Hot Off The Potting Bench, the new plant feature at BBC Gardeners World Live, this year will display a collection of around 100 new plants, many which will not have been seen by the plant buying public before. 

Organised by the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation, breeders and growers from across the world enter their new introductions and plant varieties, with the opportunity to show those plants off to an industry panel of expert judges, competing for the Peter Seabrook Award for the best new plant in the show. In addition the 90,000 plus visitors to the show, this year will get to walk amongst the plants and cast their own vote for their favourite. Feature organiser Neil Gow, from the Foundation, told gtnXtra “this is a key reason for growers to enter their plants, as the public voting gives a great indication of the likely interest and rate of sale they can expect when the plants hit the benches of garden retail outlets next season.”

Plants are judged in categories including houseplants, annuals and bedding, perennials, shrubs and edibles and will this year include a brand new apple variety named Peter’s Gold which is being launched by Frank P Matthews at the show. Entries are also in from Bransford Webbs, Farplants, Ball Horticulture, Syngenta, MNP Suntory, Allensmore, Kerley & Co, Goldengrove, Peter Beales and many other growers. Entry of new varieties is still possible by contacting the Foundation via their website or info@colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk 

BBC Gardeners World Live opens it’s door to the public from the 13th to 16th June at the NEC Birmingham, and gtnXtra will be there to photograph the plants, bring you the results and all the latest news. The Gardeners World TV programme will be filmed at the show for first broadcast on Friday evening and will feature a number of the new plants from Hot Off The Potting Bench.

Pictured above: TV  gardener Adam Frost and presenter Nikki Chapman, along with Rachel Seabrook (Peter’s Granddaughter) presenting The Peter Seabrook award to the 2023 winner, rose breeder Chris Warner.

Winner of the Visitors Vote in 2023, Trollius Full Moon, entered by Allensmore Nurseries, bred by Syngenta