RHS Award Winners

A late-summer marvel, the Drumstick Allium is a master of transformation. It begins as a slender green bud, slowly developing its signature oval head that transitions from green to a rich burgundy-claret, starting from the top down. Planted in generous drifts, these tightly packed, egg-shaped blooms sway on wiry stems, creating a mesmerizing, rhythmic dance in the breeze. They are perfect for weaving through perennial borders, adding a pop of deep, jewel-toned colour and dynamic texture long after other flowers have faded. Their slender profile allows them to mingle effortlessly without overcrowding neighbors, making them an exceptional choice for naturalistic and prairie-style plantings, bringing your garden composition to a beautiful crescendo.

The "Giant Allium" is the species that started the craze for these incredible plants. Allium giganteum was one of the first giant ornamental onions to be introduced to European gardens from its native Central Asia. It produces wonderful 6-inch globes of bright lilac-purple flowers on towering stems that can easily reach 5 feet. While newer hybrids may be larger, giganteum has a classic, reliable charm and a slightly more open flower structure that gives it a softer, more airy feel than its dense hybrid cousins. It is a true garden heirloom and a must-have for creating that classic, vertical cottage garden look.

Allium 'Purple Sensation' is certainly sensational in its popularity among gardeners as well as its absolutely striking good looks, and you’ll be thrilled to have it. At the end of a fairly short stalk, 100 or more lavender purple stars shoot out in a circle of superb symmetry and seemingly painted-on colour. Any great artist would be proud to have designed these flowers, and a cluster is a breath-taking sight. Plant several Allium 'Purple Sensation' bulbs (commonly known as Dutch garlic) close together and see for yourself why this is one of the trendiest plant species to have in your garden. They also smell divine and butterflies flock to them. Just fabulous!

The long-lasting, sweetly scented blooms of Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' last well in the vase, and even the spent flowers look striking with their structured flower stems precisely arranged in their spherical pattern. All in all, it’s a gorgeous plant, with a sculptural yet airy appearance, and it’s pleasant to see it finally winning gardener’s hearts as it deserves.

Arguably the world's most popular miniature daffodil, 'Tête-à-Tête' is a small but mighty harbinger of spring. Each bulb produces multiple stems, each carrying one to three perfectly formed, bright, sunshine-yellow flowers. The blooms have slightly swept-back petals and a neat, trumpet-shaped cup. Its short stature makes it incredibly robust and weather-resistant, perfect for even the most exposed gardens. It is an exceptionally reliable perennialiser, quickly forming dense, cheerful clumps that multiply year after year. Winner of the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, it is a versatile and indispensable variety for bringing an early, welcome burst of colour to pots, rockeries, window boxes, and the very front of garden borders.

When it comes to making a statement, 'Globemaster' is in a class of its own. This magnificent variety boasts some of the largest flower heads available—enormous, 8-10 inch globes packed with thousands of star-shaped, purple florets. What makes 'Globemaster' truly special is its incredibly long bloom time; as new florets open from the center, the flower head continues to expand, maintaining its perfect spherical shape for weeks on end. It’s a living sculpture for your garden, providing a powerful focal point that commands attention and inspires awe. Even after the colour fades, the dried seed heads provide architectural interest well into the winter.

Behold the celestial firework of the plant world, the Star of Persia. This allium produces an enormous, airy globe, often reaching up to 10 inches in diameter, composed of as many as 100 individual, star-shaped florets. Each metallic, silvery-lilac flower has a remarkable amethyst sheen, creating a sparkling, ethereal sphere that seems to hover in the garden. It blooms a bit lower to the ground than its giant cousins, making it a perfect statement piece for the front or mid-border. After flowering, the architectural seed heads are just as stunning, drying to a beautiful silvery-tan that persists for months. Use them to add long-lasting structure to the garden or bring them indoors for magnificent dried arrangements that capture their starry magic.

The quintessential large, golden-yellow daffodil, 'Dutch Master' is a world-famous Trumpet variety that has become a modern icon of spring. It is celebrated for its huge, robust flowers, which feature broad, rich golden-yellow petals (perianth) and a magnificent, flared, and ruffled trumpet of the same pure, uniform colour. Standing tall and proud on exceptionally strong, weather-resistant stems, this variety is a reliable and vigorous performer, blooming with incredible impact in early to mid-spring. 'Dutch Master' is the go-to choice for creating bold, classic swathes of colour in borders, for naturalising in lawns, and for a long-lasting, traditional spring bouquet.

A plant of exceptional grace and subtle beauty, the Sicilian Honey Garlic is a true garden aristocrat. From a tall, upright stem, a fascinating firework-like head emerges, bearing up to 30 enchanting, bell-shaped flowers on long, gracefully drooping pedicels. Each bloom is a complex combination of creamy-green flushed with pink and maroon, creating a soft, antique tapestry of colour. As the flowers mature, the pedicels turn upwards, completely changing the shape of the bloom head into an upright candelabra. This dynamic, mobile-like structure provides weeks of interest and is a magnet for bees. It’s a perfect choice for adding movement, elegance, and a touch of the unusual to both formal and informal garden settings.

A jolt of electric, azure-blue for the summer garden, Allium azureum is a gem of startling intensity. Unlike its paler relatives, this allium delivers a spectacular splash of vivid, cornflower-blue, a colour that brings an unparalleled energy to the border. It forms dense, tightly packed globes of star-shaped florets, each held aloft on slender, upright stems that rise above withering, grass-like foliage. This trait makes it a perfect candidate for interplanting, where its brilliant flower heads can float magically above a sea of lower-growing perennials and grasses.

Native to the windswept steppes of Central Asia, it is perfectly at home in full sun and sharply-drained soil. For a truly breathtaking effect, plant in generous, tightly-packed drifts where its collective power can create a dazzling, vibrant haze of blue. Pair it with the contrasting fire of orange geums or the cool silvers of artemisia and eryngium for a display that is both dynamic and sophisticated. A plant of pure, unadulterated colour, Allium azureum is guaranteed to stop onlookers in their tracks.

Ignite your spring garden with the fiery passion of Hyacinth 'Jan Bos'! A true showstopper, this variety boasts incredibly intense, magenta-red flower spikes that command attention. Not only is 'Jan Bos' a feast for the eyes, but its rich, sweet perfume will fill the air, making it a must-have for sensory gardens. Awarded the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be assured of its superb performance. Plant these gems in pots on the patio, along border edges, or in drifts for a spectacular block of colour. They partner beautifully with the cool tones of Muscari armeniacum or pure white tulips for a truly classic spring display.

An absolute treasure for the early spring garden, 'Minnow' is a delightful Tazetta daffodil prized for its diminutive size and abundant charm. Despite its small stature, it makes a big impact by producing multiple tiny flowers on each stem, creating a lively bouquet effect. Each delicate bloom features creamy-white, slightly reflexed outer petals surrounding a small, neat, buttery-yellow cup. This RHS Award-winning variety is not only visually charming but also sweetly fragrant. It is an excellent perennialiser, returning reliably year after year and gradually spreading to form larger, more impressive clumps. 'Minnow' is the perfect choice for rock gardens, the front of borders, and small pots, where its tiny, perfect blooms can be admired up close.

A true icon of early spring, 'Jetfire' is a small but mighty Cyclamineus daffodil with an electrifying colour combination. This RHS Award-winning variety is instantly recognisable by its bright golden-yellow petals, which are sharply swept back from the cup in the classic, windswept Cyclamineus style. Providing a stunning contrast is the slender, trumpet-like cup, which is a brilliant, fiery reddish-orange. The effect is dynamic, exciting, and full of energy. 'Jetfire' is one of the earliest daffodils to bloom, creating a welcome blast of hot colour when the garden is just waking up. It is an incredibly robust and reliable perennial that will naturalise with ease, forming larger, more impressive clumps year after year.

A particularly striking and beautiful variety, 'Night Eyes' is a Grape Hyacinth that offers a dramatic and intense colour contrast. Each flower spike is composed of densely packed, deep cobalt-blue florets. What makes this variety so special is that each individual bell is neatly and distinctly rimmed with a crisp white edge, making them look like a cluster of tiny, watchful eyes. This RHS Award-winning cultivar is a selection of Muscari armeniacum and is very easy to grow. It is a fantastic choice for adding a touch of jewel-like detail to the spring garden and is perfect for containers where its unique beauty can be admired up close.

A truly regal and timeless beauty, 'Jeanne d'Arc' is one of the largest and most impressive of the spring-flowering crocuses. It stands out for its exceptionally large, goblet-shaped flowers of the purest, shimmering snow-white. Each pristine bloom has a classic, elegant form and is held on a strong stem, creating a bold statement in the garden. Upon closer inspection, a delicate, faint purple blush can be seen at the very base of the petals, adding a touch of sophisticated detail to its otherwise immaculate appearance. A vibrant orange stigma glows from the centre, attracting early pollinators. As a Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus), it flowers slightly later than the botanical types, bridging the gap to early tulips. It is an outstanding choice for naturalising in lawns, where its large white flowers create a breathtaking display against the green grass.

A spectacular and incredibly fragrant variety, 'Bridal Crown' is a celebrated Double Tazetta daffodil that produces a beautiful bouquet from each stem. Each strong stem carries a cluster of 3-5 exquisite, fully double flowers. The blooms are composed of multiple layers of creamy-white petals, with a central ruff of shorter, honey-orange segments, creating a rich and opulent appearance. The fragrance is powerful, sweet, and musky, making it a garden superstar and a florist's dream. It is a reliable and vigorous grower, perfect for adding a touch of romance and an abundance of perfume to the mid-spring garden. 'Bridal Crown' is also an excellent choice for forcing indoors for a fragrant winter display.

Welcome a flurry of early spring cheer with Puschkinia libanotica, the exquisite Russian Snowdrop or Striped Squill. These charming bulbs produce clusters of star-shaped, ice-white flowers, each petal delicately painted with a fine, porcelain-blue stripe. Holding the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be sure of their reliable performance. They are perfect for creating shimmering carpets of colour at the front of borders, in rockeries, or naturalised in lawns under deciduous trees. Plant them in generous drifts alongside early crocuses or winter aconites for a breathtaking spring awakening. Easy to grow and loved by early pollinators!

Prepare for a spectacular spring display with Hyacinth 'Peter Stuyvesant', a variety famed for its breathtakingly deep, violet-blue florets. Each dense, spire-like bloom releases an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance that is the very essence of spring. Perfect for creating a dramatic statement in patio pots and window boxes, or massed at the front of a sunny border for an unforgettable river of colour. Its rich hue pairs wonderfully with crisp white daffodils or pale yellow tulips. Easy to grow and a magnet for early pollinators, 'Peter Stuyvesant' brings reliable performance and regal beauty to any UK garden.

Bring a touch of classic elegance and an intoxicating scent to your spring garden with Hyacinth 'Carnegie'. Winner of the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, this variety is celebrated for its pristine, snow-white florets, densely packed into magnificent flower spikes. Its powerful, sweet fragrance is the very essence of spring and will perfume your entire garden or home. 'Carnegie' is wonderfully versatile, creating a stunning, formal effect in borders and looking simply divine in patio pots and window boxes. For a breathtaking display, plant it alongside blue Muscari or deep purple tulips for a truly classic and crisp spring combination.

An enchanting and award-winning variety, 'Golden Echo' is a unique Jonquilla daffodil that will capture your heart. Each stem carries one to three beautiful flowers that are wonderfully fragrant. The blooms feature pure white, slightly swept-back petals that provide a clean contrast to the long, elegant, golden-yellow trumpet. The most magical and defining feature is how the rich yellow of the trumpet appears to bleed or "echo" out onto the base of the white petals, creating a stunning, luminous, golden halo right at the flower's heart. This RHS Award-winner is a vigorous and reliable perennial that will happily naturalise, bringing its unique beauty and sweet perfume to the garden for many years.

An incredible and justly famous heirloom, 'Avalanche' is a Tazetta daffodil that truly lives up to its name by producing an avalanche of flowers. Each robust stem carries a huge cluster of up to 20 fragrant blooms, creating a spectacular and long-lasting display from a single bulb. The individual flowers are charming, with pure white, slightly reflexed petals surrounding a small, neatly ruffled, lemon-yellow cup. The sweet, musky fragrance is powerful and can perfume a large area of the garden. This RHS Award-winning variety is vigorous, reliable, and a fantastic perennialiser, bringing increasing cheer and scent to the mid-spring garden year after year.

A fantastic architectural perennial, Echinops ritro, or the Globe Thistle, brings wonderful texture, colour, and structure to the garden. It forms a handsome clump of large, thistle-like leaves that are deep green on top and a contrasting, downy white underneath. In mid to late summer, the plant sends up strong, branching, silvery stems, each topped with a perfectly spherical, spiky flowerhead. The flowerheads start as silvery-green globes and gradually open into a stunning shade of intense, metallic blue. These globes are a magnet for bees and butterflies, who can often be seen covering the flowers. The flowerheads remain attractive long after the colour has faded, providing winter interest, and they are exceptional for both fresh and dried flower arrangements. It is a tough, drought-tolerant plant that thrives on neglect.

An outstanding and aptly named variety, 'Ruby Giant' is a cultivar of Crocus tommasinianus and is celebrated for its larger-than-average flowers and rich, vibrant colouring. The blooms are a stunning shade of deep, iridescent reddish-purple or amethyst, which seems to glow in the low spring sunlight. The flowers open wide on sunny days to reveal a bright orange stigma at their heart. 'Ruby Giant' is one of the earliest crocuses to flower, often pushing through snow to provide a welcome splash of intense colour. It is exceptionally vigorous and an excellent naturaliser, quickly multiplying to form substantial, beautiful drifts. It is more resistant to squirrel damage than many other crocus types, making it a reliable choice for gardeners. Its slender, grass-like foliage appears with the flowers, creating a neat and attractive clump.

Prepare for a botanical firework display! Allium schubertii is one of nature's most spectacular and architectural creations. It produces an enormous flower head, up to a foot wide, with an explosive, open structure. The bloom consists of dozens of tiny, pinkish-purple, star-like florets, each borne on a pedicel of a dramatically different length. Some are short, clustered at the center, while others radiate outwards on long stems, creating a stunning, starburst effect. When the flowers fade, the resulting seed head is an even more impressive architectural skeleton that looks like a tumbleweed. It is a sensational centerpiece for a gravel garden or sunny border and makes an absolutely magnificent dried flower that will last for years.

Also known as Rosy Garlic, Allium roseum is a charming and carefree wildflower that brings a touch of the Mediterranean countryside to any garden. It produces loose, delicate clusters of pretty, bell-shaped, soft pink flowers on slender stems. Unlike the formal globes, these have a relaxed, informal habit that is perfect for naturalising in gravel gardens, sunny banks, or wilder parts of the garden. It multiplies readily, creating larger and more impressive drifts each year. It's a low-maintenance and subtle beauty that provides a gentle wash of colour and attracts pollinators in droves.

Bring a splash of pure sunshine to your garden with this delightful and vigorous allium. 'Jeannine' is a superior selection of the classic Golden Garlic, prized for its larger, more numerous flower clusters. It produces cheerful, cup-shaped umbels of brilliant, canary-yellow, star-like flowers that are guaranteed to brighten any corner. This compact plant is perfect for the front of sunny borders, rock gardens, or for naturalizing in drifts under deciduous trees where it will multiply happily year after year. Its bright blooms are not only a visual treat but are also long-lasting and incredibly easy to grow, asking for little more than a sunny spot to put on their dazzling show. A reliable and rewarding choice for adding a long-lasting pop of vibrant yellow.