The Midsummer Night’s Dream Garden
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare uses his plant and flower references to underscore the magical transformations and romantic entanglements throughout the play. The flower "Cupid's flower," or "love-in-idleness," becomes a central symbol, as its juice causes characters to fall in love unexpectedly, leading to chaos among the Athenian lovers. Additionally, the enchanting forest setting, rich with greenery and blooming flora, represents a world where the natural order is disrupted, allowing for both confusion and reconciliation. Overall, plant imagery highlights themes of love, desire, and the interplay between reality and illusion in the pursuit of romance.
Special thanks to longtime CSF supporter and thespian Chuck Wilcox for voicing the part of The Bard in our video series. Full production credits available here. All photos copyright Colorado Shakespeare Group except those in the public domain, published under Creative Commons (CC) licensing. For more information on (CC) artwork in this video, click here.
Enjoy this slideshow of the plants we have in our Midsummer Night’s Dream Garden:
