A Potted History - Working with the RHS gardens since 2013
2024 April update: Wisley visit. Met with Matt P for a 'Leaf' appraisal. Both chuffed to bits about the success of the 12 month trial. With Matt leaving the RHS for new frontiers imminently, we need at new patron to champion the Ivy collection and the supports! Work in progress...
2024 March update: Behind the scenes we have been busy busy working with Matthew Pottage (the youngest-ever curator of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley gardens) since 2022, to develop an all new plant support for the National Collection of Ivy, held at RHS Wisley. Read more about the journey below. This collaboration has pushed us to design a completely new form of plant support, not like any other. The all new LEAF supports will be available on the April 6th.
2023 Update: Today (April 24th) we have received confirmation from the intellectual Property Office, that the LEAF designs have now been fully protected, so we will soon be ready to reveal the new designs. Watch this space...
2023 Update: After an invite from Mattew Pottage the RHS Wisley Curator back in 2022, to develop a design solution to support one of the National Plant Collections in residence at Wisley, we set off on a new R&D project. By March 2023 we were ready to share our ideas and prototypes, off we went to meet Matt near the trials field at Wisley. Together we experimented with the bent bits of metal and concluded our new plant support solution. Before going public we needed to protect the designs, so all remains non-discousure for now, giving both team Matt and team Plant Belles to begin testing, planting and trialing the new design.
2022 Update: More Grande George Belles for RHS Wisley to be delivered this Spring.
2021 Update: A new delivery of 'Grande' Belles arrived at the lovely RHS Gardens at Rosemoor in January, this month we will be delivering 11 new Grande George Belles to the Wisley Gardens to support a row of Hydrangea 'Annabelle' at the end of the Wisteria Walk. Need to make time for a new photo shoot this Summer...
2020 update - An army of 23 'Special' George Belles marched off to the RHS Wisley Gardens this week. Their job is to support a lovely collection of Peonies around for the edges of the woodland gardens. I hope to go and get pictures soon before the Belles are buried in a mass of foliage and colour. Good luck George.
2019 update - Easter weekend saw the delivery more Plant Belles for the RHS gardens.
Including the NEW 'Grande' Plant Belles, to both the RHS Wisley and Rosemoor gardens. The perfect testing ground for the new designs. The Belles will be put to the challenge by the garden teams, in advance of the BIG launch at Chelsea Flower Show 2019.
'Grande George' Belle photographed in the Rose Garden at RHS Rosemoor.
2018 update - Wisley Gardens: Plant Belles are growing in numbers in the borders at RHS Wisley Gardens. Back in 2014 Wisley's curator Matthew Pottage and his team began using the Gertrude and Christopher Belles to support Peonies and Sedums along busy walkways, to keep the plants standing to attention, looking their best for the visitors. This year we delivered another batch of Plant Belle supports, with more requested for 2019!
2016 update - Belle Towers at Rosemoor Gardens: Plant Belles have been supporting plants in the gardens at RHS Rosemoor gardens since 2013. Since then the Belle collection has grown in size year on year. With a new commission this January, for 8 special Belle Towers installed into huge terracotta Whichford pottery pots for climbing roses in the 'Rose Garden' and 10 more George Belles installed later in the year.
2014 update - Plant Tunnels at Harrlow Carr: We were very proud to supply Harlow Carr with a number of our large 4ft Tunnels to protect the planting in the kitchen gardens in North Yorkshire.
'Sidney' Belles photographed in the Hot Garden at RHS Rosemoor by James Corbett
Rosemoor Gardens 2013. The Plant Belles team began working with the Rosemoor gardens curator, Jonathan Webster, to create an extraordinary display in the 'Hot Garden' (seen above). Jon and his team have installed over 100 ‘Plant Belle’ plant supports in the gardens nr Torrington, Devon. The belles, edging hoops, edging hurdles and plant crooks are designed to be both practical and beautiful, offering support to the plants and ornate interest for visitors all year round.
You can also follow our Instagram posts @plantbelles to for a glimpse behind the scenes at Plant Belles HQ, Devon, keeping you posted on the highs and lows of team Plant Belles.