGHTS CANDY APPLE (‘Ib201-7’) (Carnival Lights Series)
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: Raf Lenaerts Exhibitor: Hare Spring Cottage Plants. Supplier: Thompson & Morgan.
A compact Cercis with dark red stems producing deep pink flowers in the spring followed by striking blue-toned foliage, transforming a spring-flowering feature into a full-season statement. Drought tolerant and low maintenance.
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.
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.
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 S: 40 x 70cm. Prefers sun to part-shade in moist well-drained soil. Requires little to no pruning.
Hydrangea VELVET NIGHT RED LACE
Breeder: Botanic Experience B. V. Exhibitor: Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Supplier: Van Son & Koot.
A dramatic and unusual combination of near-black foliage and vibrant red lace-cap flowers. The foliage colour is intense even when it is not in flower. Ideal for borders and containers.
H x S: 50 x 45-50cm. Prefers moist, well-drained soil in part-shade. The dark foliage colour develops best with good light levels, avoid harsh midday sun, which can scorch leaves.
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.
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.
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.
