The Oudolf Landscape

Client: Royal Horticulture Society

Landscape Designer: Piet Oudolf

Cost: Undisclosed

Duration: 7 months

Completion: May 2024

Location: RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley

In 2001, Piet Oudolf, the iconic landscape designer, who pioneered the new perennial movement, created the original renowned Glasshouse Borders at RHS Garden Wisley.

Twenty-two years later, the client brief called for transforming these borders into a remarkable new landscape that immerses visitors in Oudolf’s signature planting style.   The new garden needed to be self-sustaining and environmentally friendly, working harmoniously with natural ecosystems and reflecting the changing climate.

Background:

RHS Garden Wisley, a designated Grade II Historic Park and Gardens, is the flagship of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Covering 240 acres, it is one of the UK's most visited and best-loved gardens, drawing about one million visitors each year.

To keep them modern and revitalised, the RHS continually undertakes rejuvenation projects across its gardens and the new Oudolf Landscape is a prime example of this. 

The Glasshouse Borders have provided an avenue linking the Bicentenary Glasshouse to the Viewing Mount for many years and the Oudolf Landscape is a key initiative that has invigorated the borders and created a more flowing network of paths and planting that offers significant interest in its own right.

Project Details:

Blakedown brought their expertise to bear at every stage of this project, working  collaboratively with the RHS Garden Wisley team, the designer, and all stakeholders to ensure that expectations were not only met but exceeded.

The finished Oudolf Landscape has surpassed the client brief through the careful selection of skilled labor, strict adherence to the client team’s instructions, and the use of high-quality materials.

Blakedown adopted industry best practice to make necessary detailed adjustments and worked closely with the site’s natural contours. This careful attention to detail and adaptability ensured the final result was both visually stunning and seamlessly integrated.

The works were delivered based on a 2D indicative layout, which was subsequently marked up and approved on site through on-going verbal instructions from Piet Oudolf and the RHS Garden Wisley Team.  This collaborative and evolving approach allowed for the incorporation of design changes at different stages of the programme, requiring a flexible and responsive project delivery.

Our core works included:

• Installation of Gold CEDEC self-binding  gravel footpaths, serving as the foundational structure for the planting design.  Spanning an area of 1,556 square metres, these footpaths were carefully constructed to an evolving specification.  The process demanded precision in setting out, creating varied levels and sculpting the land to actualise Piet Oudolf’s vision.  Every detail was considered to ensure the paths flowed seamlessly, with gentle undulations that add depth and movement to the landscape.

• Installation of 1,200 metres of Corten steel edging and 300 metres of timber edging.  This task necessitated detailed planning, mapping and setting out to shape curves and meanders  in accordance with Piet Oudolf’s exact specifications, resulting in a continuous flow of radii throughout the site.

• Grading and preparation of  3,000 square metres of newly constructed planting beds, which involved stockpiling and re-working of the topsoil, complemented by the addition and working-in of RHS Garden Wisley’s proprietary compost.

• In collaboration with the RHS Garden Wisley Team, Blakedown assisted in the planting of over 162 perennial varieties, amounting to a total of 36,000 plants.

• Installation of block paving, strategically placed as path thresholds and bench standings. 

• Installation of 171 metres of tar and chip works in the apron area, located at the garden’s northern end.

• Installation of 1,365 square metres of eco-weed biodegradable matting, covering approximately one third of the planting beds. 

• Drainage and Irrigation – we implemented an Aco drainage system along the paths and apron area, which was strategically connected to soakaways within the planting beds, ensuring efficient water management

Challenges:

Challenges to the project included:

• Evolving Design Process - Blakedown worked with a continuously evolving design process. As the design team observed the project coming to life, adjustments were made to routes, bench positions, and mounding. Visits from the designer, Piet Oudolf, led to further modifications. Despite these dynamic changes, the Blakedown team seamlessly integrated them into the overall scheme while adhering to the original timeline.

• Absence of Levels Plan - the absence of a detailed levels plan meant that Blakedown had to design the levels in real-time, guided by the natural contours of the site. Collaborating closely with the design team, we shaped the landform, creating strategic mounding to enhance the garden's visual interest. This required not only expertise and understanding of landscape practice and design but also the ability to adapt quickly and make on-the-spot decisions to ensure the final result aligned with the overall aesthetic and functional goals of the project.

• Adverse Weather Conditions - the project faced significant challenges due to appalling weather conditions during the winter months. To maintain progress, methodologies were adapted by implementing more manual work operations.

All images: copyright RHS