Top 10 new plants

Matt Biggs' top 10 new plants

Iris ‘Impressions de Jouy’ – named for the tapestries created at Jouy in France, renowned for their intricate needlework, this is an iris of sumptuous colour and complexity. A combination of white standards and purple falls, with white markings complimented by the orange beard, creates a striking combination. 

Rosa Cariad (‘Auspanier’) – here’s to a fabulous new introduction that’s disease resistant but not at the expense of the traditional ‘rosaceous’ values. Cariad, a shrub rose with soft pink double flowers combines beauty with ever-changing fragrance. Early in the season, at bud stage, it is myrrh with a touch of tea and spicy musk when blooming. In later months hints of orange peel and almonds pervade the dominant myrrh. This is horticultural perfection of the perfumier’s art! 

Gallardia ‘Naomi Sunshine’- I can’t understand why this jolly genus isn’t more popular in herbaceous borders. Covered with blooms of optimistic bright tangerine ‘Naomi Sunshine’ is compact enough to grow in containers. A royalty on every plant sold goes to the Naomi house hospice in Winchester, so there are plenty of good reasons to buy. 

Digitalis ‘Serendipity’ – I’m not normally one for flouncy flowers but happily make an exception with this one. Produced by Master plant breeder and selector Alan Postill, this is one of the most extraordinary Foxglove’s, ever! The split tubular flowers with gently undulating petals, give it a soft, ruffled appearance. 

Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ – this American introduction, is robust yet elegant, it’s airy tangerine blooms appearing over a long season, from mid-April to October. Earlier this year, they were blooming in the snow! This oft dismissed genus, which thrives in clay, deserves, to be more widely planted. Let this plant change your mind!

Clematis 'Diamantina' – Clematis connoisseur Raymond Evison, weaves yet more magic with this diverse genus. Compact and free flowering, with double flowers like blue purple pom-poms, lasting up to four weeks, this fabulous new introduction is ideal for containers or confined spaces. 

Pelargonium ‘Rockwell Sophie’ – Love or loathe them, perennially popular pelargoniums will gain new fans with this ‘Angel’ selected for its outstanding golden foliage. The flowers, of soft lilac pink with raspberry blotches and veins remind me of the blamanche we ate at school!  

Iris biliottii – Don’t be put off by it’s common name – the ‘Graveyard Iris’, this new species to cultivation, from eastern Anatolia, is dainty and desirable. The delicate lavender standards with deeper falls are elegant and refined - ideal for bringing a touch of class to that dry spot in your garden. 

Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ – this recent introduction, with deep yellow flowers and red tints on the petals, is a fabulous garden plant. Shown by Harveys Garden Plants for the first time at Chelsea it forms vigorous clumps and is unusually tall for the genus. Yet another ‘must have’ Epimedium for the garden!

Eriophorum russeolum – think of our native ‘Cotton Grass’ then add the most beautiful bronze ‘cotton’. This remarkable little plant is at home in boggy ground or shallow water. My personal plant of the year for Chelsea, 2010.