The winner of this year’s Peter Seabrook Award for Best New Plant at BBC Gardeners’ World Live is Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss', bred by Kernock Park Plants in Cornwall.
The winning Antirrhinum is a hardy perennial with rich purple flowers and darkly flushed, deep green disease-resistant foliage. It blooms throughout spring and summer.
The award-winning Antirrhinum is on display at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham until Sunday 21 June. It will be available in limited numbers from Waitrose and as a 9cm plant from Thompson and Morgan, then through garden centres next spring. The Peter Seabrook Award was launched at BBC Gardeners’ World Live in 2023 in association with the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation, in memory of the legendary BBC Gardeners’ World presenter and plantsman who died in 2022. The award recognises specialist plant growers, breeders and nurseries and their commitment to developing exciting new plants. More than 75 plants were entered for this year’s award, all displayed at BBC Gardeners’ World Live’s the Hot Off The Potting Bench gallery.
Plants entered for the Peter Seabrook Award must be brand new varieties or colour breaks or have characteristics that improve on an existing variety. Entries can’t be on sale to the public until after BBC Gardeners’ World Live’s opening day on 18 June 2026.
Horticulturalist, writer and presenter, David Hurrion, is Chair of the New Plant Introductions Panel at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. He said: “This new Antirrhinum is sure to remind gardeners what great plants snapdragons are with their free-flowering nature and their ability to nestle their way into the garden border. This compact-growing perennial variety is also rust resistant and flowers over many months. The judges loved it for its traditional cottage garden looks and pretty bicolour blooms.”
Category winners were:
- Perennials, including bulbs and tubers: Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss' by Kernock Park Plants
- Ornamental shrubs and trees: Hydrangea Groundbreaker® Ruby by Suttons
- Edibles: Nuvar™ Misty Rose™ by Frank P. Matthews
- Tender, conservatory and houseplants: Streptocarpus 'Holly' by Dibleys Houseplants
- Annuals and bedding plants: Pelargonium Calliope Landscape 'Rock 'n Rose' by Syngenta.
The award assessment panel of expert horticulturalists were so impressed by this year’s entries that they identified a further hotlist of ‘ones to watch’:
- Digitalis Arctic Fox Lemon Cream by Ball Colegrave
- Digitalis Rhubarb and Custard by Allensmore Nurseries
- Petunia Bubbles Magenta Split by Kerley & Co
- Lewisia Sunset Glow by Kernock Plants
- Rose Art Deco by Roses UK
- Rose BBC The One Show 20th by Peter Beales.
Bob Sweet, Horticultural Director at BBC Gardeners’ World Events said: “Plants were Peter Seabrook’s passion and are the stars of BBC Gardeners’ World Live. This award in Peter’s name is a wonderful way to acknowledge his outstanding contribution to horticulture and to BBC Gardeners’ World Live. It also recognises the commitment of plant breeders and growers to develop wonderful new plants for us to enjoy in our gardens.”
Visitors flock to the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Floral Marquee for its impressive displays by leading plant nurseries and societies, the International Orchid Show, the Plant Experts’ advice desk and the Wool-Pots eco-friendly Pot Swap. At the Let’s Talk Plants Stage, sponsored by Hillier, expert guests, including Monty Don, Adam Frost and Frances Tophill, share plant advice and inspiration. The People’s Choice award for favourite new plant will be presented on Sunday, following a visitor vote.
Further Floral Awards presented at BBC Gardeners’ World Live this year are:
- The Geoff Hamilton Award for Best Floral Display: Proctors Nursery
- How High Can You Go? Award (for the best quality exhibit with height): Peter Beales Roses
- Best Retail Area: New Forest Hostas
- Best Orchid Show Display: Bournemouth Orchid Society.
BBC Gardeners’ World Live takes place at the NEC Birmingham from 18-21 June 2026 and is bursting with ideas, inspiration and plants for real gardens. This year’s headline garden is The Garden of Evolution, a collaboration between anthropologist Professor Alice Roberts, designer David Stevens and academics from the University of Birmingham. This dramatic garden landscape traces 500 million years of plant evolution to the present day.
BBC Newsround presenter De-Graft Mensah, a proud allotment grower, has co-created the BBC Gardeners’ World Make a Metre Matter Border with garden designer, Lucy Chamberlain. This compact little garden is made up of creative, one metre spaces, each dedicated to supporting a healthy planet.
Other BBC Gardeners’ World Live highlights include an array of Show Gardens, Beautiful Borders and floral displays. The Theatre, sponsored by British Garden Centres, features the BBC Gardeners’ World TV presenters, Nicki Chapman, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine’s Kevin Smith and special guests including Johnny Hincks (Garden with Jonny) and Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek). There are demonstrations, garden tours and plant talks, and extensive plant and garden shopping. At Adam Frost’s Tasting Table, there’s garden-inspired cooking, tastings, and guests from sister event, Good Food Show Summer. New features this year include the Smoke & Fire BBQ Festival, the QVC Outdoor Living Stage, the Garden Organic ’Grow Your Own’ Stage, floristry workshops and the BBC Introducing Stage, a showcase for local music talent.
BBC Gardeners’ World Live is at the NEC Birmingham until Sunday 21 June. Tickets are available at www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com and include entry to Good Food Show Summer (goodfoodshowsummer.com).
