The Chelsea Flower Show is the perfect launch pad for new varieties of plants. Get the latest releases direct from the growers and nurseries – here’s a sneak preview.
Iris ‘Bientôt l’Été’
This vibrant purple and yellow iris is a very late blooming variety. Its central petals are a pale yellow and outer ones are white with a dark violet-blue border. The orange beards are framed with bright yellow and sometimes end with a purple spoon.
Iris ‘Cigarillo’
This is an unusual colour for any plant! Its shade is described as a ‘slightly roasted, copper-honeyed tone with orange beards.’ It will certainly add interest to your garden. Each plant can produce up to ten flowers.
Rosa Desdemona (‘Auskindling’)
This soft white rose has an exceptionally long flowering season, producing blooms from early summer until the first frosts. Pretty peachy buds open to reveal pure white blooms. The flowers are chalice-shaped and have an intense myrrh fragrance. It is named after Shakespeare’s tragic heroine from Othello.
Streptocarpus ‘Polka-Dot Purple’
This long-flowering streptocarpus has lovely purple and white flowers that make it a striking houseplant. The beautiful and unusual markings on the flowers give a veined appearance. It will thrive on a shady windowsill.
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Purity’
A small lavender with long-lasting bright white flowers. It blooms through June and July and has aromatic grey-green foliage. Its compact size makes it ideal for edging pathways and small borders, and it also thrives in containers.
Rosa Susie (‘Harwhistle’)
This is a romantic yellow to gold rose with glossy green foliage. It has a strong, sweet scent of old rose varieties mixed with citronella. It’s a compact patio climber that is ideal for patio pots or small walls.
Clematis ‘Cloudburst’
An eye-catching clematis with large 10-12cm blooms. It has light pink to violet flowers that turn white towards the centre. The petals have pinkish veins and slightly wavy edges. The stamens have dark, almost black anthers set on cream-coloured filaments. It will bloom profusely from the end of June onwards.
Primula × anisodoxa ‘Kevock Surprise’
This is a hybrid bred from red and yellow primulas. The dark red buds open to salmon-pink flowers with yellow centres. The plant produces successive whorls of flowers, the new ones opening as the older ones get paler, eventually becoming light peach.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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