Yesterday afternoon and evening I helped judge the New Plant Awards at the very first British National Plant Show.

We started out with almost sixty entries, and, after much careful deliberation, we gave the award for the Best New Plant in the Show to a new begonia exhibited by Allensmore Nurseries called Glowing Embers (left, click to enlarge).

Created by Fred Yates, who's developed some superb begonia hybrids in recent years including the Million Kisses series, this Begonia pearcei hybrid has single orange flowers which are perfectly set off by the bronze foliage and the mature plants on display are really impressive.

The New Plant exhibit at the show is well worth a look and in fact the whole show is packed with good plants old and new - and not a sun lounger nor any novelty hand tools to be seen. The show features plants - and nothing else. It's open on June 29 and 30 - for more details check the National Plant Show website. I'll be going back to take another look on Wednesday. Oh, by the way, entry is free.