The Royal Horticultural Society’s Glasshouse Nurseries in Wisley, UK, is a vast garden comprising of a glasshouse with three climatic zones, a learning space and a growing lab. It’s also the second most visited paid entry garden in the United Kingdom. The RHS had become concerned that the original rubber matting had become slippery due to the heat, humidity and large volumes of water needed for nurturing the tropical plants. They needed new slip resistant matting that would cope in a challenging environment, plus withstand high levels of pedestrian and wheeled traffic.

We worked closely with Nick Morgan, the nursery’s manager, to test the effectiveness of different mats when placed in a humid environment. After several trials, Vynagrip was installed along the walkways, as well as the points of entry. The matting’s open grid means it can quickly drain large volumes of water, while the deep-etched surfaces delivers slip resistance even when soaking wet.

Made from non-porous PVC, Vynagrip is impermeable to mould, algae, oils and other chemicals, making it ideal for wet and humid environments like the Glasshouse Nursery. The two-layer construction provides comfortable cushioning, and the addition of a gently angled ramp welded to the edges of the mat facilitates the passage of carts and wheeled equipment.