Iconic Screen Gardens and How to Bring Their Style Home

Some of the most memorable scenes in film and television happen in gardens, from the romantic estates of Bridgerton and Pride and Prejudice to the stately grounds of Downton Abbey and the neat front yards of Ramsay Street in Neighbours. You don’t need a castle or a film budget to borrow their style. Each look comes down to a few key elements: structured hedges, flowering borders, winding paths, lawn edges or simple, well-kept front gardens. With the right plants and regular care, even a suburban backyard can capture a touch of on-screen magic.

Every great scene needs a setting. Sometimes it’s a garden.

Why Gardens Steal the Scene

Gardens give filmmakers an instant atmosphere. A sweeping lawn signals wealth, a tangled walled garden suggests mystery and a neat suburban yard says “this is home.” Audiences may not consciously notice the plants, but they feel the mood those spaces create.

Many of the most famous screen gardens are real places, which means visitors can see them in person and gardeners can study what makes them work.

The Romance of Regency Estates

Bridgerton turned Regency style into a global obsession, and its outdoor scenes are filled with manicured lawns, flower-lined walkways and formal hedges. The series filmed at several grand English estates, giving viewers a taste of classic landscape design.

How to get the look:

• Clipped hedges to frame paths or garden beds
• Soft pastel flowers, such as roses, lavender and hydrangeas
• Symmetrical layouts with a central focal point
• A bench or arbour for a romantic touch

Pride and Prejudice and the English Landscape

The 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice used real estates such as Chatsworth House, which stood in for Pemberley, and Stourhead, where the famous rainy proposal scene was filmed. These gardens follow the English landscape tradition: sweeping lawns, lakes, mature trees and views designed to look natural.

How to get the look:

• Open lawn areas rather than crowded beds
• Feature trees that create shade and structure
• Curving paths instead of straight lines
• Natural-looking planting with layers of greenery

Downton Abbey’s Stately Grounds

Highclere Castle became world-famous as Downton Abbey, and its grounds show how scale and simplicity work together. Wide lawns, mature trees and clean edges create a sense of calm order.

How to get the look:

• Sharp lawn edges
• A gravel or stone path
• Large containers or urns
• Restraint, letting a few strong features stand out

The Secret Garden’s Wild Charm

Adaptations of The Secret Garden celebrate the opposite of formality: overgrown walls, climbing plants and hidden corners. The 2020 film used dramatic real gardens to create its enchanted world.

How to get the look:

• Climbing roses or jasmine on fences or walls
• Layered planting with flowers spilling over edges
• A hidden seating nook
• Stepping stones through planted areas

A Melbourne Classic: Ramsay Street

Not every famous screen garden is a grand estate. For decades, Neighbours fans around the world have recognised the tidy front yards of Ramsay Street, filmed at Pin Oak Court in Vermont South, in Melbourne’s east.

The look is classic Australian suburbia: green lawns, simple garden beds, tidy driveways and welcoming front entrances. It’s proof that a neat, cared-for front garden can be just as memorable as any mansion.

How to get the look:

• A healthy, evenly mown lawn
• Low-maintenance shrubs near the house
• Clean edges along paths and driveways
• Seasonal colour in a few well-placed beds

Backyard Makeovers on TV

Australian audiences also grew up with garden transformation shows like Backyard Blitz, where tired yards were turned into outdoor living spaces in a single weekend. Those programmes helped popularise decks, outdoor entertaining zones, water features and native plantings across the country.

Screen Style at a Glance

Adapting the Look for Melbourne

Many screen gardens are filmed in England, where cooler, wetter conditions suit lush lawns and roses. In Melbourne, choosing plants that cope with hot, dry summers makes any style easier to maintain. Mixing classic favourites with hardy natives and Mediterranean plants is often the best approach.

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is a great place to see how different garden styles and climate-suited plants perform locally, and to find inspiration for your own space.

Keeping the Look Camera-Ready

The secret behind every screen garden is maintenance. Film locations look perfect because teams constantly mow, trim, weed and tidy them. At home, regular care makes the biggest difference.

If you love the look but don’t have time to keep hedges sharp and lawns perfect, professional help can keep things on track. Teams likeA1 Gardens Melbourne handle ongoing garden maintenance and landscaping across South East Melbourne, helping homeowners keep their outdoor spaces looking their best year-round.

Common Mistakes When Copying Screen Gardens

People often:

• Choose plants unsuited to their climate
• Try to copy a grand estate in a small yard
• Overcrowd beds
• Neglect regular trimming and edging
• Forget practical spaces for kids, pets and entertaining

Your Own Scene-Stealing Garden

Screen gardens can inspire ideas, but the best version is one that suits your home, climate and lifestyle. Borrow a few signature elements, choose plants that thrive locally and keep up with regular care.

You may not have a film crew, but you can still create a garden worthy of its own close-up.