The opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow featured a garden designed by Amalie White in collaboration with plantsman Jamie Butterworth, serving as the centre-piece for the event held at the OVO Hydro.
A Moveable Centrepiece
Spanning more than 200 square metres with a 15-metre diameter, the moveable garden was filled with plants that evoked a living piece of the Scottish setting. Giant trays on castors, each weighing one tonne, were moved by hand and could be rolled out in two minutes for rapid scene changes.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla emerged from the TARDIS during the ceremony, stepping into the lush green setting that White described as a crossroads where athletes from across the Commonwealth met.
Design Inspired by Scottish Heritage
White’s stage design drew from Scotland’s pioneering textile industry and Glasgow’s heritage in shipbuilding. It began with a single knotted thread forming a Celtic knot, with woven light creating an infinite loop of paths converging on a central point.
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“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,” White said.
For those managing the practical realities of such a large installation, the modular tray system meant the garden could be reconfigured quickly between performances without sacrificing the carefully planned visual impact.
Plant Selection and Horticultural Approach
Butterworth guided the plant selection from a horticultural standpoint at his Form Plants nursery, where specimens were grown peat-free. The palette was chosen for its wild texture and muted colours, acting like traditional tartan or tweed where individual details are detailed but from afar everything feels connected.
“Horticulturally ambitious yet completely natural in feel, the garden is a loving tribute to Scotland,” Butterworth said. “Ornamental grasses provide a baseline texture of wild setting, blending into a sweeping, heather-inspired palette of blues and purples.”
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The planting included Molinia, Sesleria, Calamagrostis, Agastache, Catanache, Perovskia, Sanguisorba, Selenium, Nepeta, resilient thistles and multiple perennials evoking coastal paths, alpine highlands and loch-sides.
A Permanent Future
The garden was placed centre stage, in the round, with a saltire-shaped walkway criss-crossing the installation. An immersive wrap-around screen extended the setting into a cinematic vista, making the stage appear nestled in a boundless setting.
This was the second collaboration between Butterworth and White, following their work on Gucci Cruise 25 at Tate Modern. The design was partly inspired by His Majesty The King’s passion for the natural setting and championed the philosophy of letting nature in, blurring the lines between careful cultivation and rugged Scottish wilderness.
The garden will go on to have a permanent home, which organizers said will be announced at the end of the Games.
