Landscape Ideas: 8 Iconic Gardens by Dutch Designer Piet Oudolf

Perennial palettes show how gardens merge artful design with ecological year-round allure.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 19, 2025

Perennial palettes show how gardens merge artful design with ecological year-round allure.

Piet Oudolfâborn in the Netherlands in 1944âhas transformed the world of garden design, championing a naturalistic approach that celebrates perennial grasses and herbaceous plants, and elevates gardens into painterly, ever-changing landscapes. His philosophy, rooted in ecological awareness and structural beauty over fleeting blossoms, has made him a central figure in contemporary landscape architecture. This article profiles eight of Oudolfâs most celebrated gardens, exploring their distinctive features, plant palettes, and the driving philosophy behind each site.

Oudolfâs Design Philosophy & Influence
Hummelo: The Origin
The High Line, New York City
Lurie Garden, Chicago
Hauser & Wirth Somerset, England
Scampston Hall, England
Millennium Garden, Pensthorpe
Vitra Campus, Germany
RHS Wisley
Frequently Asked Questions

Oudolfâs Design Philosophy & Influence

Piet Oudolf is a pioneer of the New Perennial Movement, which emphasizes planting drifts of robust, long-lived perennials and ornamental grasses chosen primarily for their structure, foliage, and seasonal resilience. His landscapes prioritize shapes, textures, and ecological stability over decorative color, ensuring gardens remain visually compelling even in the dormant months.

Structure Over Color: Oudolf selects plants based especially on leaf or seed pod shapes, aiming for gardens that intrigue in every seasonânot just when flowers are blooming.
Ecological Inspiration: Many plantings mimic the patterns and richness of wild meadows, blending art with nature for spontaneous visual complexity.
Long-Lived Species: He uses enduring, clump-forming perennials that stabilize and maintain their form for years, with minimal support after establishment.
Evolution in Practice: Oudolfâs style shifted from painterly block-plantings focusing on texture, to more ecologically-blended groupings driven by the dynamic interaction of species.

This design philosophy has both aesthetic and ecological aimsâhis gardens foster biodiversity, offer habitat, and engage visitors through year-round transformation.

1. Hummelo: The Origin of Oudolfâs Style

Location: Hummelo, Gelderland, The Netherlands

Oudolfâs world-changing career began at his own nursery and experimental garden in Hummelo, opened with his wife Anja in 1982. Here, he cultivated rare perennials and explored new planting combinations, evolving his signature aesthetic.

Nursery and Trial Beds: Hummelo became both a commercial nursery and an influential testing ground for perennials and grasses not broadly available at the time.
Experimental Planting: Oudolf developed block plantings and later blended compositions, pioneering structural approaches that influenced designers worldwide.
Global Influence: The nurseryâs trial beds drew professionals and enthusiasts from around the globe, fundamentally impacting planting design standards.

Though the nursery and gardens are now closed, the site remains a symbol of innovationâa birthplace for many plant cultivars and ideas that permeate Oudolfâs later works.

2. The High Line, New York City

Location: Manhattan, New York, USA

The High Lineâs transformationâa 1.5-mile-long elevated public park built atop a disused railwayâbrought Oudolfâs philosophy to an international audience, merging spontaneous, wild-like plantings with urban infrastructure.

Biodiversity Corridor: Dense perennial and grass plantings create diverse plant layers, supporting pollinators and birds in the heart of New York.
Seasonal Interest: With over 500 varieties, the gardenâs appearance morphs dramatically throughout the year, offering sculptural seed heads and tough foliage well into winter.
Visual Pathways: Grasses and perennials frame city views, enticing visitors to stroll and experience the landscape in constant motion.

The High Line is now a global model for sustainable urban green spaces, proving that ecological form and public beauty are not mutually exclusive.

3. Lurie Garden, Chicago

Location: Millennium Park, Chicago, USA

Opened in 2004, the Lurie Garden embodies Oudolfâs transition from painter-like blocks to more ecological blends. It reflects Chicagoâs transformationâfrom marshland to metropolisâusing plant layers and seasonal themes.

Dark and Light Plates: The garden is divided into zones that reference historical prairies (dark) and the urban cityscape (light).
Signature Plants: Salvia, Echinacea, and ornamental grasses prevail, their subtle hues and forms interlacing for ongoing visual interest.
Four-Season Drama: Seed heads and dried foliage remain integral, making the garden beautiful even after blooms fade.

Lurie Gardenâs multi-layered plantings demonstrate Oudolfâs matured approach, drawing visitors into immersive, living sketches of prairie ecology.

4. Hauser & Wirth Somerset, England

Location: Durslade Farm, Bruton, Somerset, UK

At the contemporary art hub Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Oudolf created a meadow-like scheme that complements both rural farmland and modern gallery buildings.

Plant Palette: Over 40,000 plantsâincluding Echinacea, Achillea, grasses, and sedumsâcreate meandering drifts and pools of color.
Integration with Art: The garden blurs distinctions between horticulture and art, serving as a natural extension for sculpture displays.
Wildness and Order: Purposeful randomness reveals hidden structure, encouraging exploration.

This garden has become a model for fusing contemporary design with ecological resonance.

5. Scampston Hall, England

Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Scampston Hallâs Walled Garden (opened in 1999) showcases Oudolfâs experimentation within a formal enclosure, showing how naturalistic planting can refresh traditional settings.

Contrasts with Formality: Meadow-rooted plants soften the walled structure, creating vibrant, changing tapestries within geometric spaces.
Garden Rooms: The garden is divided into distinct rooms, each with unique combinations of grasses and perennials, structured yet loose.
Blending Old and New: Historic architecture meets modern ecological planting.

The result is a dynamic, ever-evolving garden admired by both classic and contemporary design enthusiasts.

6. Millennium Garden, Pensthorpe

Location: Pensthorpe Natural Park, Norfolk, UK

Oudolfâs Millennium Garden is celebrated for its sculptural forms and bold plant groups, offering rich ecological and visual diversity.

Colorful Drifts: Perennials like asters, rudbeckias, and molinias fill the landscape with rhythmic sweeps of color and form.
Wild Habitat: Pollinator-friendly species support wildlife, aligning with Pensthorpeâs conservation focus.
Year-Round Beauty: The garden maintains sculptural interest from spring bulbs to frost-kissed seed heads in winter.

This garden epitomizes Oudolfâs ability to fuse artful design with living ecology.

7. Vitra Campus, Germany

Location: Weil am Rhein, Germany

The newest of Oudolfâs major projects, the Vitra Campus Garden (2020), demonstrates his matured signature: robust perennial waves set amidst cutting-edge architecture.

Modern Context: Oudolfâs garden softens and interacts with Vitraâs modern building silhouettes, offering a kinetic, textural counterpoint.
Plant Selection: Future-proof varieties are chosen for climate resilience and low maintenance, with ornamental grasses starring alongside classics like Astilbe and Persicaria.
Global Relevance: The site functions as a living showcase for the future of urban landscaping.

The Vitra Campus melds design innovation and horticultural mastery, inspiring new directions in public gardens worldwide.

8. RHS Wisley

Location: Surrey, England

Oudolfâs borders at RHS Wisley highlight his dynamic plant palette, exhibiting resilient, year-round displays through strategic perennial selection.

New Perennial Borders: Sweeping beds illustrate Oudolfâs structural approach, using grasses and robust perennials for rhythm and texture.
Educational Impact: The garden serves as a model for sustainable, seasonally-variable planting in public spaces.
Color and Context: Plantings are referenced by educational signage, encouraging visitors to learn and experiment with Oudolfâs principles elsewhere.

The Wisley borders inspire professionals and enthusiasts to rethink the possibilities of perennial gardening.

Comparative Overview of Oudolfâs Gardens

Garden	Country	Year Opened	Design Signature
Hummelo	Netherlands	1982 (nursery)	Experimental nursery, origin of New Perennial techniques
The High Line	USA	2009	Urban biodiversity, ecological layers, four-season structure
Lurie Garden	USA	2004	Dark/light zones, prairie echoes, ecological blending
Hauser & Wirth Somerset	UK	2014	Meadow drifts, art integration
Scampston Hall	UK	1999	Walled garden, garden rooms, formality layered with wildness
Millennium Garden, Pensthorpe	UK	1999	Color blocks, wildlife-friendly plantings
Vitra Campus	Germany	2020	Modern context, future-proof plants
RHS Wisley	UK	2000s	New Perennial Borders, education, public inspiration

Piet Oudolfâs Impact: Lessons for Garden Designers and Homeowners

Seasonal Planning: Design for a landscape that excites and endures through every monthânot just the height of summer.
Ecological Sensitivity: Prioritize biodiversity, native or adapted species, and habitat creation for pollinators and wildlife.
Structural Planting: Aim for interest with seed heads, leaf shapes, and plant structureânot just blossoms.
Year-Round Management: Use perennials that remain attractive without constant upkeep, minimizing intervention for maximum stability.
Wildness and Order: Balance meandering combinations with underlying pattern, echoing natureâs spontaneous tapestry.

Oudolfâs global projects continue to inspire a shift from manicured formality to dynamic, ecological artistry in gardens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the “New Perennial Movement” associated with Piet Oudolf?

A: The New Perennial Movement is a style of planting design focused on robust perennials and grasses arranged in naturalistic drifts, chosen for structure, longevity, and ecological value rather than fleeting flower color.

Q: Why are perennials and grasses central to Oudolfâs designs?

A: Oudolf selects plants for their long-term appeal, resilience, and ability to create complex, seasonal interest with minimal maintenanceâgrasses and perennials excel in these roles.

Q: Can homeowners apply Piet Oudolfâs principles to smaller gardens?

A: Yes. The guiding principlesâseasonal interest, structural planting, ecological blendsâscale well from public parks to intimate home gardens. Choose perennials and grasses that suit your climate and create textured, layered arrangements.

Q: How does Piet Oudolf select plants for his gardens?

A: Oudolf chooses plants based on their capacity to maintain interest beyond their flowering period, with a focus on seed heads, stems, and foliage texture. He also considers ecological function and durability in the local climate.

Q: Why are Oudolfâs gardens praised by ecologists?

A: His designs foster biodiversity, offer pollinator and wildlife habitat, and often restore or mimic natural plant communities, making them environmentally beneficial as well as beautiful.

Conclusion: Enduring Artistry in Landscape Design

Piet Oudolfâs revolutionary landscapesâwhether meandering meadow or urban parkâprove that gardens can be both ecological sanctuaries and living works of art. His eight iconic projects presented here serve as inspiration for gardeners, designers, and anyone seeking beauty that changes and endures through time.

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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