The Mind of Piet Oudolf

A leader of the New Perennial Movement, Piet Oudolf is an influential author and Dutch garden designer. Oudolf’s designs and works are commended for their use of bold, herbaceous perennial drifts and grasses, as well as the structure and color showcased within his work. While his work is renowned all around the world, some of his most well-known designs are The High Line in New York City, the Lurie Garden in Chicago, and Maximilianpark in Hamm, Germany.

A Bit of Background

Piet Oudolf was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, on October 27, 1944. As one of the best-known landscape and garden designers in the world, it may come as a shock that he has no formal training. His experiences with plants began in 1982 when he moved with his wife Anja to Hummelo, a little village west of the Netherlands. It was here that he created a nursery filled with thousands and thousands of perennial plants. Oudoulf was testing how resistant they were to weather changes while observing their difference in color as the seasons passed.  

During this time, Oudolf began to develop a deep understanding of how to choose plants that had strong design potential – whether it was to create a new color or simply because they had better qualities. His early work with his plants led to several robust and reliable selections that are now known for their specific beauty, character, or use in gardens.

The Mind Behind the Design

Piet Oudolf works primarily with perennial plants practicing a natural and spontaneous approach to gardening and design. Taking cues from architectural design, Oudolf prioritizes the authentic seasonal life cycle rather than making designs from purely artistic considerations. Oudolf’s designs focus on the structural characteristics of each choice. This includes the leaves, shape, seed pods, and how the structural features change during their life cycle and seasonal movement.

Beginning his career with a block-type approach, Piet has since changed his method to his designs, favoring a more authentic and surprising blend of species, colors, and structures.

Notable Works

Piet Oudolf has painted many corners of the world with his keen eye for enhancing and elevating the natural beauty within a space. Whether it’s the Oudolf Garden in Detroit, Battery Park in New York City, or the County Cork Garden in the Republic of Ireland, his work speaks not just to space but to those walking through that space.  

One particular stand-out work is his project on the High Line in New York City. Oudolf worked to incorporate many plants that were native to the region. Using a matrix of grasses mixed with perennials, Oudolf was able to mimic how plants grow and intermingle in their natural habitats, bringing a bit of the outdoors to the Big Apple.  

To Learn More

Piet Oudolf has authored many books, including his two most recent works,  Planting: A New Perspective and Hummelo: A Journey Through A Plantsman’s Life. Through his written works and film, Oudolf’s fans can learn more about his methods, approaches, and philosophy when it comes to his art and design.