The Gardens of Piet Oudolf – Award-Winning Director Thomas Piper on The Sounds of Film

This week on The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with award-winning filmmaker Thomas Piper about his acclaimed documentary Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf.

The film immerses viewers in the work of Piet Oudolf, the world’s most celebrated garden designer, whose visionary projects include New York’s High Line and Chicago’s Millennium Park. Through stunning cinematography and rare access to Oudolf’s process, Piper captures the designer’s philosophy of beauty, ecology, and the poetry of plants.

The conversation highlights the artistry behind Five Seasons, which follows Oudolf across four seasons in his own gardens at Hummelo, on visits to far-flung landscapes that inspire his work, and during the creation of what he considers his greatest achievement—the garden at Hauser & Wirth Somerset in England. Piper shares insights into documenting a living, ever-changing art form, while reflecting on the challenges and rewards of filming someone whose genius lies in shaping the natural world.

Listeners will also learn about an exciting upcoming event: On September 4th at 7:00 pm, the Port Jefferson Arts Council and the Long Island Museum present a free screening of Five Seasons, followed by a panel discussion with Andrew Thomas, Kayal Serina, and Kayla Cheshire.

For more information about The Sounds of Film, visit soundsoffilm.com.