I've been meaning to report on the high point of our Swedish trip: visiting Piet Oudolf's Dream Park in Enkoping! The garden was even better than I imagined...and I loved it for years on the basis of the book illustrations I've seen.
The concept are these large, scattered, tri-part Beech hedges with organic paths throughout. Note the yellow plant: it is Ligularia. In the States, it requires so much water that it is sold as a shade plant. In this garden, it is out in full sun, so that tells us about differing conditions....my experience with Swedish soil is that it also tends to be more acidic. This is near Stockholm which is Zone 6; Chicago is Zone 5.
One of the many things I found Piet did masterfully, is setting these white blooms out so they diffuse the light. Even though these photos were taken mid-day (you can tell by how washed out they are), you can see how the lower angle of the light makes plants sparkle. Here, in particular, note the Astilbe (lower right) and the gigantic Persicaria polymorpha (taller, shrub-like perennial mid-left to right of beech hedge with bench).
This bottom image captures the one plant that Piet seems to have scattered around the garden (not massed), it is a form of Sea Holly (Eryngium). The effect manifests in its jewel-like quality being repeated and knitting together the garden. Oh la la!
2 comments:
Thanks for pointing out about the ligularia. Sometimes you can see something but miss the critical point — esp. when you are being overwhelmed with the overall concept. Those hedges make the garden: the dark color, the shape, the scale. Wonderful to now and then actually see a garden you've dreamed about and not be disappointed!
You are so right Ms. Wisconsin! The hedges really do make it! Piet's own garden has hedges, yews I recall, and in Sweden at Enkoping, you could experience his masterful execution of the concept.
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