RHS Chelsea Flower Show is one of the most important moments in the horticultural calendar for many reasons, and one of these is the launch of brand new plants, only recently bred and made available to the public.
You may also like
- Meet the people behind the scenes at Chelsea Flower Show
- Main Show gardens: the full list
- Balcony and Container gardens at Chelsea Flower Show
As well as the Plant of the Year competition - which recognises the best of the new plants since last year's Chelsea Flower Show - there are a multitude of other plants which nurseries and breeders launch at Chelsea. This year is no exception. Below we've rounded up a selection of the new plants being launched at Chelsea, including a David Austin rose, and a unique Delosperma.
Discover the full shortlist and winner of the Plant of the Year competition
New plants being launched at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
Rosa EMMA BRIDGEWATER™(AUSB44A16)
Exhibited by: David Austin Roses
Breeder: David Austin Roses
A pink English shrub rose with rosettes that open in colours ranging from apricot and coral to
mauve and lilac. Both petals and leaves are matte, and the rose is repeat flowering. With a delicate
fragrance, this rose is also disease, pest, and weather resistant.
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Pink Mosaic'
Exhibited by: Jonathan Sheppard
Breeder: Floranova
Upright blooms that change from white to a striking mottled pink. This is a tender annual that looks great in borders and containers and can flower into autumn.
Delosperma DESERT DANCERS RED ('Fsdd2112') (Desert Dancers Series)
Delosperma DESERT DANCERS PURPLE ('Fsdd2117') (Desert Dancers Series)
Exhibited by: Sparsholt College Group
Supplied by: Kernock Park Plants
Breeder: Nishikawa Koichiro (Florsaika Breeding BV)
Unique Delosperma series with intensely dark foliage colour in winter and spring, and vibrant purple and red flowers in summer. Hardy down to -12oC.
Rosa SCENTIFALL LEMON (‘Tmro14-02’)
Exhibited by: Stonebarn & Gardeners’ Question Time
Supplied by: Thompson & Morgan
Breeder: Charles Valin
Bred for a compact trailing habit, disease resistance, heavy flowering and intense fragrance, Rosa SCENTIFALL LEMON is perfect for creating elegant hanging baskets, bringing citrus perfume and colour to head height. Fully double blooms are produced from June to November for long lasting displays. Growing to just 60x60cm it is also ideal in patio pots and front of border.
Rosa SPARK OF LIFE ('Harmaport')
Exhibited by: Harkness Roses 1879
Breeder: Harkness Roses 1879
A rose combining the great features that sustain the popularity of the rose year after year and showing improvements in several ways. This rose is a sport of an existing rose, which is a naturally occurring genetic mutation altering one or more characteristics. This new rose offers a strong fragrance, compact habit so needed in modern gardens, dense healthy foliage, and an abundance of bloom for months on end.
Buy from Harkness Roses (£24.99)
Zantedeschia PURPLE BEAT ('Dozanpurbe')
Exhibited by: Brighter Blooms
Breeder: Sande B.V. / Dunmen Group B.V.
Z. PURPLE BEAT is a short, compact version of the long established and very popular variety Z.
‘Picasso’, first registered in 2004. This miniature Zantedeschia flowers very freely with bi-coloured cream and purple flowers held nicely above the leaves.
New plants on the Plant of the Year shortlist
Agastache BEELICIOUS PINK ('Agapk')
Exhibited by: Proctors Nursery
Supplied by: Hayloft Ltd
Breeder: Van Hemert & Co.
A bee and butterfly magnet - flowering from July to September the extra long 15cm+ bottle brush-like flowers begin lighter pink, elongating with age and darkening in colour as the autumn
progresses. A compact bushy plant with aniseed-scented foliage. Good for the patio container or garden
border.
Agave 'Praying Hands' THIRD PLACE
Exhibited by: Stonebarn & Gardeners’ Question Time
Supplied by: Thompson & Morgan
Breeder: Hans Hansen
Agave 'Praying Hands' brings a completely different look to the Mangave (a cross of Manfreda and Agave), taking on an upright elegant teardrop shape. Its colourful and striking foliage makes for a perfect pot specimen or mix in with other succulents for stunning container displays. Hardy to -5C and sun and drought tolerant, it is ideal for a changing climate.
Begonia 'Stellar Storm'
Exhibited by: Dibleys Nurseries
Breeder: Lynne Dibley
A new style of colourful-leaved begonia. Similar in style to Begonia rex but with several different species introduced into the breeding line to create a tougher and a more resilient plant that is less affected by
changes in humidity and temperature.
With its striking burgundy, red and silver striped foliage, Begonia 'Stellar Storm' adds a touch of drama to any space. Its large, spiral-shaped leaves boast unique spiked edges, making it a distinctive addition to any collection.
Clematis GUERNSEY FLUTE ('Evigsy153')
Exhibited by: Raymond Evison Clematis
Breeder: Raymond Evison Clematis
Long-lasting and robust white blooms and free- and repeat-flowering habit create a stunning display in beds and containers. It has an unusual trait of holding its flower buds which resemble champagne flutes.
Cosmos atrosanguineus CHERRY CHOCOLATE ('Vg001') SECOND PLACE
Exhibited by: Stonebarn & Gardeners’ Question Time
Supplied by: Whetman Plants International
Breeder: Valin Genetics
Cosmos CHERRY CHOCOLATE brings a unique colour breakthrough whilst improving hardiness (RHS H4) in a garden favourite. Vibrant cherry-coloured flowers, with a delicious chocolate scent and contrasting yellow pollen, are the largest of any Cosmos atrosanguineus. Loved by pollinators, this cosmos blooms non-stop from end of May to the first frost.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Yulika'
Exhibited by: Burncoose Nurseries
Breeder: Sakamoto Gardening – Japan
Easy to prune in spring and winter hardy down to -15°c. Its raw flowers are dark red which then fully bloom into white and red, giving a beautiful contrast in flower colour.
Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis METEOR ('Hillmah')
Exhibited by: Sparsholt College Group
Supplied by: Hilliers
Breeder: Hilliers
Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis METEOR ('Hillmah') has deep green leaves, a dense globose habit, deep red foliage in spring and a flush of yellow flowers from August to November, giving this plant year round interest. The compact habit makes it suitable for a wide variety of spaces. It is trouble free
and easy to grow.
Musa sikkimensis EVER RED ('Lou 1')
Exhibited by: Stonebarn & Gardeners’ Question Time
Supplied by: Suttons
Breeder: Bruno Chauvet
Musa sikkimensis EVER RED rivals Musa basjoo for hardiness and speed of growth. Its thicker, stronger leaves are more windproof and more colourful than M. 'Bengal Tiger', retaining its red for longer during the summer. With winter protection it can grow to 4m high in 10 years, developing a woody stem over time, creating a dramatically tropical architectural centrepiece.
Narcissus 'King Charles'
Exhibited by: Taylors Bulbs
Breeder: Taylors Bulbs
This particular cultivar is very unique and distinct in its look. The petals are reflexed and start off white with a beautiful funnel shaped, lightly frilled pink trumpet that is flared at the mouth. The perianth segments then mature to yellow with white remaining along the midrim.
Papaver (Oriental Group) RED RUMBLE ('Hg01')
Exhibited by: Hare Spring Cottage Garden Plants
Supplied by: Hayloft Ltd
Breeder: Herbert Oudshoorn
Repeat flowering, cupped, hand sized and intensely coloured with multi- layers of ruffled petals, this sturdy Papaver will attract attention. Unlike most poppies, RED RUMBLE's foliage stays a healthy green for longer being less sensitive to disease. Each flower is held on thick strong stems and won't flop when left unsupported.
Petunia NICOLA ('Kernicola') (Tumbelina Series)
Exhibited by: Sparsholt College Group
Supplied by: Kerley & Co
Breeder: Kerley & Co
Petunia NICOLA is innovative, with appeal and sturdy performance credentials for gardeners of all proficiency. The colour and flower shape is new - a central flourish of petals with contrasting frame - but nonetheless elegant. With weather tolerance for an uncertain climate and sustainable peat-free performance, this petunia is a modern twist on a traditional summer favourite.
Philadelphus PETITE PERFUME WHITE ('W1')
Exhibited by: Sparsholt College Group
Supplied by: Hilliers
Breeder: Hilliers
This plant is perfectly suited to a modern garden. Compact, naturally branching, free flowering and with an intense fragrance that fills the garden, the flower has an almost cruciform look with recurved petals that is quite unique for this genus and visually attractive.
Pleurotus euosmus - tarragon oyster mushroom
Exhibited by: Caley Brothers
Breeder: Adrian Ogden, Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms
The tarragon oyster mushroom is quick and easy to cultivate, simple to grow and accessible to anyone, regardless of space, experience and budget. It can be cultivated and grown on a variety of substrates such as waste products like sawdust.
It is a speciality variety of a well-known species, with a stunning and unique flavour profile. In a move towards a more plant based diet and conscious consumerism, mushrooms are a growing source of sustainable food.
Prunus 'Starlight’
Exhibited by: Green Jjam Nursery
Breeder: Ken Tobutt
A winter and spring flowering ornamental cherry, with attractive and unusual pure white star-shaped flowers. It has a profuse flowering habit in late March which can extent into April. It can also flower in early winter in mild weather and its flowers have good resistance to frost. Suitable for all soil types and propagates well.
Rosa CHELSEA PENSIONER ('Harhomley')
Exhibited by: Harkness Roses 1879
Breeder: Harkness Roses 1879
Rosa CHELSEA PENSIONER, an easy to grow Hybrid Tea rose, with the colour matching the iconic Chelsea Pensioners' uniform. The blooms are proudly held and perfectly formed. The leaves are lush, the growth strong, and perfume spicy. A garden rose flowering from June to October and easy to grow.
Buy from Harkness Roses (£24.99)
Salvia × jamensis BELLE DE LOIRE 'Barsabel'
Exhibited by: Middleton Nurseries
Breeder: La Possonniere
Providing interest through a long flowering season with blooms changing from yellow and orange in spring transitioning through to cream and salmon in autumn. It’s nectar-rich blossoms attract bees and butterflies and its low-maintenance requirements, easy growth and hardiness make it ideal for novice gardeners.
Scabiosa KUDO BLUE ('Ichbu2005') (Kudo Series)
Exhibited by: Daisy Roots Nursery
Supplied by: Sarah Raven
Breeder: Kaori Ichiba
Scabiosa KUDO BLUE is a fully hardy and compact scabious, bearing many larger than average, bright blue pincushion flowers from spring to autumn. Easy to grow in well-drained soil in a bright and sunny position, it makes a fantastic choice for a mixed herbaceous border, gravel garden or container
planting scheme. The flowers are wonderful for cutting and the blooms are loved by pollinating insects.
Sempervivum GOLD MINE ('Ggm2022') (Chick Charms Giants
Series)
Exhibited by: Sparsholt College Group
Supplied by: Hilliers
Breeder: Chris Hansen
This variety is hardy, drought tolerant and easy to grow. Dramatic colouration and huge rosettes to 30cm across make it a perfect patio or container plant.
Buy from YouGarden (£14.99)
Trachelospermum asiaticum STAR OF MILANO ('Trsuz01')
Exhibited by: Stonebarn & Gardeners’ Question Time
Supplied by: Suttons
Breeder: Yuji Suzuki
Trachelospermum STAR OF MILANO brings together two sought after features of an already popular evergreen climber - striking variegated foliage and pink flushed bicolour fragrant blooms, making it a standout addition to the genus. Ideal for modern gardens, it reaches just 3mx2m
requiring no pruning or training. Hardy to -12C for year round interest.
Tulbaghia cominsii 'Fancy Pants'
Exhibited by: Hoyland Plant Centre
Breeder: Steven Hickman
A floriferous Tulbaghia, with a unique flower resembling a miniature cyclamen. Plant in full sun or part shade. Hardy to -10C.
