Brighton Designer to Create Lion King Garden
Fri 28 Jun 2024
Brighton-based garden designer Juliet Sargeant is set to enchant visitors at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival with her latest creation: The Lion King Garden. This vibrant and interactive garden commemorates 25 years of Disney’s iconic West End musical, The Lion King. Running from 2nd to 7th July, the garden will feature live performances and engaging activities, providing a communal space where the public can reflect on their own journey through the ‘Circle of Life’.
Juliet, a regular panellist on BBC R4 Gardeners’ Question Time and founder of the Sussex Garden School, has designed the garden to mirror the bright, theatrical colours of Julie Taymor’s stage design. The garden will be adorned with drought-tolerant flowers and resilient grasses, reminiscent of the African savanna. A wildlife-friendly dead hedge will create a traditional Boma, offering a communal meeting place for visitors. The ‘Circle of Life’ theme will be echoed throughout, symbolising balance and harmony, while a large silk ‘sunrise’ will serve as a colourful focal point.
The garden will showcase climate-resilient plants such as Bulbinella frutescens 'Sunset Orange', Zanthoxyllum simulans (Szechuan pepper), and Kniphofia varieties. These practical, drought-tolerant plants will inspire visitors with ideas for their own gardens.
Since its debut at the Lyceum Theatre in 1999, The Lion King has captivated over 19 million people in London. To mark its 25th anniversary, the show is celebrating with this special garden at one of the capital’s most prestigious events.
Juliet Sargeant expressed her excitement, saying, “The Circle of Life is a great theme for a garden-maker! I am having such fun, working with the talented Lion King team to create a colourful and stimulating space for Lion King fans to celebrate 25 years of the iconic West End show. The parched landscape of the African savanna is a continuous backdrop to the drama on stage and it has provided me with an inspirational well-spring, from which to create a drought-tolerant garden with practical ideas for people to take home.”
George Asprey, who has played Scar for 16 years, also shared his love for gardening, noting how it connects him to nature and offers a respite from modern life’s stresses. He hopes the garden will provide visitors with the same sense of peace and connection.
Don’t miss this unique celebration of nature, theatre, and community at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival.
Image: Designer Juliet Sargeant (Sussex World)