Singer Laren, a museum and cultural center in the Netherlands, reopened its grounds in 2018 after a major redevelopment. Piet Oudolf received the commission to redesign the landscape around an existing collection of contemporary sculpture. His approach placed the artworks at the center of the plan rather than treating them as later additions. The result is a series of layered perennial beds that shift with the seasons while providing a changing context for the pieces on display.
Design Began with the Sculptures
Oudolf started by studying the placement and scale of each sculpture. He then selected plants to complement those fixed points rather than the other way around. Height, texture, and movement guided the choices so that grasses and upright perennials could move in the wind around the artworks. Repetition of more than seventy perennial species creates visual rhythm across the beds without overwhelming the individual pieces.
Plant Choices Support Seasonal Change
Globe thistle and lamb’s ear appear among the plantings, along with asters and various ornamental grasses. These selections provide structure in spring and summer, then color and seed heads into autumn. The designer’s signature style of massed perennials punctuated by taller elements allows the garden to evolve month by month while the sculptures remain constant anchors.
Placement Creates Different Interactions
Some works sit on elevated bases so that foliage rises around their lower sections. Others rest directly among the plants, where flowers and leaves partially obscure or frame the forms. One example shows figures emerging from a dense stand of asters, while another stands clear above surrounding grasses. The contrast demonstrates how the same planting approach can produce very different visual relationships depending on the height and position of each sculpture.
Indoor and Outdoor Views Connect
Large windows in the museum building allow visitors to see the garden and sculpture as a single composition from inside. The boundary between architecture and landscape softens, so the experience of the art extends beyond the outdoor paths. This integration reflects the long history of garden design at the site, which previously included work by L.A. Springer, Mien Ruys, and later designers. The garden continues to mature, with plants filling in around the sculptures each year. Oudolf’s layout ensures that the living elements remain the active partner in the display rather than a static setting.
AI Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by a human editor.