Historic parks and gardens play a frequent – and frequently tantalizing – role in films and on TV. Where is the 18th century landscape that forms the background to scenes in Bridgerton? Which English country estate serves as Paris for both James Bond and Sherlock Holmes? Is that really a world heritage site being flooded for a scene in The Secret Garden?
Join The Gardens Trust on Wednesdays in May for behind-the-scenes at some of the locations used in costume dramas, children’s adventures, murder mysteries and much else. We’ll hear from a location manager on choosing the right gardens for shoots and from a garden historian on films in her own county, as well as the experience of three major players who regularly manage film crews in their historic landscapes – the National Trust, the Royal Parks and English Heritage. This ticket costs £35 for the full series of five talks or you may purchase a ticket for individual talks, costing £8. To sign up, visit Eventbrite UK HERE. Ticket holders can join each session live and/or view a recording for up to 2 weeks afterwards. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk.
The third talk in the series takes place May 21. The Royal Parks offer filming opportunities in eight of London’s largest open public spaces, including St James’s Park, Regent’s Park and Kensington Gardens, allowing film-makers to recreate almost any historical period. Recent shoots have included the fight scene between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and the music video for Late Night Talking with Harry Styles flying down The Mall in a giant bed!
Flo van Heck is Senior Filming & Events Manager at The Royal Parks.
