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An evening with Piet Oudolf
Get an insider’s look at the gardens during this conversation with the visionary behind the park’s four-season garden design, Piet Oudolf; author and photographer, Ngoc Minh Ngo; and High Line Senior Director of Horticulture, Richard Hayden.
The legacy & future of the High Line’s gardens
Garden designer Piet Oudolf and Senior Director of Horticulture Richard Hayden discuss the park’s sustained influence on public gardens and how a delicate, daily dance between a complex horticultural operation and the formidable whims of nature produces the High Line’s unique beauty.
Nearly 20 years ago, as Friends of the High Line looked to transform the High Line into public open space, we strove to preserve the magic of the untamed landscape that had grown over the tracks and between the rail ties since the trains stopped running. During the design competition in 2004, one proposal stood out in its approach: project lead Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro partnered with iconic garden designer Piet Oudolf to take inspiration from the High Line’s original self-seeded landscape to create a stunning, multi-layered garden experience evocative of nature.
There are many Piet Oudolf naturalistic—or nature-inspired—garden designs around the world, but the High Line is widely recognized as the most emblematic of his unique artistry. As a leading pioneer in the New Perennial movement, Oudolf has spent decades creating garden compositions that focus on what were revolutionary ideas in the beginning: the use of perennials instead of annuals, an appreciation of plants’ movement and structural beauty across all four seasons, and combinations of plants that take inspiration from naturally occurring plant communities.
As Oudolf himself says, “A garden is never done.” In the 15 years since the park opened, the gardens have grown and evolved under the skilled guidance of the park’s horticulturists. Oudolf’s original vision has been shepherded and expanded upon with intention—we’ve incorporated more native plants, we’ve explored how to better support pollinators and birds, and we’ve made vital use of the complex gardens and skills of the horticulturists as learning tools to prepare the next generation of horticulture professionals. Every day, we’re not only aiming to keep the High Line true to Oudolf’s artistry, we’re striving to create a sustainable green space with broad positive impacts for New York City.
Visit the High Line and follow horticulture signs throughout the park to learn more about Piet Oudolf’s original designs, favorite plants, and more.
Piet Oudolf 101
Piet Oudolf as an artist
To Piet Oudolf, the garden is approached as a dynamic place where plants and spaces change over the course of the year and over time. With a painter’s eye, he combines textures, colors, and structure through his plant selections, creating a landscape that changes over time.
Piet Oudolf as an artist
To Piet Oudolf, the garden is approached as a dynamic place where plants and spaces change over the course of the year and over time. With a painter’s eye, he combines textures, colors, and structure through his plant selections, creating a landscape that changes over time.
Inspired by nature
If there were ever a face for naturalistic garden design—a style of garden design that creates an artistic representation of wild landscapes—it would be Piet Oudolf. The plantsman is known for creating gardens that combine grasses and perennials, many native to North America, that are emotionally evocative of prairie and woodland landscapes.
Inspired by nature
If there were ever a face for naturalistic garden design—a style of garden design that creates an artistic representation of wild landscapes—it would be Piet Oudolf. The plantsman is known for creating gardens that combine grasses and perennials, many native to North America, that are emotionally evocative of prairie and woodland landscapes.
Four-season interest
A cornerstone of Piet Oudolf’s approach—and naturalistic garden design more generally—is a focus on and appreciation of plants across all four seasons. This means Oudolf’s gardens are dynamic spaces where plants have more than one peak moment, providing color and texture all year long.
Four-season interest
A cornerstone of Piet Oudolf’s approach—and naturalistic garden design more generally—is a focus on and appreciation of plants across all four seasons. This means Oudolf’s gardens are dynamic spaces where plants have more than one peak moment, providing color and texture all year long.
Perennials & grasses
Piet Oudolf is one of the founding members of the New Perennial Movement that took off in the 1970s, challenging traditional notions of garden design by employing shrubs, grasses, and flowering perennials evocative of native grassland ecologies.
Perennials & grasses
Piet Oudolf is one of the founding members of the New Perennial Movement that took off in the 1970s, challenging traditional notions of garden design by employing shrubs, grasses, and flowering perennials evocative of native grassland ecologies.
Prioritizing plant form & structure
Rather than selecting plants for their short-lived blooms in peak season, the full annual lifecycle of the plant is considered—including the beauty of their skeletal forms in winter.
Prioritizing plant form & structure
Rather than selecting plants for their short-lived blooms in peak season, the full annual lifecycle of the plant is considered—including the beauty of their skeletal forms in winter.
Building on Piet Oudolf’s work
Stewarding Piet Oudolf’s vision
The High Line’s gardens may be designed to look wild, but the landscape takes an incredible amount of work. From careful editing and pruning to swapping plants and encouraging pollinators, our horticulturists are honoring Piet Oudolf’s vision while actively working to create beautiful, dynamic, and sustainable gardens all year long.
Stewarding Piet Oudolf’s vision
The High Line’s gardens may be designed to look wild, but the landscape takes an incredible amount of work. From careful editing and pruning to swapping plants and encouraging pollinators, our horticulturists are honoring Piet Oudolf’s vision while actively working to create beautiful, dynamic, and sustainable gardens all year long.
Ecological gardening
Led by our Senior Director of Horticulture Richard Hayden, our horticulture team prioritizes sustainable gardening techniques. Building on the already earth-friendly planting palette that Piet Oudolf introduced, we fine-tune practices that protect pollinators and beneficial insects, nurture the soil, and prevent waste—practices like creating and preserving insect habitat and composting plant debris.
Ecological gardening
Led by our Senior Director of Horticulture Richard Hayden, our horticulture team prioritizes sustainable gardening techniques. Building on the already earth-friendly planting palette that Piet Oudolf introduced, we fine-tune practices that protect pollinators and beneficial insects, nurture the soil, and prevent waste—practices like creating and preserving insect habitat and composting plant debris.
Native plants at the forefront
When selecting new plants to add to the gardens, our horticulturists look to plants that have proven wildlife benefits to solve two problems at once—filling a garden design niche, and positively contributing to the existing ecosystem. That means we’re often turning to native plants, which have evolved over thousands of years side by side with local insects, birds, and animals.
Native plants at the forefront
When selecting new plants to add to the gardens, our horticulturists look to plants that have proven wildlife benefits to solve two problems at once—filling a garden design niche, and positively contributing to the existing ecosystem. That means we’re often turning to native plants, which have evolved over thousands of years side by side with local insects, birds, and animals.
Responding to a changing climate & a changing urban environment
Hotter, drier summers, larger rain events, and other climate-related changes, coupled with the changing landscape of New York City—which has included more buildings in close proximity to the High Line—create many challenges for the gardens. Our horticulturists think of the long-term success of the garden, which means swapping in drought- and shade-tolerant plants, prioritizing a responsive irrigation system, and adapting our gardening techniques.
Responding to a changing climate & a changing urban environment
Hotter, drier summers, larger rain events, and other climate-related changes, coupled with the changing landscape of New York City—which has included more buildings in close proximity to the High Line—create many challenges for the gardens. Our horticulturists think of the long-term success of the garden, which means swapping in drought- and shade-tolerant plants, prioritizing a responsive irrigation system, and adapting our gardening techniques.
Training the next generation
The collective knowledge of our experienced horticulturists and the complexity of the gardens make the High Line the ideal place for learning. From seasonal gardeners who are getting their start in the field to residents from our Teen Employment Program, we prioritize training the next generation of professional horticulturists.
Training the next generation
The collective knowledge of our experienced horticulturists and the complexity of the gardens make the High Line the ideal place for learning. From seasonal gardeners who are getting their start in the field to residents from our Teen Employment Program, we prioritize training the next generation of professional horticulturists.
'' I’m not a painter, but I can see things in my mind that I can translate into the ground. I can see things that will happen over time.'
Stand with the park you love
Be part of the deep care and effort that goes into keeping the High Line wild—and free for everyone.
Become a memberIllustrations by Naomi Otsu.
Support
Lead support for Horticulture on the High Line is provided by Amanda M. Burden.
Program support for Horticulture on the High Line is provided by Con Edison and the Greenacre Foundation, with additional support from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust and and Cynthia Giles New.
The Wild by Design Horticulture Celebration is supported as part of the DutchCultureUSA FUTURE 400 program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.
FUTURE 400, a 2024/2025 initiative of the Netherlands Consulate General in New York, endeavors to honor 400 years of Dutch-New York history with honesty and integrity, creating space for others who share this common heritage to voice their feelings and experiences at this monumental moment. Partners from cultural to commercial fields, from the New York area to the Netherlands will come together to create new work and new opportunities that will continue to write the next chapter of our shared story, our collective…FUTURE 400. Learn more at www.dutchcultureusa.com.