During the 2025 edition of the GrootGroenPlus trade fair, the traditional inspection of novelties once again took place. The judging guidelines provided to entrants allowed for previously assessed plants, awarded up to a silver medal, to be resubmitted.

During the 2025 edition of the GrootGroenPlus trade fair, the traditional inspection of novelties once again took place. The judging guidelines provided to entrants allowed for previously assessed plants, awarded up to a silver medal, to be resubmitted. This approach clearly enhances the value of the judging process at GrootGroenPlus.

Some general remarks prior to announcing the results:

• The jury was highly impressed by the overall quality and presentation of the entries.
• The jury was also pleased with the number of participants and is considering dividing the judging into two groups in the future.
• Entries were expected to accurately reflect the intended mature appearance of the plant in its final application. Unfortunately, one entry was deemed unsuitable for assessment due to insufficient presentation.
• According to the judging regulations, a minimum of five large or ten small plants should be submitted. While the jury chose not to enforce this rule strictly on this occasion, greater adherence will be expected in future editions.
• The assessment was guided by several criteria, including novelty, value for insects and pollinators, and uniformity. If a criterion was deemed not applicable to a specific entry, it was excluded from consideration and did not affect the final outcome.
• Following the judging process, the jury nominated three plants for inclusion in the ‘Square of Tomorrow’, an initiative introduced during GGP.

 Nominates for ‘Square of Tomorrow:

- Category Senses: Spiraea japonica 'JW1' (RICK STAR®)
The striking flowers catch the eye.

- Category Biodiversity: Erica x darleyensis ‘Torero’
The plant is a valuable food source for bees.

- Category Water: Salix candida ‘Jefberg’ (First Editions® ICEBERG ALLEY)
This willow is particularly well-suited for moist soils.

- Category Soil: no nomination.

Gold award:

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘PNOS01’ (PERFUME PARTY®)

“A beautiful, compact plant with attractive, glossy dark green foliage. The sweetly scented flowers make it highly appealing to pollinators. The plant appears healthy and resilient, and will enhance the appearance of many a garden.”

Phillyrea angustifolia ‘Grand Prix’®

“A highly versatile plant that evokes a Mediterranean atmosphere. The specimens on display demonstrated that ‘Grand Prix’ has a dense, upright growth habit. The presentation at the stand was also particularly attractive and inviting.”

Spiraea japonica 'JW1' (RICK STAR®)

“The entrant indicated that the plant is very fast-growing. Nevertheless, we observed that it can be cultivated into attractive, uniform plants. The vibrant flower colour gives ‘Rick Star’ a cheerful appearance.”

Silver award:

Actinidia chinensis ‘Herma'

Ilex crenata ‘Ermany Tower’

Phillyrea angustifolia ‘Green Line’®

Bronze award:

Abelia grandiflora ‘Abelops02’ (Mystic Daydream)

Abelia grandiflora ‘Opstal101’ (Happy Daydream)

Buxus 'HER2008114' (GIANT)

Cornus kousa ‘ZuilB1’ (FLOWER TOWER®)

Erica x darleyensis ‘Torero’

Ficus carica ‘Minfigfor’ (ROUGE DE JUILLET (RED JULY)® )

Hebe ‘Donna Ida Purple’ (ADDENDA HEBE DONNA IDA PURPLE®)

Miscanthus ‘Lady in Red’®

Salix candida ‘Jefberg’ (First Editions® ICEBERG ALLEY)

Thuja occidentalis ‘King of Brabant’

Vitex ‘Daniel Searle’ (Magical® Chicagoland Blues)