If you are speaking of the 1993 version of The Secret Garden, then I heartily agree. It's also a good movie in it's own right and one the whole family can enjoy together.

Under the catagory of "it's not what you think" comes the BBC series "Portrait of a Marriage" which is a biography of Vita Sackeville West's love life (she had extramarital affairs with such notabiles as Virginia Woolf). If you are looking for anything more then mere glimpses of her garden you will be most disappointed. Well acted and interesting in it's own right, the reason for her fame is all but ignored.

Yes Maryl, I am speaking about the 1993 version of "The
Secret Garden". A very good movie.

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Lol devon gardener! The pics you post are funny, especially the one w/ the little girl. She was an bad mooded little thing wasn't she? we She'd be a good photo for an avatar.

We own this movie also. The kids like this one, one of their faves.

You are right, there are gazillion roses in some of those shots, you wonder how many florists/arrangers were up to the wee hours of the morning creating some of those garden scenes. I've pored over some of those shots and I believe most of those blooms look authentic. Maybe, maybe not but still, good eye-candy.

Betty

The sound of music.
Natures garden impresses me far more than mere mortals attempts at soul.
This is about the time I would come down the mountain side,singing``The hills are alive----''when I lived in Montana.
If you haven't seen the Rocky Mountains display of wild flowers you owe yourself a trip.

Pete, I actually sang that in Austria when I was in the mountains near Salzburg, where it was filmed.

The old Secret Garden (from the '40's) is great too- it starts out in black & white for about the first half of the film then, suddenly, it changes to vibrant color when the garden blooms.

Just Like Heaven w/ Reese Witherspoon has some lovely scenes in it too.

Not roses, but if you watch the movie 'Memoirs of a Geisha' there is a scene where they are at a Cherry Blossom Festival (in Japan, of course) and the wind blows and it is snowing blossom petals. I know it was probably fake, but it inspired me to plant 3 Japanese cherry trees in my yard.

My husband and I really enjoy our DVDs of the English television series "Rosemary and Thyme", a series about two women gardeners who end up solving a crime every week. The best part are the fabulous gardens that are featured in each segment - they are from all over Europe, although most are in England. I'm not ever letting them work in my garden though, because every time they get a new garden to work on they find a body in it!

Oddly enough, Nanny McPhee has glorious gardens through the entire film. I was quite distracted in the theatre thinking, 'Look at that lovely climber" and "Oooh, I bet those smell good!"

The Onion Field

The 1993 SECRET GARDEN has the most beautiful garden that I've ever seen in a moving picture.

Almost Heaven has a beeeautiful garden in the beginning and then he recreates it for her on the top of her apartment. I love the way it has a dreamy quality.
Ang

There were areas in the film "Pride & Prejudice" that I would MOVE to in a heartbeat and create beautiful gardens...I have the "Secret Garden" and have watched it zillions of times...Jeanne

The scene in the movie 'French Kiss' where Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline's character have fallen in love and are kissing in front of a massive field of grape plants. Maybe not a garden per se but still visually stunning.

Kate

French Kiss was a great chic flick. I used to like Meg then. I don't any more since her fiasco w/ Russell Crowe & her fake Donald Duck look plastic surgery job. I still like Russell though, hee hee!

"Edward Scissorhands". Now that's a guy who could prune.

Betty:

After reading your post I did a Google search for current Meg Ryan photos and I was stunned. She used to be so naturally pretty! Sometimes I'm glad I cannot afford plastic surgery:) Yikes.

Kate

Devon, that's it. I'm just going to open everything you post. You have the best subjects. My two favorite forms of entertainment, gardening and movies. I am going to write down all of the movies mentioned.
For me the most memorable for some reason is in the movie 'Return to Me', year 2000. The name doesn't fit the movie so I always have to look it up. In one scene Mini Driver's character has created this amazing container garden in the middle of the city. The music is so terrific in this one, lots of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, lots of great supporting characters too. I'm not a chick flick person but this one was really good.
Nancy

Kate,

Shocking isn't it? she morphed into someone completely different. Sometimes plastic surgery isn't all it is cracked up to be no? I'll stick w/ the Botox, lol!

Betty

The movie 'Practical Magic' was filmed in the San Juan Islands. The garden as well as the scenery is just gorgeous. I want the big, old house, and all the furnishings in it! The movie was lame, but I loved everything else.

The Woody Allen movies, 'Scoop & Match Point' are both filmed in England. There are some really lovely garden scenes in them. Stately estates with massive and beautiful gardens.

buford - That scene is surreally beautiful in 'Memoirs.' In WA, there are a lot of flowering cherries everywhere. They make the arrival of Spring here extra special.

I don't know whether all you fans of the movie 'The Secret Garden' have read the book, but its verbal descriptions of the garden are also enchanting. I first read the book in junior high school, and even then loved the garden best of anything in the book. It sounds like the people who adapted it to film knew what they were doing.

Melissa

Yes! I'm always looking at the scenery in the movie. Several come to mind.

The garden behind the castle in "Bram Stoker's Dracula". Huge stone steps, fountains, statues, a maze. Everything overgrown. It's been a long time since I saw the movie and I really don't know how to describe the garden but I remember I loved it.

The (what looked like veggie and flower) garden that Annette Benings character is working in, in "Open Range". A kind of glorified version of what I think people really had back then. Homemade arches and trellises. Beauty and food combined.

I loved that greenhouse in "Practical Magic". All sorts of interesting things in there! The rest of the place was pretty cool, too.

THANK YOU ALL for posting these movies. Some of them I
need to check out.

And yes, I also have read the book of The Secret Garden.
The 1940's movie of it sounds interesting. I'll have to find
it.

And teka2rjleffel, I'm with you on that. What could be
better than movies and gardening.

Hoovb, we could all share Edward Scissorhands to prune
our roses.

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Bettym_grow, I'm glad you like my pics(lol). Yes, she was
a brat at first and then became friendlier.

Pete, you singing in the mountains in Montana must have
been a sight(lol). Thank's!

Veilchen, did you like Salzburg? I've always wanted to
go there.

Lavenderrose, that 1940's version of the Secret Garden
must be good. Did you also like the 1993 version?

Buford, I'll be looking for that scene in Memoirs. How
are your cherry blossoms doing? They only bloom for a
few weeks, but it must be magical.

Karenforroses, Rosemary and Thyme is a very entertaining
program. I forgot about that one. They do show gorgeous
gardens in England alot. They show it here on a public
broadcasting station, usually on Sunday nights. Love it!

Ehann, Nanny Mcphee was a very colorful movie and yes, they
had some nice garden scenes in it. Almost like a cartoon.

Harryshoe, nice to hear from you.

Molineux, I agree with you on that garden being the most
sumptuous on film.

Cajunrosegal, Almost Heaven did have a great scene at the
start of the movie with a fantasy-like garden. Liked that
movie alot.

Jeannetexas, Pride and Prejudice did have some captivating
gardens in it. I love that movie.

Katefisher, I'll have to check out those grape vineyards in
French Kiss.

Teka2rjleffel, likewise, I'll look into that container garden,
in the city, in Return To Me.

Pacnwgrdngirl, I always meant to check out Practical Magic.
And yes, Matchpoint did have some very grand gardens.

Melissa_thefarm, yes, they did a great job in the 1993 movie
of bringing the book to life. Loved that book, too.

Garden2garden, Bram Stoker's Dracula did have some gothic
and neat gardens in it.

Thank You All, Again!

lol. Gothic, yes, that's what they were! I couldn't think of that word.

You're welcome and thank YOU, it was a fun question to think about.

Devon:

If you do check out that film and you don't want to watch the whole thing (which could very well happen) the scene I am referring to is one of the very last of the movie.

Enjoy.

Kate

I also loved the two gardens in Just Like Heaven also. It was a good movie, and I loved him making that garden for her on the roof of her building.

devon-gardener- the 1993 version does have some lovely garden scenes, I just wish they had stuck closer to the book for the script! BBC also made a movie called Back to the Secret Garden which has a nice garden layout in it with a fountain in the middle. It also talks about a rose called "American Beauty." It confused me because it was white and I thought American Beauty was a deep pink or red.

It's not a movie, but a tv series. Starter Wife - hot tub garden scene in the 3rd episode. So stunningly beautiful and romantic that I played my recording of it many times over. I was more interested in the garden design than the series...

This is such a great post, Devon. Now I want to rent everyone else's picks.

oh and the movie I messed up on was Just Like Heaven with Reese Witherspoon...lovely story... garden was delish.

I'm always looking at gardens or gardening themes in movies - DH does it too, now, and even calls me to the TV when there's an especially nice garden featured in a film.

One must-see movie is 'Greenfingers.' I especially like it since I work with convicts on the Sheriff's Work Crew in the Sacramento cemetery.

Another that cracks me up is "Wallace and Gromit, Curse of the Were-Rabbit." They're in business to remove rabbits from everybody's gardens, during the height of the annual vegetable competition.

I watched some of the newer Miss Marple shows on DVD while I was sick recently. I could hardly follow the stories because I was so distracted by the gardens. Joan Hickson is a wonderful Miss Marple, by the way.

Interesting how all of these movies are English.
Anita

"You've Got Mail" - Meg Ryan and what's his face "meet" finally in the beautiful Central Park garden - with Bentley, the Golden Retriever, and Harry Nilsson singing in the background. "Remember?"
I love "French Kiss". French blue sky and greenery. I watch it every time it comes on - which is often. Definite chic movie. Can't understand why my DH won't watch it with me. It's so funny!
Sherry

Cajunrosegal, your right! Yeah, it is Just Like Heaven, with
Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffulo. About a doctor(Reese)
with an incredible San Francisco apartment.

Mipeonyzone5, thank's for posting and for reminding us of
the right title for "Just Like Heaven".

Gardentogarden, I'm glad you like this subject. It has been
fun for me, too.

Katefisher, got it! So the last scene has the beautiful
grape vineyards.

Lavenderrose, thank's for also telling me about Back To The
Secret Garden, from the BBC. I'm also going to try to look
into seeing that one, too. So fun!

Huttnem, I'm glad you like this subject, too. It's been
great to hear from you all. Thank's!

Cemeteryrose, what a great hobby for you and your husband
to share. I like Wallace and Gromit and Miss Marple,
too. Thank You!

Sherryocala, I remember that last scene in You've Got Mail!
Central Park is so special for New York City. Thank's

There's a great scene in Forrest Gump where Jenny has received a bouquet of roses from Forrest.

Anita, I had forgotten about 'Greenfingers.' what a good movie. Being a gardener I could almost believe that a garden could transform those men.
Nancy

'Saving Grace'

You know this movie has not SO many great gardening eye candy as much as gardening as a sub plot. Hilarious English Film. I laughed until my stomach hurt. Very fun.

Kate

I love this thread. I also forgot about 'Saving Grace.' What a funny movie. It also had just gorgeous garden scenes. It makes me want to go the England with all of their gorgeous gardens. I just watched the "Secret Garden.' Lovely garden.
Thanks for that recommendation guys.
Nancy

Wow! I guess I need to check out Secret Garden, too.
Do fantasy movies count? I love the scenery in The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, when the hobits first come to Rivendell to the elves. The scenery is gorgeous, even if it isn't real. Actually, that whole movie trilogy kinda makes me want to move to New Zealand, where it was filmed. Pretty stunning countryside.
I'll second Greenfingers, too.

Its hard to remember any movie with a garden that I love.

By the time I put on a movie, I'm fast asleep til the end. Even at the theatre I fall asleep(I feel terrible about this)mostly for my kids, cuz I always promised them that I will keep awake.
Niecey

I don't know if you would really class it as a garden or more of a painting. I love the part in "What Dreams May Come" where Robin Williams goes to heaven and ends up in a painting. In fact the whole part of the movie which is supposed to be heaven is lovely. I didn't think much of the movie but loved that part.

Mike in New Orleans, I love Lord Of The Rings, too. The
scenery is incredible! Especially that part in the first
one, Fellowship Of The Ring, when they go to The Shire and
that Rivendell part.

By the way, in Princess Diaries, Julie Andrews has a scene
with a beautiful formal garden that is so nice looking.

And in American Beauty, there is a scene with Annette Benning,
tending some really red roses that look great.

Great thread and alot of fun. I'm going to be checking out alot of the movies on this post.

I really like the scenery in UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. Near the end of the movie there is a lovely scene where the writer hosts her adopted son's wedding reception in an Italian garden. Another great scene is when her best friend comments on the "spooky Italian trees".

I also agree about the Lord of the Rings trillogy. I own the dvds and have been known to pop in the first movie just so that I can watch the Shire scenes. When I first saw the film I had fantasies of living in a house under a hill with a big round front door. Did you notice the pretty cottage garden in front of BagEnd? Now THAT is my idea of idealic. The Rivendale and Lothlorian scenes were also breathtaking. Two things that stand out in my mind is the silvery garden temple in the first Rivendale scene where Frodo is looking out from his balcony at the elven colony. Another scene is the Elven Queen's scrying well (she calls it the Mirror). I want that well! Mine of course would be surrounded by white roses.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:326789}}