RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011 Plant of the Year

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea 2011 Plant of the Year has been awarded to Anemone 'Wild Swan' bred by Elizabeth MacGregor and presented by Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The award is presented to the plant that members of the RHS Plant committees, sub-committees and Trial Assessment Panels consider to be the best new plant at the show. When considering the diversity of plants submitted for the award many criteria are considered including novelty and originality, excellence, impact and appeal to the public at large.

Anemone 'Wild Swan' really is a stunning plant - its white nodding flowers with blue reverse are most attractive. Elizabeth and Alasdair MacGregor run the Elizabeth MacGregor nursery in Kirkudbright and they first spotted the anemone in a batch of seedlings ten years ago. Since then they have spent the last decade painstakingly propagating it.

Sadly, Elizabeth and Alsadair were unable to be at the awards ceremony - having driven to Carlisle to catch the midnight sleeper disappointed to find that it had been cancelled because of the gales. No flights were leaving Scotland either because of the ash cloud, but despite missing out on the ceremony they were delighted that their plant had won and expressed their thanks to Rose Hardy for exhibiting it so well.

Raymond Evison, Chairman of the Plant Advisory Committee commented that this year's competition was extremely interesting with a great range of new plants: "The award has been given to a marvellous performing new perennial plant. Not only does it exhibit a long flowering habit but it is also an exciting flower," he said.

Saxifraga 'Anneka Hope' bred by Matthew Ruane was placed second and Verbascum 'Blue Lagoon' bred by Thompson & Morgan was third.