The supreme champion is a hebe enthusiast working as the Nova Natives nursery manager at Nova Trust and progressed to the final after winning the Young Plant Producer award.
Judges praised the 29-year-old for his high level of skill and ability to see things through a broad lens.
During his presentation, he said plant producers were fundamental to the horticulture industry as every large orchard, restoration project and green landscape started with plants raised at nurseries.
Setting the nursery industry apart was its taking everyday people and moulding them into innovators, creators and botanists, he said.
"We don’t always get the praise because we aren’t as part of the end result, but we as plant producers are the very fabric of horticulture. Some plant producers, for example, spend a lifetime breeding the best possible cultivars for our industry that can be for a flower garden, fruit size, yield, form, pest and disease resistance, climate resilience."
This is the second year in a row a young plant producer had won the supreme trophy.
Mr Linklater also won the best practice award for being the highest point scorer in the practical challenges and another award for understanding and applying sustainability in his professional and personal life.
The Christchurch father of two girls, Ivy and Violet, was one of six finalists winning their sector competitions.
The contest, held in Auckland, is run by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture Education (RNZIHE) Trust.
RNZIHE chairman Shaun Trevan said the competition was close with judges praising the calibre of finalists.
More than $50,000 in prizes were awarded to young horticulturists in the competition.
Mr Linklater won the glass trophy by Auckland sculptor Evelyn Dunstan, and received an $8000 cash prize as well as $4750 for his category wins.
Young viticulturist Nina Downer was runner-up, earning $5000 and Wellington young amenity winner River Foster was third, winning a $2000 prize.
