Cinematic Gardens and the Subconscious : Nature, Symbolism, and the Psyche on Film

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the history of cinema, gardens, parks, courtyards, and other green spaces have served as far more than just settings or backdrops. They have been places where desires, fears, and fantasies unfold—spaces where characters search for meaning, whether in peaceful sanctuaries or mysterious, maze-like landscapes. These environments often present a contrast between carefully maintained nature shaped by human hands and wild, untamed areas, highlighting the tension between order and chaos.

From the walled garden in The Secret Garden (1993), a reflection of grief and self-discovery, to the suburban lawns in Broken Flowers (2005) signaling social status, the opulent château gardens in Last Year at Marienbad (1961) that warp time and memory, the colonial plots in The New World (2005) revealing power dynamics between settlers and Indigenous peoples, or the stylized Japanese garden-turned-battlefield in Kill Bill (2003)—cinematic gardens have long mirrored deeper social realities and emotional states, acting as open windows into the unconscious.

This lecture series, designed for film lovers and garden enthusiasts alike, explores the role and symbolism of gardens in cinema across four themes: Gardens & Power, Gardens & Love, Gardens & Crime, and Gardens & The Gothic.

From adaptations of literary classics to historical romances and comedies, gardens have served as symbolic stages for love, providing secluded retreats for intimacy, privacy, and discretion.

In Pride & Prejudice (2005), the serene beauty of meticulously maintained estates reflects the protagonists’ pursuit of genuine connection. Meanwhile, in Snow White (1937), the castle courtyard becomes the enchanting backdrop for her first meeting with the Prince—an encounter that hints at blossoming love despite looming dangers. The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981) situates its repressed passions amid English country gardens, underscoring how strict social mores clash with the characters’ profound longing. Similarly, A Room with a View (1985) shows how lingering in Italian gardens broadens the heroine’s perspective on both love and social constraints.

Language: English