Piet oudolf gardens images

If the world of gardening has rock stars, Piet Oudolf qualifies as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Prince rolled into one. The Dutch landscape designer—whose work is instantly recognizable for its dreamy romanticism and oft-copied for its emphasis on sustainable, sensible plantings—makes it look so easy.

But is it?

We’ve dog-eared Oudolf’s books. Hummelo and Planting: A New Perspectiveare our two gardening bibles (and we quote from both below).

Piet oudolf

Reading them, you learn that signature Oudolf style calls for drifts of grasses, perfectly appropriate perennials, and garden beds that look beautiful even in the depths of winter. Here are 10 of Piet Oudolf’s best ideas to steal for your own garden.

Photography via Hummelo,courtesy of The Monacelli Press.

Make a four-season garden.

Flowers fade.

Oudolf chooses plants more for shape and texture than for their blooms. Stripped bare, stalks, stems, and seed pods become architectural elements in the garden. The secret: Embrace decay