How to Create Drama and Spectacle in the Garden
Set the stage outdoors for a theatrical display of plants, statues and lighting
Frank Organ
26 June 2015
Houzz Contributor. I have been involved all my working life with design, garden design, horticulture and garden retailing. Having worked as a buyer for a large garden centre in the south west of England for the last 8 years I have recently moved to Kent. My passion for small garden design and the lifestyle it brings has lead me to write about it on my blog, www.yardz.typepad.co.uk for the last thirteen years.
Houzz Contributor. I have been involved all my working life with design, garden design,... More
Theatre and garden design have been closely connected at various points in gardening history. During the Italian Renaissance, an outdoor stage was often set in classic formal gardens, where operas and plays would be performed. The English took this further in the 18th century, with the landscape gardens of Stowe and Rousham, when the whole garden became a stage and its visitors became actors in it.
Small gardens today can also give the designer the opportunity to take a theatrical approach to how the garden is laid out and viewed. Many small gardens, mainly formal in design, tend to have just a front-on view, usually from the house, and are perfect for creating a stage, with plants, statues and water features becoming the players.
Small gardens today can also give the designer the opportunity to take a theatrical approach to how the garden is laid out and viewed. Many small gardens, mainly formal in design, tend to have just a front-on view, usually from the house, and are perfect for creating a stage, with plants, statues and water features becoming the players.
Like a theatre stage, this whole garden is seen at once, with nothing hidden to surprise and everything playing its part in the design. It can thus be seen to mirror a theatre, with parts representing the wings, backdrop and stage.
Drama is created by the seasonal changes of the plantings, shadows created by topiary or statuary, lighting effects or owners’ acting out their daily life upon their garden stage.
Drama is created by the seasonal changes of the plantings, shadows created by topiary or statuary, lighting effects or owners’ acting out their daily life upon their garden stage.
View the action from the stalls
This cleverly designed small, shallow garden has been transformed into a stage, and we are sitting in the stalls. A backdrop of standard trees forms the set, dramatically planted containers create the wings and the simple, formal water feature separates the auditorium and stage.
This cleverly designed small, shallow garden has been transformed into a stage, and we are sitting in the stalls. A backdrop of standard trees forms the set, dramatically planted containers create the wings and the simple, formal water feature separates the auditorium and stage.
Create classically inspired theatre
This small garden alludes to the classical formal gardens of the past with great theatricality. Low, clipped evergreens, like stage footlights, lead us to the open stage formed by the simple pond. Tall evergreen hedging forms a wing and a backdrop, and the stone spheres then become the stars of the stage.
The connection between the home and garden is also easy to see here, with the bifold doors, a common feature of stage-set gardens.
This small garden alludes to the classical formal gardens of the past with great theatricality. Low, clipped evergreens, like stage footlights, lead us to the open stage formed by the simple pond. Tall evergreen hedging forms a wing and a backdrop, and the stone spheres then become the stars of the stage.
The connection between the home and garden is also easy to see here, with the bifold doors, a common feature of stage-set gardens.
Bring the stage close to home
The intimate, minimalist garden here is very shallow and very much on display from the interior living space, with the plants along the far wall rounding out the cast.
The intimate, minimalist garden here is very shallow and very much on display from the interior living space, with the plants along the far wall rounding out the cast.
Let the backdrop take a starring role
Pure gardening theatre is at its best when viewed head on. The plants here take all the main parts, yet the rough slate wall backdrop is the real star.
Pure gardening theatre is at its best when viewed head on. The plants here take all the main parts, yet the rough slate wall backdrop is the real star.
Place plants strategically to steal the limelight
Plants alone can be used to set the stage. For those of us residing in more temperate climes, exotic plants on their own create a theatrical feel. Here the owners can watch a stunning performance from their own bathtub, with the Manila palms (Adonidia merrillii) acting as leads among the chorus line of peace lilies (Spathiphyllum sp).
Plants alone can be used to set the stage. For those of us residing in more temperate climes, exotic plants on their own create a theatrical feel. Here the owners can watch a stunning performance from their own bathtub, with the Manila palms (Adonidia merrillii) acting as leads among the chorus line of peace lilies (Spathiphyllum sp).
Be the star in your own show
The smallest terrace or balcony gardens often make perfect stage-set gardens. They are generally secluded, protected from the outside by hedges or walls, or raised above the surrounding bustle. The environment tends to be, by its nature, artificial and can easily transform into any style of stage set you want.
Here the stage has been beautifully set with wings created by potted evergreens and a backdrop of clipped boxwood (Buxus sp). The owners are surely the stars of the show when relaxing on their centrally placed furniture.
The smallest terrace or balcony gardens often make perfect stage-set gardens. They are generally secluded, protected from the outside by hedges or walls, or raised above the surrounding bustle. The environment tends to be, by its nature, artificial and can easily transform into any style of stage set you want.
Here the stage has been beautifully set with wings created by potted evergreens and a backdrop of clipped boxwood (Buxus sp). The owners are surely the stars of the show when relaxing on their centrally placed furniture.
Place topiary on centre stage
Clipped boxwood (Buxus sp), a plant used since Roman times to create features in the form of topiary and to frame areas such as knot gardens, can also introduce permanent actors to a small garden stage. Here, clipped spheres of boxwood act on a stage of brick pavers, giving a simple year-round performance.
Clipped boxwood (Buxus sp), a plant used since Roman times to create features in the form of topiary and to frame areas such as knot gardens, can also introduce permanent actors to a small garden stage. Here, clipped spheres of boxwood act on a stage of brick pavers, giving a simple year-round performance.
Generate drama with lighting
Lighting is one of the main tools used by set designers to set the right atmosphere for a theatrical production. Dramatic effects can be created in garden design by spotlighting features such as trees or sculptures, or by casting light onto a plant or feature for shadows.
10 reasons to use outdoor lighting
Lighting is one of the main tools used by set designers to set the right atmosphere for a theatrical production. Dramatic effects can be created in garden design by spotlighting features such as trees or sculptures, or by casting light onto a plant or feature for shadows.
10 reasons to use outdoor lighting
Produce theatre in the round
A permanent stage is set in this glass atrium, creating a theatre-in-the-round view of the garden.
A permanent stage is set in this glass atrium, creating a theatre-in-the-round view of the garden.
Use a simple design to create classic formal theatre
Though we’ve seen how small gardens meet the criteria for creating stage-set designs, larger formal gardens can also have layouts with theatrical style.
This formal geometric garden follows ideas from the past, being best viewed from a fixed point – doesn’t the lawn look like a great stage for socialising, if not Shakespeare?
TELL US
How have you used plants and lighting to dramatic effect in your garden? We’d love to hear about it in the Comments.
MORE
What a Landscape Architect Really Does
Cheap Tricks to Landscape Your Garden Without Spending the Earth
10 Ways to Make Your Small Garden Feel Bigger
Though we’ve seen how small gardens meet the criteria for creating stage-set designs, larger formal gardens can also have layouts with theatrical style.
This formal geometric garden follows ideas from the past, being best viewed from a fixed point – doesn’t the lawn look like a great stage for socialising, if not Shakespeare?
TELL US
How have you used plants and lighting to dramatic effect in your garden? We’d love to hear about it in the Comments.
MORE
What a Landscape Architect Really Does
Cheap Tricks to Landscape Your Garden Without Spending the Earth
10 Ways to Make Your Small Garden Feel Bigger
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some wonderful ideas that we can use on the Riviera Maya in Mexico! Thank You!
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