Husband and wife team up to change urban gardening forever with new world first invention
A Scottish couple has invented the world’s first plant plot that expands as seeds grow inside it.
Andrew Flynn and Eilidh Cunningham are celebrating their creation, Helix, a flat-pack, origami-inspired, self-watering container that could change urban gardening forever.
The ex-Dyson duo founded their Glasgow design company POTR to carry out their shared mission of providing sustainable botanical care for all, and Helix is their new star product.
“Most pots are designed for one stage of a plant’s life,” says Andy who is POTR’s co-founder and head designer. “We wanted to create one system that could adapt from seed or cutting through to a more established plant.”
The design can sprout from a compact 0.25-litre vessel into a two-litre pot, after being inspired by folding structures that NASA engineers use.
Instead of repeatedly removing a plant and transferring it into larger pots, users can twist and expand the device to add fresh soil around the existing roots.
This allows the same pot to support a plant from seed or cutting without being disturbed, to allow for healthier growth. It also contains a concealed water reservoir and wick, which means your plant can self-regulate its own water intake for up to two weeks.
“We live in a flat without a garden, which makes it possible for people like us to grow fresh herbs at home,” explains Eilidh, POTR’s Head of Brand. “Helix will not solve food security, but it gives more people a practical place to start, whether they are germinating their first seed, propagating a cutting or simply trying to keep a houseplant alive.”
The revolutionary model has captured the interest of backers around the globe, reaching its £4,000 Kickstarter target within just 24 minutes. Since then, more than 500 people have pledged £36,176 so far to bring the product into production.
Eilidh adds, “To reach the target so quickly tells us there is an appetite for thoughtful and useful innovation which makes everyday life easier. ”
Andrew agrees saying, “Developing a genuinely new product is expensive, particularly for a small independent company, so reaching our target so quickly means a huge amount.
“The funding allows us to manufacture Helix as we intended, without compromising the design. It also shows that people recognise the problem: growing plants and herbs at home should be simple, but watering and repotting can make it feel more complicated than it needs to be.”
POTR first found success on Kickstarter in 2019, with its original pot later named Sustainable Product of the Year by Deborah Meaden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Andy even presented his invention to King Charles and Sir David Beckham at this year’s show, where Dragon’s Den’s Deborah presented Helix to a who’s who of the gardening world.
Helix was developed over almost two years, progressing from paper models to 1,132 working prototypes. The rest of POTR’s range is stocked around the world by retailers including Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Bloom & Wild, Uncommon Goods in the United States and Loft in Japan.
The product includes interchangeable accessories which allow users to grow basil, mint, parsley, coriander, oregano and microgreens.
A propagation plate also supports cuttings as roots develop, while an expandable trellis can be added for climbing plants.
Sustainability remains a rooted priority even down to shipping, as the product is manufactured from recycled polypropylene and designed to be sent flat, reducing the space required for packaging, storage and transport.
The Helix Kickstarter campaign will remain live for 30 days, with the first products expected to be shipped to supporters from September 2026.
Visit the POTR website | Follow POTR on Instagram
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