Apparently, you can make gardens and history at the same time…
On Monday November 11, Queen Máxima of Holland awarded the 2013 Prince Bernhard Culture Prize to renowned planting designer Piet Oudolf. This lifetime achievement award is given annually to a person or institution who have contributed something exceptional to the cultural fabric of the country.
The prize also includes the extraordinary sum of 150,000 euros, which is a personal gift from the monarch. Piet plans to divert half of the prize money to create a fund in support of small-scale inner city garden projects in the Netherlands.
When I visited Hummelo in July, Piet mentioned the award and was clearly pleased about this lifetime recognition for his work. It is normally bestowed to cultural luminaries like composers and architects – this is the first time that a garden designer has ever been so honoured.
It’s never easy to be a prophet in your own country but clearly, Piet is proving to be an exception to the rule.