During our recent trip to Copenhagen, one place kept drawing me back: the gardens surrounding the Copenhagen Opera House.
Designed by renowned Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf, the gardens feel remarkably natural—as though they’ve always belonged there. Native grasses sway in the breeze, perennials bloom in loose drifts, and every season seems to have been considered. Nothing feels overly manicured, yet everything feels intentional.
As I walked through them, I realized I’d experienced Oudolf’s work long before visiting Denmark. His landscapes are woven into places I once called home—from Chicago’s Lurie Garden in Millennium Park to New York City’s High Line. Like many people, I admired them for years without realizing they shared the same designer.
That discovery made me think differently about our own landscapes here in Seattle.
The Pacific Northwest has always embraced a close relationship with nature. One of the defining principles of Northwest Modern architecture is the seamless connection between indoors and out. Large windows, natural materials, and carefully framed views blur the line between the home and the landscape beyond.
Oudolf’s philosophy feels like a natural extension of that idea.
Rather than treating the garden as decoration, he designs landscapes that evolve with the seasons. Texture becomes just as important as flowers. Seed heads remain through winter. Native grasses catch the light. Plants are selected not simply because they’re beautiful in May, but because they contribute something throughout the year.
It’s an approach that feels especially relevant in Seattle.
Many of our native and climate-adapted plants already share these qualities. Ornamental grasses, flowering perennials, ferns, vine maples, and evergreen structure can create gardens that feel both contemporary and deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest. The result isn’t a garden that demands constant maintenance, but one that becomes richer as it matures.
I came home from Copenhagen with a copy of Piet Oudolf at Work, and it’s already changing the way I think about outdoor spaces. Whether you have a compact city garden or a larger Northwest landscape, his work offers a reminder that the best gardens aren’t always the most formal—they’re the ones that invite us to slow down, notice the seasons, and feel more connected to where we live.
For me, that’s another lesson Copenhagen had to offer.
And perhaps another reminder that thoughtful design isn’t limited to our homes—it continues just beyond the front door.
Have a favorite Seattle garden inspired by naturalistic planting? I’d love to hear about it.
