SADDLEWORTH-BASED greenhouse and glasshouse business Hartley Botanic has found its competitive edge ahead of the gardening world’ biggest event, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The Greenfield firm has unveiled details of its trade stand at the showpiece, which takes place from Monday, May 22 to Saturday, May 27.
And executive chairman Martin Toogood told Saddleworth Independent exclusively how minds are focused as they look to score big once again.
He said: “We’re all competitive by nature.
“If we don’t get a five-star award, mentioned in dispatches as being either the best trade show or get, as we have in two of the last four years, get the director general’s award, we’re slightly disappointed.”
The ‘Feel Good’ by Hartley Botanic stand will display four of their 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, it will demonstrate 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.
Designed and styled by Llevelo Garden Design and built and planted by Stewart Landscape Construction, it will feature Hartley Botanic’s Opus Botanic Glasshouse, Victorian Villa and Victorian Chelsea Glasshouses, as well as a Wisley 8 Grow and Store Greenhouse.
Three of the structures have been 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 largest glasshouse, the Opus Botanic, features concealed engineering and wider glass panes, to give a modern look and feel.
It will combine a display of house plants with gorgeous accessories. It will be lit with bespoke pendant lights and feature an inviting reading corner, complete with books, a designer armchair and console table.
The Victorian Villa Glasshouse will be presented as a versatile ‘Grow Your Own’ paradise, reflecting how many customers are choosing to use their structures today.
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.
And launched at the Chelsea Flower Show last year, the Wisley 8 Grow and Store is an iconic design based on an original, heritage model.
Dressed as a cosy getaway, plants with interesting foliage, such as artichokes and nasturtiums, will be mixed amongst vibrant cushions and accessories, with an easy chair, footstool, and table for relaxing.
The plantings on the Hartley Botanic stand will be 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 will look vibrant set against the calm, understated colour palette of the greenhouses and all plants being potted in peat-free media from a local nursery to reduce the stand’s carbon footprint.
Tom Barry, chief executive of Hartley Botanic added: “Our choice of structures for this year’s trade stand, 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 trade stand.
“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.”
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