Designing With Plants by Piet Oudolf, with Noel Kingsbury

This is a really inspiring book for anyone who wants year round interest in their garden - by this, I don't just mean flowers, berries and foliage in spring, summer, autumn and winter, but also how beautiful plants can look in dormancy and even death. Many of us remove fading flowers but letting some plants go to seed can look stunning in autumn and winter, both because they add height and structure, rather than just bare earth, and also can look striking with a covering of frost. Add to this the beautiful light effects caused by the low angle of the sun at these times of year and the completely different colour effects shown by the browns and golds of dying/dead flowers, seedheads, stems etc mixed with greens of evergreen plants - you can enjoy an exciting and refreshingly different autumn and winter garden. The author shows named examples of plants, mainly perennials, with beautiful photos, which show different plant shapes and forms such as spires, umbels, plumes, screens, shape, texture, buttons, globes as well as hot and cold colour effects. Also how to combine these shapes,effects and colours when designing the garden. Radical, breathtaking, exciting.

Re: Designing With Plants by Piet Oudolf, with Noel Kingsbury

Reply from Kathy C

Hi, Sangeeta,
I love, love, love Piet Oudolf's work! Have you had a chance to see his borders leading to the new glasshouse at Wisley? Gorgeous!
Kathy C

Re: Re: Designing With Plants by Piet Oudolf, with Noel Kingsbury

Reply from

Hi Kathy
I didn't know that he had borders at Wisley, but thank you very much for mentioning them - I will definitely be going to see them now I know about them. I can imagine that they look great at any time of year. When did you see them?
Sangeeta