Supporting the Understoreys Landscape

Beauxfort was proud to support Understoreys, a landscape installation designed by Jacopo Ducato Ruggeri and delivered by Topoforma Landscape at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. Located near one of the show’s main entrances, the project featured a network of accessible gravel pathways connecting four individual gardens, helping draw thousands of visitors into an immersive landscape experience throughout the week.

Working alongside Jacopo Ducato Ruggeri, Topoforma Landscape and aggregate supplier Allgreen, Gravelrings was specified beneath the self-binding gravel surface to create accessible gravel pathways that remained stable, natural-looking and welcoming under exceptionally high levels of foot traffic.

Creating a Pathway People Could Experience

The pathways within Understoreys were designed to be more than a route between gardens. They formed part of the visitor experience itself, inviting people to move through and engage with the landscape.

With thousands of visitors expected throughout the show, the surface needed to remain attractive and accessible while accommodating wheelchairs, pushchairs and other wheeled traffic. At the same time, the designer’s vision called for a natural-looking finish without visible stabilisation components disrupting the appearance of the pathways.

Invisible Stability Beneath the Surface

Gravelrings was installed beneath the self-binding gravel to provide discreet stabilisation without affecting the finished appearance of the surface.

The system helped reduce the risk of rutting and surface movement under heavy foot traffic while creating a firmer, more stable surface for all visitors. Because Gravelrings is designed to remain unseen, the pathways retained their elegant, natural appearance while benefiting from enhanced performance below the surface.

A Surface Designed to Perform

Throughout Chelsea Flower Show 2026, the accessible gravel pathways remained stable, attractive and easy to navigate despite continuous use from thousands of visitors.

While most visitors never saw the stabilisation system beneath their feet, they experienced the benefits it delivered. The pathways remained true to the designer’s vision while providing a more comfortable and inclusive visitor experience.

Reflecting on the project, Jacopo Ducato Ruggeri commented:

“We were delighted with the surface, and using the grid made all the difference. It stabilised so quickly and gave us real peace of mind. We took it down last week and it came up pretty well: about 70 to 80% of the grids came up basically pristine. The team are thrilled and will be reusing them on their next projects.”

The project demonstrated how Gravelrings can create accessible gravel pathways that balance performance, accessibility and aesthetics, even in one of the UK’s most demanding temporary landscape environments.