Hydrangea macrophylla First Editions® Eclipse® has been crowned Best New Plant 2024 at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, winning Allensmore Nurseries the coveted Peter Seabrook Award.

The new Hydrangeas’ deep purple disease-resistant foliage, which maintains its colour all season, is complemented by its cherry rimmed blooms, centred in lime.

Launched in 2023 in association with the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation, the Peter Seabrook Award honours the late plantsman.

This year’s award garnered more than 100 entries, all of which are available to see at the Hot Off The Potting Bench gallery in the Floral Marquee at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, NEC Birmingham 13 – 16 June.

To enter the Award, plants must be new varieties, colour breaks or characteristics that improve on an existing variety, and can’t have been available for sale to the public before BBC Gardeners’ World Live opened on 13 June 2024.

Hydrangea macrophylla First Editions® Eclipse® by Allensmore Nurseries

Allensmore Nurseries entry also took home the win in the Shrubs category.

Other category winners are Plectranthus Skeletal by Hayloft in Annuals and bedding, Apple Peter’s Gold, a seedling discovered by Peter Seabrook and developed by FP Matthews in Edibles, Aglaonema Grand Blossom by Ansu in Houseplants, conservatory and tender plants, and Musa Ever Red by Thompson & Morgan in Perennials.

Neil Gow will be introducing some of the plants entered for the Peter Seabrook Award in live sessions at the Let’s Talk Plants Stage, sponsored by Hillier, in the Floral Marquee at the show.

Visitors will be able to vote for their own personal favourite at the Hot Off The Potting Bench gallery, with the Visitors’ Choice winner announced on Sunday 16 June.

The awards for Best Construction Landscaper and Best Show Garden have also been announced at today’s show.

For more information visit: www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com