Hydrangea paniculata ‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ nominated as RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2026

The world’s first ground-covering panicle hydrangea impresses with a unique set of characteristics

The nomination of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ as RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2026 brings international attention to an extraordinary new breed. The variety was developed by hydrangea specialist Alex Schoemaker from Boskoop, the Netherlands, who has already established a reputation for innovative and market-oriented varieties with his Living Creations® hydrangeas.

The prestigious award from the Royal Horticultural Society annually honors outstanding new plants, highlighting current progress and trends in plant breeding. Submitted plants are evaluated by a professional jury of RHS and industry experts based on several criteria: novelty and innovation, garden performance, and anticipated appeal to gardeners in the UK. ‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ scored highly in all areas. This achievement validates the work of its breeder, Alex Schoemaker: "It is a great feeling to know that this variety will be featured in the Plant of the Year display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show alongside other great new varieties."

‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ is set to captivate visitors with its combination of an extremely compact growth habit and intense color development. The flowers, which start out white, turn a vibrant, glowing red as the summer progresses. With a maximum height of only around 30 centimeters, the plant establishes itself as the world's first ground-covering panicle hydrangea, opening up new possibilities for use in flower beds, small spaces, and container gardening. This hardy variety is characterized by an exceptionally long flowering period of up to 100 days, providing sustainable ornamental value throughout much of the season.

For retail, ‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ is available year-round in the P14 pot size, while in summer it is also offered as flowering stock in sizes P17, P19, and P23. Within the Groundbreaker® range, the ‘Ruby’ variety joins ‘Greeny’ and ‘Blush’, completing the concept of compact, low-maintenance, yet expressive panicle hydrangeas. The nomination for RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2026 confirms the high market potential of this variety and positions ‘Groundbreaker® Ruby™’ as a trendsetting innovation for modern plant retail.

More information at www.hydrangea-groundbreaker.com