Transform Your Garden
Using These 8 Award-Winning Plants and Products
As winter turns into spring, it’s time for gardeners to consider which plants they’ll cultivate in planters, pots and gardens. If you’re in the midst of planning your garden and need inspiration, Green Thumb Award-winning products are a great place to get inspiration.
The Green Thumb Award is an annual competition recognizing outstanding and innovative new plants and garden products. Winners are selected through two categories: the People’s Choice Award, voted on by the public, and the Professional Choice Award, determined by a panel of expert horticulturists from the National Garden Bureau (NGB).
Whether you’re a novice or an old pro, check out these 8 remarkable plants and tools that can help you take your gardening to the next level in 2025.
- Calibrachoa Abstract Lemon Cherry
The Abstract Lemon Cherry Calibrachoa is the newest addition to the series. It dazzles with vibrant golden-yellow blooms accented by a bold cherry-red splash, making it an irresistible choice for any garden. Designed with a controlled, semi-trailing growth habit, this lovely annual variety is perfectly suited for hanging baskets and combinations.
- Broccoli Purple Magic F1
Purple Magic is the first purple-stem, purple-headed broccoli in the world! These nutritious large, dome-shaped heads weigh about 1 pound each and are very high in anthocyanin – a plant-based chemical called a flavonoid thought to be useful in preventing cancer and inflammation. This annual grows well in all regions of the U.S. and matures about 90 days after harvest from transplant.
- Philodendron Prismacolor‚ Orange You Gorgeous
Winner of both the People’s Choice and Professional’s Choice awards in the houseplant category, this tropical philodendron is a living kaleidoscope of citrus-inspired colors with a warm orangey glow reminiscent of a sunrise over a tropical grove. Its elongated, spade-shaped leaves emerge with a mottled bright orange color, then slowly fade to a marbled tapestry of gold and green, brightening your space even in the dim days of winter.
- Butterfly Bush Little Rockstars Red
Check out the Butterfly Bush Little Rockstars Red, a People’s Choice-winning perennial that is part of a new compact series of Buddleia. Its beautiful, large, cone-shaped inflorescences are perfect for small pot production, offering a complete color assortment and all-season flowering.
- Hydrangea FlowerFull Smooth
The FlowerFull Smooth Hydrangea stands out with bold blooms and sturdy upright stems that won’t flop in the wind and rain. With two to three times more blooms per season than other smooth hydrangeas, this perennial shrub makes an outstanding focal point plant for your garden. Disease-resistant, low-maintenance, and maturing at just 3 to 4 feet tall, it’s the perfect choice for small and big landscapes.
- Cosmos Sea Shells Red
Cosmos Sea Shells Red is a charming and unique flower that brings a delightful touch to any garden. This Professional’s Choice winner is known for its distinctive, tubular petals that resemble seashells. Its beautiful palette of soft pinks and whites adds a romantic flair to flower beds and arrangements. The blooms also make excellent cut flowers and offer a long vase life (7-10 days) that ensures that you can enjoy their beauty indoors as well.
- Hellebore JWLS Endless
Hellebores are a must-have plant for gardeners wishing to join in on this year’s Garden of Nostalgia and Romance design trend. This plant was selected as a Professional’s Choice winner for its abundant and long-lasting blooms and features glossy, dark green foliage topped with upward-facing flowers that start out green and transition to a beautiful white.
- Basil Everleaf Lemon
Basil Everleaf Lemon is the first lemon basil bred for this collection, which features basil plants that are tall, upright and highly branched, offering plenty of harvest potential. This particular annual is very late to flower – up to eight weeks later than standard basil – so you can enjoy its tasty leaves all season long. Its bright lemon flavor is a perfect addition to dressings, marinades and fresh salads. This versatile plant performs well in ground and in patio containers.
Whether you choose one (or all) of these extraordinary plants and products, your indoor and outdoor green spaces will be sure to please and impress. To learn more, visit NGB.org.
