Award winners named at HTA National Plant Show

Kernock Park Plants has achieved the double at the HTA National Plant Show 2026 by winning the New Plant Awards Visitor Vote after being awarded Best in Show with Antirrhinum ‘Shiryu Kiss’ at yesterday’s show. It also won Best in Category for Herbaceous Perennials at NAEC Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.

The HTA New Plant Awards Visitor Vote – sponsored by Floramedia – gives visitors the chance to choose their favourite new plant from the seven ‘Best in Category’ winners. Day one visitors and those arriving before 11am today cast their vote by placing a token in the voting boxes near the show entrance.

The winning plant, Antirrhinum ‘Shiryu Kiss’ produces rich purple flowers over a long season and is truly perennial in nature, offering excellent value in the garden. It has proven to be significantly resistant to rust (a common disease of Antirrhinum) and powdery mildew. It responds well to pruning, and the non-stop flowering with nectar-laden blooms is irresistible to bumblebees and butterflies. The name ‘Shiryu’, meaning “purple dragon” in Japanese, pays tribute to both the plant’s snapdragon heritage and the subtle purple hues in its flowers and foliage.

© Horticultural Trades Association

At this year’s National Plant Show, 157 companies are exhibiting across 267 stands. Spread across two halls, the colourful, innovative stands showcase a variety of plants and products, spanning the entire environmental horticulture supply chain. To recognise exhibitors’ hard work, one stand is named Best Stand 2026.

The judges – consisting of Jane Lawler, Vice President of the HTA; Neil Grant, Chair of the HTA Retailer Committee; and Adele Dyer from Which? Gardening – are looking for the most innovative display, plant quality, attention to detail, inspiration, appeal, and a stand that truly showcases the brand.

The winner of the Best Stand 2026 was Profitplant UK.

© Horticultural Trades Association

Jane Lawler, Vice-President of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), said: “The standard this year was fantastic, and there wasn’t much to choose between them, so it was a very difficult job for the judges. Profitplant UK replicated a mini garden cafe on their stand, which was super engaging and intriguing to look at. We thought it was inspiring for retailers, had some really beautiful, interesting and high-quality plants and was truly creative and impactful.”

Andre Doordin from Profitplant UK commented: “It’s fantastic to be rewarded in this way. We put a lot of energy into thinking about what we’re going to do with the stand every year. You have a small space, so we wanted to show our company’s outdoor and indoor plants. We try to put a little bit into a theme, and this year we were thinking the bar and chairs reflect our hospitality as a company. I think everyone will be excited about this win.”

The runner-up for Best Stand was Horti House, and Chappell Cottage Plants Ltd received a judges’ commendation.