Plant Belles and the RHS

New product launches RHS Events RHS Gardens

A Potted History - Working with the RHS gardens since 2013 

New Wisley 'Leaf ' supports now publicly launched. For two years we have been busy working secretly behind the scenes with @matt.pottage (then Chief Curator) at RHS Wisley, to create a new plant support to best present the national collection of Ivy, displayed in pots around the Trial Gardens at RHS Wisley. The new ‘Leaf’ shaped designs are now helping to show off the Ivy collection in its full glory.

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... 

Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley Ivy supports at RHS Wisley

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, 2024.

Developing the designs at RHS Wisley  Developing the designs at RHS Wisley 2  Developing the designs at RHS Wisley 3
We have been testing and trialling the new supports with all manner of plant forms, both in pots and in the border. Its time to make Ivy great again, but don't stop at Ivy, try supporting other patio climbers, or even wayward perennials and grasses in the border.
New LEAF plant supports with Ivy

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. 

Plant Belle RHS Wisley Gardens

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...

Plant Belles at RHS Rosemoor Grande Sidney Belle at RHS Rosemoor Gardens Grande George Belle at Rosemoor Gardens

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.

Plant supports at RHS Wisley gardens - Plant Belles

Plant supports at RHS Wisley gardens - Plant Belles

2019 update - Easter weekend saw the delivery more Plant Belles for the RHS gardens.

Plant supports arriving at RHS Wisley gardens - Plant Belles

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.

Plant supports at RHS Rosemoor gardens - Grande Plant Belles

'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!

Plant supports at RHS Rosemoor gardens - Plant Belles

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.

Plant supports at RHS Rosemoor gardens - Plant Belles

'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.

Plant supports at RHS Rosemoor gardens - Plant Crooks

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.

Original 2013 Plant Belles & RHS press release


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