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Dame Mary Berry formally opens the new Oudolf Landscape at RHS Garden Wisley

One of the UK’s best-loved cooks, keen gardener and RHS Ambassador, Dame Mary Berry celebrated the formal opening (26 September 2024) of the new Oudolf Landscape at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey, as the immense borders come to their peak in their first growing season.

Mary Berry placed the final flourishes of ‘self-raising flower’ on top of a 1.5m floral cake, with over 1,000 blooms including seasonal stems of British hydrangea, dahlias, seedum and zinnias. The celebratory floral ‘cake’ has been designed and created by one the country’s best known and admired florists - Simon Lycett, which as well as including colourful seasonal foliage and flowers, all of which have been sustainably arranged, has a selection of plants that celebrate the borders and Piet Oudolf’s known love of plants such as achillea and echinacea. 

About the Oudolf Landscape:  Situated between the Viewing Mount and RHS Garden Wisley’s The Glasshouse, the Piet Landscape has had a radical re-design to become the wonderful Oudolf Landscape. Dutch garden designer and plantsman Piet Oudolf created the original borders more than 20 years ago and re-design work and large scale planting recently finished in the spring is now in its first season of flowering. The newly planted landscape will allow visitors to be enveloped in Piet’s signature ‘New Perennial’ style.

Replacing his original design is now a sinuous path that weaves through the landscape, taking visitors on an immersive journey to experience Piet’s famous planting style, featuring grids of naturalistic planting combinations designed to excite and inspire.

With a sweeping mix of perennials, grasses and woody plants the new Oudolf Landscape has an amazing 36,000 perennials, encompasses 3000m² of planted beds with 162 different types of perennials, including echinacea purpurea, salvia nemorasa, stipa barbata and gigantea, centaurea montana and shrubs syringa pekinensis (Peking lilac) and aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush buckeye). 

Piet explained he wanted to give those who come to see the Oudolf Landscape plenty to learn from, and provide ideas to take back to their own gardens. The new island beds and wonderfully weaving footpath encourages people to take their time, sit for a while and feel a part of the Oudolf Landscape. It connects RHS Garden Wisley’s Rock Garden and Arboretum more closely to the Glasshouse, linking up more areas of the garden.

Commenting on the Oudolf Landscape Peter Jones, Garden Manager at RHS Garden Wisley, said: “Even in its first flowering season the Oudolf Landscape borders look stunning. It’s changing colours and textures have created a wonderful display, and the planting also has many useful benefits for wildlife all year round. With so many beautiful plants it’s impossible not to feel inspired and want to recreate a little piece of this border at home.”

To visit or for more information: www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

ENDS

Notes to editors

For further information please contact the Royal Horticultural Society Press Office via  [email protected] or 0207 8213080


About the RHS 

Since our formation in 1804, the RHS has grown into the UK’s leading gardening charity, touching the lives of millions of people. Perhaps the secret to our longevity is that we’ve never stood still. In the last decade alone we’ve taken on the largest hands-on project the RHS has ever tackled by opening the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, Greater Manchester, and invested in the science that underpins all our work by building RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science. 

We have committed to being net positive for nature and people by 2030. We are also committed to being truly inclusive and to reflect all the communities of the UK.  

 Across our five RHS gardens we welcome more than three million visitors each year to enjoy over 34,000 different cultivated plants. Events such as the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, other national shows, our schools and community work, and partnerships such as Britain in Bloom, all spread the shared joy of gardening to wide-reaching audiences. 

Throughout it all we’ve held true to our charitable core – to encourage and improve the science, art and practice of horticulture –to share the love of gardening and the positive benefits it brings.  

For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk.

RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.