A 200-square-metre garden took center stage at the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland. Designed by Amalie White in collaboration with Jamie Butterworth, the installation featured a 15-metre diameter movable garden filled with plants evoking the Scottish environment. The garden was a living piece of Scotland, with plants chosen to reflect the country’s diverse natural beauty, from its wild coastline to its mountainous environments and urban environments.
The garden, weighing one tonne per modular tray, was rolled out in two minutes for a rapid scene change, akin to assembling a giant garden jigsaw. Each tray was mounted on castors, allowing the heavy modules to be moved by hand. King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a memorable entrance, emerging from Dr. Who’s Tardis amidst the lush green scene, which symbolically blended Scotland’s natural heritage with its cultural icons.
Inspired by Scotland’s heritage
White’s design drew inspiration from Scotland’s pioneering textile industry and Glasgow’s heritage in shipbuilding practices. A single knotted thread, symbolizing the beginning of a Celtic knot, formed the basis of the stage design. As lines of woven light joined together, an infinite loop of paths converged on a central point. Amalie said: “These soft, muted colours and textures act much like a traditional tartan or tweed: up close, the individual details are detailed, but from afar, everything feels connected.”
Amalie said of the design: “The stage was not just a performance space – it served as a crossroads where athletes from across the city, the country, and the Commonwealth met, a place where sport, nature, culture and art interconnected.” The garden featured plants grown peat-free at Butterworth’s Form Plants nursery, selected for their wild palette and texture. This approach highlighted sustainable gardening practices and ensured the plants thrived in their temporary setting while authentically representing Scotland’s flora.
A collaboration of horticulture and design
Butterworth, a Chelsea Flower Show presenter and protégé of Monty Don, guided the plant selection to ensure they grew harmoniously. The garden included ornamental grasses, heather-inspired blues and purples, and plants like Molinia, Sesleria, Calamagrostis, Agastache, Catananche, Perovskia, Sanguisorba,
