The forms Royston used for these trellis or shelter constructions were nearly as varied as the ground patterns in his early gardens. Oversized umbrellas, free floating disks, tent like arrangements, and asymmetrical frameworks were just some of the many configurations.

A third defining component of a Royston postwar garden, the component most reflecting the experimentalism of the day, is the overhead plane. With this dimension of his work, Royston explored new concepts such as instant effect, dynamic abstract forms, and mechanical / technical innovation. That is not to say that these early gardens abandoned tree canopy or the open sky as overhead elements. His designs of this period utilize both with skill; however, it is the constructed overhead plane, often articulated by mechanical means that is most remarkable.

The idea of instant effect in the landscape is decidedly a mid century concept. The post war years in America saw a quickening to the general pace of life. Automobiles were more common and faster, airplanes could now fly beyond the speed of sound, and the race was on for space flight. The emerging electronic media: radio, television, and the telephone made it possible to introduce and disseminate ideas at a previously impossible rate. For the designed and built environment this acceleration manifested itself in a dramatic building boom and a dizzying array of new consumer products. Against this cultural background, the decade or more that it takes for trees to mature and provide an overhead dimension to the garden seemed an impossibly long period of time. Whether or not it was a conscious response to this popular mood cannot be known for certain, but the post war gardens designed by Royston often side stepped the issue of time by providing an instant overhead plane.

The forms Royston used for these trellis or shelter constructions were nearly as varied as the ground patterns in his early gardens. Oversized umbrellas, free floating disks, tent like arrangements, and asymmetrical open frameworks were just some of the configurations. In his experiments with such bold forms, Royston ran the risk of crossing the line that separates innovation from excess, good taste from kitsch. It is a testament to his skill as a designer that these bold overhead forms generally resulted in memorable environments.

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