Considered “the most influential garden designer of the past 25 years,” Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf has done for perennial gardening what artist Leonard Koren did for the concept of wabi-sabi: popularized and modernized an under-the-radar movement. Oudolf’s approach to planting extends beyond the technical to concepts of composition, time and temporality, repetition, and contrast. His goal is to create “dream landscapes.”
While Oudolf cites designer Mien Ruys as his primary inspiration, it’s he who put her “New Perennial Movement” into motion on a global scale. Consider, for instance, New York City’s High Line, London’s Serpentine Gallery Pavillon, and a large-scale matrix planting project underway in Japan.
The designer’s perspective is so pervasive that the first glance of a lyrical garden has us thinking “Piet” every time. Here we’ve gathered 10 dreamscapes of soft grasses and four-season garden beds, each with a decidedly Oudolfian attitude.
To get the Oudolf look in your garden:
- 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Superstar Dutch Designer Piet Oudolf
- See Required Reading: How to Recreate Piet Oudolf’s Painterly Landscapes.
- Have a look at his work at Scampston Hall in Yorkshire, England.
Finally, get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various perennial plants with our Perennials: A Field Guide.
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