Disco Pot-A-Long: RHS Chelsea 2023

This May, I was very lucky to be invited by Malvern Garden Buildings to host my very own houseplant workshop at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023……On press day too!

So, naturally I decided to resurrect my Gold Medal winning exhibit ‘Planet Studio’ from last year and bring a Disco Pot-A-Long to the show. Of course, I went ham on the table scape too with rockets, lava lamps, disco balls, mini mushrooms, trash bags and bottle crates and a disco playlist to match! You can recreate your own Planet Studio atmosphere at home with my curated playlist too.

The Plants

The lucky participants were provided with a wide selection of mini houseplants including Parlour Palms for height, Spider Plants and Peperomia as underplanting and Fishbone Cactus amd Rhipsalis to trail down the pot sides. These species all mimic the planting found in my studio last year which was all selected for their retro or alienesque forms and textures.

The Pots

Of course the pots for the workshop had to be bright orange as this was last years most dominant colour in my design and plants always look great against it. But, I felt that they needed some extra disco flair; so I customised them with gold mirror tiles for that Studio 54 feel. Believe me, these really work when they catch some sunshine and throw gold sparkles all around the room. This gold touch would also be picked up by the additional decor used later on.

The Soil

My favourite houseplant soil brand Soil Ninja very kindly supplied a range of soils for the workshop including their staple Base Mix and Clay Pebbles that were just what my ‘workshoppers’ needed to create their own jungle in a pot. The Clay Pebbles were used to make a decent drainage layer in the base of the plant pots which is essential when there isn’t a drainage hole for water to escape through. This method of planting also means you can water less frequently as the space acts as a water reservoir so that plants can access moisture for a longer period.

The Decor

Harking back to my display at last years Chelsea Flower Show, there were some key elements that are must haves to create any ‘Planet Studio’ inspired piece. Starting with basics like coloured gravels in black, gold and red to act as a mulch and decorative pot topper. Substrates likes this not only look great, but reduce moisture loss and prevent soil escaping onto your desk! Also the range of colours available mean that you can get really creative and make your potted plants co-ordinate with your decor or theme.

Mosses can also be very useful when creating mini plantscapes like these. Reindeer Moss has a great texture and looks like part of the planting and again is available in numerous colours - it doesn’t have to always be green you know!

Finishing Touches

The most important part of any themed creation like this is the finishing touches! I was kindly sent some incredible and colourful handmade ceramic mushrooms by Leroy Farndon-Taylor to use as decor. Leroy painted the mural on the outside of ‘Planet Studio’ last year, so having a piece of his work to use for the workshop was really important. As well as mushrooms, I provided a selection of other decorative items so that these mini displays could really pop! Disco balls to suspend above their jungles on gold wire supports and mini wooden rockets painted with sustainable paint by Yes Colours.

Thank you so much to my guests who made some really fun plant displays and again to Malvern Garden Buildings and their team for inviting me back to the show!

Feeling Inspired?

If you would like me to host a Disco Pot-A-Long in your space or have ideas for something similar with a different theme, then please reach out to me on plantsbythere@gmail.com and I’ll be more than happy to discuss the possibilities with you.