Piet Oudolf's garden at the art and design museum Vandalorum in Värnamo in Sweden is his first at a cultural institution in Scandinavia. In 2022, Oudolf presented a remarkable master plan for the entire Vandalorum site (8.4 ha). In 2023, work began, and the first phase—transforming the museum’s entrance area—was transformed by the planting of 26,000 perennials, 47,000 bulbs, and 7,000 shrubs, trees, and hedge plants, all according to Oudolf´s vision. Two years later, in 2025, the second phase of the masterplan was completed, namely the courtyard, which forms the heart of Vandalorum. The courtyard has been transformed into a bowl-shaped plant environment designed for visitors to experience and enjoy. It features a meadow with 8,000 perennials, artworks, rest areas, walkways, spaces for educational activities, and an outdoor seating area for the museum’s restaurant guests. Oudolf has created gardens worldwide, including the plantings at The High line in New York, Vitra in Weil am Rhein, and Noma in Copenhagen. He is a pioneer in the movement that since the 1980s has advocated for alternatives to decorative and strictly controlled gardens. The inspiration is instead drawn from nature, with a focus on perennials, grasses, and shrubs of which many traditionally have not been considered garden plants. Oudolf's strong visual expression is rootedin his deep knowledge of plants, and is characterized by unique combinations, flowing forms, and shifting sightlines.

“A garden is not a painting that you look at, but a dynamic process that changes all the time.” — Piet Oudolf

Piet Oudolf's garden at Vandalorum is made possible by: Christina Hamrin, Bengt & Gunnel Liljedahl, Mats Skogsfors, Bengt Svenstig, The Royal Academy of Fine Arts/Hjalmar Wicander's Fund, Bertil & Britt Svenssons Foundation for Lightning

Thanks to: Piet Oudolf, Jelle Bennema, Linus Enochson, Oudolf's Volunteers
Hasselfors Garden, Sweden Green House, Estrid Ericsons Foundation, Stångby plant nursery, Mater