As many things have changed this year, there won’t be any “Flower Trials” in Holland and Germany. This is usually a key moment in the horticulture calendar, and a time when more than 60 breeding companies open their greenhouse doors and show their new developments.
I’ve been visiting every year for as long as I can remember, you can see some of my previous reports here. You may recognise some of those plants, as they are now common plants that we grow in our beds and borders.
However, just because the event isn’t going ahead in 2020, doesn’t mean there aren’t new plants to show off. Here is my guide to some of the highlights coming through, and plants that could indeed be grown in your 2021 garden.
Plus, just for fun, I’m asking you to vote for your favourite in each category. From environmentally friendly plants to show-off patio plants, we’ve got it all, and they’re all waiting for your vote! ** VOTING IS NOW CLOSED **
Enjoy!
The next top eco plant
Plants that need less water, varieties that take up less garden centre floor space, perfect first time plants for beginners…
The next top show-off plant
The varieties that will get the neighbours talking! Showpiece plants, and interesting specimens for the adventurous!
This petunia absolutely has the wow factor; with multilayered deep purple blooms, etched with gold. A cascading habit, and respectable weather tolerance too.
The breeding programme in Gerbera continues with abandon! The gregarious patio varieties now have a set of flamboyant doubles, with huge disc blooms on strong plants. An unapologetic splash of colour for an urban space.
A voluptuous plant for the patio gardens with a height of just over a metre. Oversized scarlet red blooms clothe the candelabra plants each spring too!
The first of its kind, this purple shade indicates a breeding breakthrough for this intriguing summer climber! The perfect choice for growing on an obelisk on a sunny patio!
The perfect revival for an easy to grow and super colourful plant, Celosia are definitely something different! Bred for patio, yet still suits growing as a houseplant too.
A melting pot of exciting genetics, the Crazytunia is a set of rule breakers, and this peach combo is no exception! Strong, weatherproof and recognisable as a easy grow plant.
The next top indoor plant
There are houseplants for every windowsill of the home, and they don’t have to be just foliage either… there’s now plenty of flowering options, as you’ll discover!
Plants only 25cm tall, but with 25 flowers a piece! Miniature orchids are perfect gift items, easy to care for, and the sexy flowers last an exceptionally long time too!
Plants only 25cm tall, but with 25 flowers a piece! Miniature orchids are perfect gift items, easy to care for, and the sexy flowers last an exceptionally long time too!
World class breeding and a new rich red colour! Strong pot cyclamen for cool season impact on the patio, as well as indoor use!
An exotic specimen, which is easier to grow than it may appear. The large extravagant blooms persist for a long period above strappy foliage.
From a company setting new standards in Euphorbia breeding, this is a brand-new class of houseplant, with all year, and a quite striking appearance.
An innovation that helps you to achieve the perfect conditions for unusual orchids with specific climate requirements. Perfect for the desktop, or windowsill in the home.
A fantastic little windowsill carnation, this is designed to be given as a thank you present! Plants are blooming for many months of the year, and stay compact and tidy.
The next top remixed plant
A selection of plants that you may recognise, but they’ve been remixed with new breeding, new colours, and other improvements!
A breeding revolution that transforms the humble strawberry into an attractive border and basket plant! Rich red flowers, give way to super sweet fruits in next to no time!
You may recognise this strawflower from the 80s, but the breeders have gone back to the drawing board and created this amazing giant plant! 1 foot in diameter, and the blooms aren’t small either, 6 inches across, and lasting for months!
A selection of new chrysanthemums in fruity colours, they’re modern, fresh, and suitable for borders and pots.
Some say this is the ideal garden rose! The Plant n Relax range are easy to grow, good coloured, and with big strong flowers, carrying a fruity layered fragrance.
Nasturtiums have come a long way! Rather than being a big cabbage without flowers, this new variety has a smaller habit, and blooms that are held above the foliage, loud and proud!
A revolutionary hybrid between petunias and the million bells (Calibrachoa), the colour ranges are phenomenal. Not only that, the blooms are big and floppy, yet still weatherproof!
All too often, you buy a bunch of carnations, and they have zero fragrance. How about growing a living bouquet? These pot carnations have been selected for their height, but also their clove like fragrance. They’re really quite remarkable!
When Busy Lizzies succumbed to downy mildew a few years ago, gardeners were left with few other options. Breeders have taken a few years to release a resistant variety, but now it’s here, it’s becoming very popular. The same fruity colour mix you love, and can be grown sun or shade!
The next top edible
And finally, here is a selection of new edibles that you can grow on the patio!!
A super patio tomato, with a branching short habit. However, the real excitement is in the fruits, each one is heart-shaped, and super sweet too!
Finally, a sweet potato that you can grow in a range of different climates. Furthermore, these have decorative foliage too, which means they are dual purpose, so a vegetable that can also be used as an ornamental!
A very exciting innovation, these are potatoes that can be grown from seed. They are also specially selected to be grown easily in patio pots, hence its nickname the “easy grow potato”!
A new type of French lavender, which stands out for the beauty of its fringed blooms. Early to bloom, and longer lasting than most. Balloons are edible, and can be used to decorate cakes.
Michael has been involved with gardening and plants since he was just five years old. He is a self-professed Plant Geek, and was listed in the Sunday Times top 20 most influential people in the gardening world, thanks to his plant hunter role at Thompson & Morgan. Michael was responsible for new plant introductions such as the Egg and Chips plant and the FuchsiaBerry and keeps busy travelling the world in search of new plants as well as lecturing worldwide, including stints in Japan. He is very active on social media – so why not give him a follow at @mr_plantgeek or Facebook – and writes a plant-focused Substack called Grow This, Not That.
Leave a Reply
Val Shaw
Loving the New Plants would love them all
The new 💓 shape Tomato looks stunning.
Elaine
Very interesting details on each beautiful plant shown
Carole Smith
I could have chosen so many , there’s a lot here I’ll be looking out for in the future
Patricia Long
Spoilt for choice, love the new tomatoes
Roz Hadaway
Really difficult to choose one one from each category I agree. I loved them all!!
Happy gardening everyone.
philhaselton69
Some Real Difficult decisions to make Michael.
Joyce blackman
The decision was not easy
Elaine
I found my answers to be easy , loved the choices though
Gail Paremain
I need Phalanopsis Chocolate Dream in my life, please bring it to QVC
Isabel Barra
They are all so incredibly beautiful and unique, which made it very hard to choose…love them all! 🧡💛💗
Dorothy Ward
Loving all the new varieties, really spoilt for choice so went with my heart.
Mary
Beautiful and interesting selection of plants.
Difficult to select a favourite as I would love to grow them all.
Maureen
Love all the plants, really … but happy to select one that’s a tad more desirable than its rivals! Thanks for this … very interesting.
Veronica Faux
It was very difficult to choose. If I could I would choose them all, but chose with my heart.
Patricia Long
I really love looking and enjoying what others have,I’m an old bird now n have seen many things, biggest surprise would to see Michael in my garden, i don’t do all the marking out its higlty piglty ,I’m still on this wretched lockdown n my garden has been my saviour, I’m out there most days pottering when I can it’s very mentally calming,love too hear from you ,love pat long.
Ruthie Armstead
Loved voting on these. It’s so interesting seeing the results.