The trial ground at Mr Fothergill’s Seeds HQ in Suffolk has been selected as a trial site for Fleuroselect, the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry.

The company will now undertake trials of newly-bred, yet-to-be launched, ornamental varieties on its trial field site and evaluate them according to criteria such as wow factor, innovation, as floriforousness and garden performance. The assessments will count towards the award of prestigious Fleuroselect gold medals and approved novelty awards.

Mr Fothergill’s, the last of the UK seed companies with a fully functioning field trial, will be the furthest west of all the 18 Fleuroselect trial grounds, which stretch across mainland Europe to Russia in the east.