Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023

‘FEEL GOOD’ BY HARTLEY BOTANIC
HARTLEY BOTANIC’S BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL RHS CHELSEA TRADESTAND DELIVERS A MUCH-NEEDED PSYCHOLOGICAL BOOST

The ‘Feel Good’ by Hartley Botanic tradestand displays four of our handmade Greenhouses, powder-coated in beautiful colours, to match changing customer tastes and set against cheery pastel planting and colourful accessories. Presented as versatile spaces for both gardening and lifestyle uses, the stand demonstrates just some of the many ways these beautiful garden structures can be uniquely personalised. The uplifting stand has been inspired by Chelsea’s 2023 wellbeing theme and the desire to give visitors a much-needed psychological boost.

A Royal Visit

At the start of the week at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 we were honoured to receive a visit from His Majesty King Charles III enquiring about the beautiful Hartley Botanic Greenhouses.

Featured on the BBC

During the Show, we were thrilled to host the BBC on our stand to film a piece on using a Greenhouse as a beautiful, al fresco garden space. We even had the pleasure of meeting presenter JJ Chalmers. The piece was broadcast on 25th May, BBC1 at 7pm.

Click the image below to go to Iplayer to watch the footage.

Hartley Glasshouses Featured on the BBC

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 Stand Build

Our Tradestand

The tradestand, designed and styled by Llevelo Garden Design, built and planted by Stewart Landscape Construction, features Hartley Botanic’s Opus Botanic Glasshouse, Victorian Villa Glasshouse, Victorian Chelsea Glasshouse and a Wisley 8 Grow & Store Greenhouse. Three of the structures are powder-coated in lighter colours – Country Stone, Verona Stone and Olive Leaf – to give a fresh look and to reflect how many customers are choosing soft stone and light greens in their Greenhouse choices. 

The Opus Botanic Glasshouse in Country Stone

Opus Botanic, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK 

The largest Glasshouse on this year’s tradestand, the Opus Botanic is from our contemporary Modern Horticulture range and features concealed engineering and wider glass panes, to give a modern look and feel. The Glasshouse includes freestanding staging, high level shelving, powder coated visibility lights, four automatic roof vents and four manual vertical vents.

Styled as a chic and luxurious plant-rich lifestyle space, the Opus Botanic combines a display of houseplants with gorgeous accessories. The Glasshouse is lit with bespoke pendant lights and features an inviting reading corner, complete with books, a designer armchair and console table. A decorative plant display in a visually impactful freestanding Urn joins a selection of colourful, potted plants positioned on internal staging.

The Victorian Villa Glasshouse in Verona Stone

Victorian Villa, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK

The Hartley Botanic Victorian Villa Glasshouse, with its charming proportions and Victorian aesthetic, is one of the most popular for many gardens. The Glasshouse has been powder coated in Verona Stone and features an extra door in the left and right gable ends. Fully furnished in useful and beautiful Hartley Botanic accessories, the Victorian Villa is shown with integrated cold frames, blinds, automatic roof vents and both high level shelving and ornate Victorian staging.

This Glasshouse is presented as a versatile ‘Grow Your Own’ paradise, reflecting how many customers are choosing to use their Hartley Botanic structures today. Built-in raised borders full of vegetable plants demonstrate the myriad ways a Greenhouse can be customised according to growing tastes or personal usage.

The Victorian Chelsea Glasshouse in Olive Leaf

Victorian Chelsea, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK

The Chelsea is the only Victorian Glasshouse in Hartley Botanic’s range combining a glass to ground design, which provides additional light for growing, with a traditional Victorian apex look. The show model features roof blinds to both front and rear, decorative spandrels and two automatic roof vents.

A ground-level border, running along two thirds of the Greenhouse length joins freestanding Victorian ornate staging and high-level staging in this space, styled to inspire visitors to make a Greenhouse truly their own. Ladder-style shelving is dressed with hanging house plants, small decorative vases and colourful blankets. Stylish interior-inspired detailing and bespoke furniture illustrates a Greenhouse owner keen to combine their passion for home design trends with their love of growing.

The Wisley 8 Grow & Store Greenhouse in Black Olive

Wisley 8 Grow & Store, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK

Launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, the Wisley 8 Grow & Store is an iconic design based on one of our original, Heritage models and includes a useful, partitioned two-pane storage area. The flower show model includes both high level shelving and freestanding staging with blinds included in the grow section of the structure along with two manual and two automatic roof vents.

Dressed as a cosy getaway, plants with interesting foliage, such as artichokes and nasturtiums, are mixed amongst vibrant cushions and accessories, with an easy chair, footstool, and table for relaxing. The addition of a potting shoe on freestanding staging, shows this eminently practical Greenhouse is to be used as much for growing, as it is for relaxing and enjoying the garden.

Garden design, plantings and overall look and feel

The plantings on the tradestand are joyful and colourful, to evoke an emotional response in the visitor. Cottage garden favourites such as Digitalis, Delphiniums, Lupins and poppies in pretty, sweetshop purples, peaches, fuchsias and yellows look vibrant set against the calm, understated colour palette of the Greenhouses. The use of colour on the stand has a luxury, considered look – providing vibrancy and happiness without being overwhelming. This approach has been replicated in the styling of the Greenhouses themselves, with cushions, vases and furniture in vivid oranges, pinks and blues combined with neutral, natural modern accessories. A mixture of house plants and trees (including a lemon tree) fill the Greenhouses, with all plants being potted in peat-free media from a local nursery to reduce the stand’s carbon footprint.

Tom Barry, CEO of Hartley Botanic said; “Our choice of structures for this year’s tradestand, and choice of lighter Greenhouse colours, is a reflection of current customer tastes. We are noticing that customers are increasingly opting for Greenhouses in light, fresh colours such as stone, pale olive and white. The structures are also more restrained in size this year which is in keeping with current pressures for all consumers.

“The intention of our bright, colourful garden scheme, which is also reflected in our Greenhouse styling, is to lift the mood of visitors coming to our tradestand. We wanted it to have a joyful and uplifting affect to demonstrate the powerful mood-enhancing potential of our gardens. Over the last few years, spending more time outdoors has been critical to our wellbeing and our Greenhouses allow customers to do this for longer throughout the year.”

Thank you to everyone involved in this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The entire event was a delightful experience, and a real testament to the effort and dedication of everyone involved. A huge thank you to everyone that helped to deliver a magical RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

Most importantly, a huge thank you to our loyal customers for trusting in our brand for over 85 years and making every show and event a truly memorable experience. You make it all worth it.

Highlights from RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023

 

Opus Botanic, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK

 

Victorian Villa, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, UK

All Hartley Botanic’s Glasshouses and Greenhouses are handmade, bespoke and made to order. Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should request a brochure here or call 01457 819 155 for more information.