POP-UP WEBINAR: Piet Oudolf At Work

Thu, Apr 13, 2023
2:00 PM

The Garden Conservancy will celebrate Piet Oudolf At Work with a virtual conversation between Laura Ekasetya of Piet Oudolf Collection and Meredith Simpson of Oudolf Garden in Detroit, moderated by contributing writer and gardener Jonny Bruce. Tune in to hear these long-time collaborators of Piet Oudolf’s discuss his methods, inspiration, and collaborative projects featured in the designer’s latest monograph. 

Piet Oudolf At Work, published by Phaidon, is a major monograph on the Dutch garden designer, featuring his gardens and the largest collection of his drawings ever published.
Step into a Piet Oudolf garden and you are transported into a dreamlike meadowscape, filled with perennials, seasonal color, and texture. Made in close collaboration with Oudolf, this book showcases gardens throughout his career and across the globe – from New York’s acclaimed High Line to the newly planted Vitra Campus in Germany. The book offers fresh insight into the work and creative practice of Oudolf, both from a horticultural and artistic perspective, showcasing high-profile and lesser-known gardens, including Chicago's Lurie Garden, Hauser & Wirth Somerset and Menorca, Venice Biennale, Singer Museum, Belle Isle in Detroit, Noma, and others.
It offers unprecedented insight into his design process, working methods, and inspirations, and features original sketches and drawings – many of which are published here for the first time. This major new monograph is significant not only for its breadth and the largest collection of Oudolf's drawings ever published but also for its inclusion of brand-new work, together with newly commissioned essays that place his work in context and offer a fresh perspective on his career and significance. The book also includes gatefolds and tip-ins to explain key designs.

DATE AND TIME
Thursday, April 13, 2023
2:00 p.m. Eastern

LOCATION
Live on Zoom

REGISTRATION
Registration for this event has ended.

A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. 

Members of the Frank & Anne Cabot Society for planned giving have complimentary access to Garden Conservancy webinars. All Cabot Society members will automatically be sent the link to participate on the morning of the webinar. For more information about the Cabot Society, please contact Sarah Parker at sparker@gardenconservancy.org or 845.424.6500, ext. 214.

About the Speakers

Laura Ekasetya worked at Lurie Garden for ten years, first as Horticulturist, then as Director and Head Horticulturist. Her responsibilities included guiding Lurie Garden as it matures – maintaining the vision of its designers while leading it into a new climate era by challenging the organization to maximize its usefulness to its wildlife and human community. She previously worked at Chicago Botanic Garden, tending to perennial plants growing in the research evaluation and plant-breeding areas. Currently, Laura works with Future Plants and Piet Oudolf Collection. She enjoys traveling to work on naturalistic garden projects across the globe.

Meredith Simpson is a marketing professional and business owner, and a longtime perennial gardener with a particular interest in modern planting design and environmental stewardship. She is a leading member of the Oudolf Garden Detroit ‘grounds crew’ – the team responsible for working with Piet Oudolf to fund, plan, design, build, and now care for this wonderful public asset on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. Meredith currently handles all plant sourcing and manages the garden’s operations and volunteer maintenance efforts.

Jonny Bruce graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Art History, after which he spent a number of years working at historic properties, including Great Dixter in East Sussex. He subsequently moved to the Netherlands to work at the specialist organic nursery De Hessenhof. There he met Anja and Piet and visited Hummelo on numerous occasions. He currently works as a gardener, writer, and design consultant, based in the UK. He is the primary gardener at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, former home of Derek Jarman.