After 18 months in development, Trebah Garden’s new amphitheatre will host its first performance today, August 29.

The garden’s new feature, which boasts 250 seats, will double up as an open-air theatre venue and a creative space for the arts’ community from next spring.

The first turf was cut early on the morning of November 15, 2012 and since then head gardener Darren Dickey has worked almost single-handed to create the structure using locally sourced granite and finished with beautiful sandstone seats.

Nigel Burnett, Trebah’s director said: “The idea of an exciting |new feature for the garden that also provides a space for performing arts at Trebah, arose after the area was cleared of Rhododendron ponticum with a grant from the Forestry Commission several years ago. 

“At the head of this valley the amphitheatre was created - it is within a natural ‘bowl’ at the top of the Chilean Coomb and fits well into the topography of the garden.

“The project has had phenomenal support from the local community, members and visitors who have watched its evolution with admiration and anticipation. Pleasingly, the project has mostly been funded by donations from a Friends’ adopt-a-seat scheme.”