The Shakespeare Garden

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle, the Shakespeare Garden is a green space behind the New Fortune Theatre. The garden features almost 30 different plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays.

Although Shakespeare gardens are common in the United States, including in New York’s Central Park, UWA’s garden is among the first of its kind in Australia. It was planted in 2018 to complement Shakespeare’s influence on the New Fortune Theatre.

Box, bay laurel, rosemary and lavender form the garden’s hedges, while ‘sad cypress’ and ‘the barky fingers of the elm’ provide shelter at the entrance to the New Fortune Theatre.

The garden is a communal space where staff, students and visitors can collaborate, study or re-read their favourite Shakespeare play. Spend a quiet afternoon here and you might find yourself sharing a corner with one of UWA’s famous peafowl who call the Arts area home.