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Open 7 days a weekWe always love to see what garden projects our team are working on at Millbrook, both in-store and in their own gardens. This month, Sharon is inspiring us with her latest project – a Plant Theatre!
What is a plant theatre?
Plant theatres were a popular feature of gardens during Victorian times. They begin as a way to protect highly prized Auricula primroses from the British weather. Auriculas (Primula auricula) or Bear’s Ears, are a historic variety of primrose originating from mountainous regions in Europe. With their striking colours, delicate petals, and velvety texture, they've been a favourite among plant collectors for centuries. Gardeners would often display their Auriculars in specially built wooden boxes, known as 'Auricula Theatres'.
As the popularity of plant theatres soared, plant theatres changed from simple displays into more elaborate, multi-tiered designs. Some grand theatres like the one at Culke Abbey in Derbyshire even featured temporary wooden stages in summerhouses or porches, allowing gardeners to create big, impactful displays with plants.
Look out for plant theatres when you go garden visiting. We love these examples spotted at Sissinghurst by the small gardener - and also these modern theatres mounted on the side of a shed at the Oak Cottage and Swallowfields Nursery in Ashford.
How to make a plant theatre
A home-made theatre is a fantastic way to maximise growing space in a small garden or balcony – while creating a lovely feature for your garden.
For her plant theatre Sharon has used:
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An old wooden bookshelf – upcycled with dark paint. Black, or dark colours, provide the perfect backdrop to make your plants stand out. You could also create your theatre with an old ladder, or if you're short on time a ready-made plant stand will do well too.
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Herb plants – Due to a shortage of Auricular primroses, Sharon had to get creative using herb plants instead! Any small or medium plants would work well in a shelved display - just consider where to position it in your garden to ensure they thrive. For more plant ideas, see below.
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Spanish inspired pots – Perfect for a vibrant Summer display! Or keep costs down with simple terracotta pots, which work well in any theatre display.
5 alternative plants for your theatre
If a herb display doesn't fill you with joy (and like us you've struggled to get your hands on any Auricular Primroses) how about one of these instead?
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An alpine theatre – A tiered display of sun-loving alpines like saxifrages and sempervivums. Great for a sunny wall and easy to care for in summer.
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A succulent theatre – We love this idea from our friends at The Marden Gardeners. Succulents thrive in small pots, need little watering, and look brilliant grouped together.
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A geranium theatre – Fill yours with beautiful, locally grown geraniums from our Staplehurst growers for fantastic colour!
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A viola theatre – Cheerful and long-flowering, violas are ideal for a pretty tiered display.
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A fern theatre – Great for shady spots, ferns add lush green texture. Pair with a mirror for a Victorian twist.
Feeling inspired? Pop into Millbrook Gravesend to see Sharon’s finished theatre, and pick up a few pretty plants for your own display. Or share photos of your own garden project with the Millbrook team - tag us on Instagram @millbrookgardencentre.
