Hot off the press... This Easter weekend, saw the first set of trial 'Grande' Belles delivered, to the garden team at RHS Rosemoor & Wisley gardens.
The new Plant Belles 'Grande' designs have been shortlisted as FINALISTS for the 2019 RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year...
Prototype 'Grande Belles' in testing
Imagine a 'Grande' Sidney Belle. Well that is what we have imagined. We are currently developing an all NEW Grande Belle collection. Labelled ‘Grande’ as they have grown-up... they are taller, wider and heavier steel than our original Plant Belle range. Not one, not two, but three NEW Belles will be unveiled & launched at Chelsea Flower Show 2019, to mark this, our 10th anniversary year of trading directly to the gardening public.
After listening to the wishes of our customers, we recognised that gardeners need help to support larger freestanding herbaceous plants, unruly shrub Roses and other floppy heavy headed shrubs (like Hydrangea 'Annabelle' for example).
The NEW taller, wider and heavier Plant Belles, straddle the gap between obelisks and grow-through plant supports. Inspired by the Sissinghurst Method of training shrub roses, the elegant robust steel wire ‘Belle’ frames offer needy plants support once grown through, but also give the gardener an opportunity to prune and train shrubby plants in any number of creative ways, by looping and tying branches back to the Belle structure.
Artist impressions of 'Grande George Belle' used for training shrub Rose's
The original grow-through Plant Belles are designed to be discrete and understated in the garden setting (generally lost in the foliage throughout the growing season). "Not these Belles" - the majestic stature of the new ‘Grande’ range has launched a brave new step for Plant Belles, into the realms of sculptural garden structures, which will remain visible and prominent all year round.
Available to buy online (made to order) during and after Chelsea Flower Show 2019.
Naming the new Plant Belles
Major Lawrence Belle is a totally new Belle shape and size, standing a whopping 130cm tall. Named after Major Lawrence Johnston, designer of the Arts & Crafts Hidcote Gardens. All our Belles are named after practitioners involved and inspired by, the early 1900’s ‘Arts & Crafts’ movement (as am I).
Grande George Belle is a grown up version of the original George Belle, standing 100cm tall, and is named after George Dillistone, ‘Arts & Crafts’ garden designer at Castle Drogo.
Grande Sidney Belle standing 117cm tall, is the same, a grown up version of the popular Sidney Belle, named after Sidney Barnsley, designer of the ‘Arts & Crafts’ garden at Rodmarton Manor.
Testing the Grande Belles
The 'Grande' Belles are now on trial with some pioneering gardeners, in some very special gardens. Soon to also test the Belles, will be the gardening teams at RHS Rosemoor and Wisley. Hopefully installed in the prestigious gardens before the end of April 2019. We will listen and learn from the experts, about the successes and failings of the new designs. To be continued...
Plant Belles go Grande at the 2019 Chelsea Flower show - Press Release