Ian recently attended the Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria Summer Soirée, an evening dedicated to networking with industry peers, learning about NGIV’s Horticultural Trials Week, and, excitingly, unveiling the 2025 Plant of the Year.
The Soirée was hosted by Carolyn Blackman, with Ian invited as a guest speaker. During the event, he showcased the work we do at Ian Barker Gardens and facilitated a Q&A session. The discussion centred on the importance of plant diversity, Australian natives, emerging horticultural trends, and how these have evolved over time.
In 2024, NGIV established the Plant of the Year award to recognise outstanding plant varieties, spark innovation, and, overall, encourage greater interest in the horticultural sector. This prestigious accolade educates the public about the value of diverse plant species and their importance to our environment and daily lives.
This event highlights the best and brightest in horticulture, from beloved traditional favourites to innovative newcomers. Its goal is to inspire growers, gardeners, and plant enthusiasts, fostering a deeper appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our botanical world. The award celebrates the plants that shape our gardens and landscapes, bringing forward those that push boundaries and elevate horticultural standards.
Award Categories and Judging Process
Entries are judged across four key categories, with each plant needing to achieve a score of 80% or higher to be shortlisted. One plant will be crowned the overall Plant of the Year from these category winners.
The award categories are:
- Tree
- Shrub
- Herbaceous (Annual, Perennial)
- Other/Specialist (Climber/Vine, Edible, Succulent & Indoor/House)
The evaluation criteria consider various factors, for example, a plant’s aesthetic appeal to its growth and performance characteristics. Innovative qualities, adaptability to various conditions, and the plant’s marketability potential are assessed during judging.
Runaway Bride™ Hydrangea
The 2025 Plant of the Year has been awarded to the stunning Runaway Bride™ Hydrangea, nominated in the Shrub category. This remarkable plant stands out for its unique garland-like appearance, with elegant, weeping branches adorned with a profusion of white lace-cap flowers along the stems. The Runaway Bride™ Hydrangea thrives in a range of conditions. It requires minimal maintenance (no pruning needed), and has set a new benchmark in horticulture for its exceptional adaptability and breathtaking blooms.
2025 Category Winners:
Tree of the Year: Gingko Biloba ‘Lemonlime Spire’
Herbaceous Plant of the Year: Dahlia x hybrida ‘Sincerity Rose Bicolour’
Specialist Plant of the Year: Ground Hug Myoporum insulare
Highly Commended (Shrub): Rosa Flower Carpet Mini Cherry
Highly Commended (Specialist): Phlebodium aureum Davan
What do we envision for 2025?
With garden sizes decreasing across the property market, we envision that the 2025 Tree of the Year Gingko Biloba ‘Lemonlime Spire’ will shine bright. It’s known for being compact and growing narrow and tall instead of wide. For this reason, we believe it will be a showstopper for urban gardens and smaller properties. It will provide year-round beauty while also being low maintenance. We love using Gingko biloba throughout our projects, such as Bayside Retreat and Camberwell Soldiers. Additionally, we look forward to incorporating the ‘Lemonlime Spire’ variety in future projects.
You can read more about Plant of the Year here.
