A SADDLEWORTH-BASED greenhouse and glasshouse manufacturer has unveiled how it will stun judges and attendees of the world’s biggest flower event.
Hartley Botanic will showcase four of its handmade structures at the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Chelsea Flower Show this year and launch a new range of aluminium water butts.
Its stand has a design and planting scheme inspired by the English gardens of the Victorian period, a nod to the longevity of its products and a celebration of the era’s opulence and elegance.
It can also help establish gardening ‘under glass,’ with planting also spilling over paths and showcasing rich displays of colour.

And the firm, whose headquarters are on Wellington Road in Greenfield, has produced four structures – a stately Victorian Manor, a modern Opus Glasshouse, a practical Wisley 8 Grow and Store and a Patio Glasshouse.
At more than 26 feet long and 13 feet wide, the Victorian Manor is the largest glasshouse the manufacturer Harley Botanic has taken to Chelsea.
And it reflects an emerging trend for larger structures among those choosing a glasshouse that reflects a greater lifestyle reliance on growing edibles.
The Opus Glasshouse in dark bronze – the most contemporary structure on the stand – maximises both light and architectural styling.
It will be filled with colourful orchids, while the Wisley 8 Grow and Store Greenhouse in bronze has a historically inspired design based on an original, historic Hartley Botanic model.
Edible crops will also be on display, including chilli and tomato plants, along with several heritage edible varieties.
Hartley Botanic’s Patio Glasshouse in matt forest green is the smallest structure and shows how areas like patios, city gardens and balconies can enjoy growing benefits.
The trade stand patio is full of auriculas, a pretty and delicate alpine primula – demonstrating that Victorian-style plant collections can be started in the smallest of Glasshouses.
As well as the glasshouses, Hartley Botanic will launch a new range of water butts which can be seen for the first time on its stand, designed by landscape architect Racel Sampson and built and planted by Stewart Landscape Construction.
Its largest has a 167-litre capacity and is seen on the stand next to the Victorian Manor in matching matt black.
The smaller butt can accommodate 88 litres and is next to the Wisley 8 Grow & Store Greenhouse in matching bronze as the firm highlights providing customers with a useful water storage solution, addressing the necessity to consider sustainability in the contemporary garden.
Tom Barry, chief executive of Hartley Botanic said: “Achieving an elegant and traditional garden aesthetic is an aspiration for many customers, and often a driving force in their decision to invest in a luxury Hartley Botanic Greenhouse.
“The Victorians certainly knew how to create beautiful and opulent planting schemes and we see customers recreate this look in their greenhouses today, especially those within our Victorian range.
“Much of Hartley Botanic’s reputation is built on looking back. Customers feel reassured that we have been in the greenhouse business since 1938, and the structural integrity of our buildings certainly means they stand the test of time.
“But the breadth of our range shows our desire to also look forward – to cater for many different greenhouse needs and styles and to provide different models to suit all kinds of gardens and uses.
“Our new water butts answer both a modern customer issue and sustainability concerns around water consumption, delivering this in an elegant, carefully considered design Hartley Botanic structures are known for.”
*ALL of Hartley Botanic’s glasshouses and greenhouses are handmade, bespoke, and made to order.
Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should visit www.hartley-botanic.co.uk or call 01457 819155 for more information.
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