Botanica Atlanta Landscape Design

“A plant is only worth growing if it looks good when it’s dead.” This wisdom is from the father of the New Perennials movement in landscape design, Piet Oudolf (pronounced "Pete"). With so much influence over the evolution of landscape design the Dutchman has a lot to say about contemporary design principals in the landscape.  Oudolf is also credited with the prairie-style of landscape design, emphasizing the use of ornamental grasses and native plants in an effort to not copy nature but to suggest it in contrived compositions.  His innovative style challenges our time-worn perceptions of what a beautiful garden is.  Oudolf helps us to find hidden beauty in common plants combined in unexpected pairings.

We feature photography of Piet Oudolf’s winter landscapes in these first days of winter to celebrate the passing of time as it is marked in the garden.

 This photo is from a public park in Rotterdam. Photo credit: Piet Oudolf.

Photo credit: Jo and Rob Whitworth.

This photo is from a private park called Wisley.  Photo credit: Piet Oudolf.

Notice the vibrant hues these two autumn landscape displays (pictured above).  Dried and dormant plants and spent seedheads combine for an unexpectedly lush post-season compositions that remind us in beautiful yet subtle ways that time passes inevitably.

Photo credit: Jurgen Becker.

The overlapping of seasons is most prominent from autumn to winter and winter to spring.  Oudolf upholds his ideal of using plants that only look good when they're dead.The snow layer on spent grasses and native plants lends a fantastical quality to what we would otherwise view a "graveyard". 

This photo is The Battery in NYC. Photo credit: Piet Oudolf.

Oudolf's genius for combining natural and man-made elements is on display at The Battery in NYC (pictured above).

Oudolf is currently working on the Gardens of Remembrance, just a few blocks from the former World Trade Center site.  Here is an interesting NPR piece on Oudolf.