THE ART OF OBSERVATION

Whenever Piet Oudolf speaks, we pay attention. For decades, Piet has shaped the way we think about planting. His work, from the High Line in New York to public landscapes and private gardens across Europe, has influenced generations of landscape architects, designers and gardeners. So when De Bloeimeesters released this new documentary, we were eager to spend time with it.

The film opens on a cold winter morning in Piet's garden. Mist hangs low across the planting. Seed heads catch the light. Piet and landscape architect Arjan Boekel wander slowly through the garden, stopping often to look, reflect and notice. It feels less like an interview than an invitation to observe alongside them.Their conversation is centred on a return to Piet’s home garden, ‘Hummelo’. They notice where flooding has changed the planting. They talk about species that have disappeared, others that have quietly taken their place, and how the garden continues to evolve more than a decade after it was first established.Piet describes his role now as guiding the garden rather than trying to control it. He still edits, still removes plants, still makes decisions, but his practice has shifted towards observation. The garden reveals itself over time, and his role is to pay attention.

At Super Bloom, we often speak about planting as something that continues long after installation. The planting plan is only the beginning. Every season brings new information. Plants establish, compete, self-seed, retreat and surprise us. Returning to a landscape becomes just as important as designing it in the first place, because every return offers another opportunity to learn.

Arjan brings another perspective to the conversation through his work in the public realm. Together they reflect on how these ideas sit alongside the practical realities of contemporary landscape projects, where maintenance, procurement and policy all influence what is possible. It is an honest discussion about the difference between designing a planting and caring for one over time.

Perhaps practice is found in the act of returning. Returning to the same place, season after season, with enough curiosity to notice what has changed, enough humility to learn from it, and enough care to respond.

We hope you'll enjoy this beautiful film as much as we did.

Credits for film

De Bloeimeesters, Generatie Alles, Arjan Boekel, Piet Oudolf