Landscape Architect Wolfgang Oehme
Born in Chemnitz, Germany in 1930, landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme came to America on January 20, 1957, a memory kept alive by the original stamp in his passport. From the start of his independent landscape architecture career in the U.S. he was very successful, having been published in many local publications as he developed his signature natural style.
Later, as founding principal of Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc. (OVS) along with business partner James van Sweden, Oehme revolutionized landscape design and in the process has been credited by many experts for creating a new landscape style called the New American Garden.Based in Washington, DC and Baltimore, OVS designed many private and public gardens, including major federal government projects throughout much of the U.S. and Europe, starting in the mid 1970s. After 40 years in the industry, OVS was sold, though Oehme continues to consult on projects. Oehme’s signature style encompasses the simple beauty and grandeur of the American prairie defined by large sweeps of herbaceous perennials and grasses. Over the years, he has participated in changing the way we view the American landscape, noting that gardens should evolve and change throughout the seasons without much maintenance.
How did you get started as a landscape architect?
We had allotment gardens in Germany and as a young boy I used to work with my uncle who had built a fishpond in the allotment next to his apartment. I was always planting and playing in the sandboxes. I used to take the fish and the turtles home with me during the cold winters. I’ve always loved animals and nature.
What do you love most about your job?
I love watching plants grow and what it does to the space. When you first plant a garden or a landscape, it doesn’t look like much, but when it grows it transforms the space.
If you could change one thing about your industry what would it be?
I would like people to appreciate nature and the environment. Right now there is a lot of abuse of the environment in many areas, which stems from a lack of regulation and enforcement. In Europe there are better regulations and proper zoning laws and it shows in the beautiful public spaces and parks, and lack of suburban sprawl. Many people today don’t even know what a garden is, they don’t know what to do. The perfect garden should change with the seasons; you shouldn’t just have evergreens. Nothing should come out of the garden; if the leaves fall from the trees, use them to mulch the shrubs. Also, many people fertilize too much and it ultimately hurts the environment it is trying to nurture.
What accomplishment of yours makes you the most proud?
Industry experts saying that I created a New American Garden is very flattering. They also call me the “Grass Pope” because I introduced many grasses and also perennials that were not available in this country in the 1950s.
Who in your life was most instrumental in helping you get started with your career?
Clients that trusted me like the State Department. They said, “That’s what I want done,” and they didn’t ask questions, they just let us create a beautiful landscape. Some other people that influenced me are Hubert Owens from the University of Georgia and Hans Joachim Bauer, my apprentice teacher in Germany who really helped me learn early in my career.
What was the biggest challenge you had to face to get to where you are today?
How have you manage to overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges was trying to teach people how to take care of or even accept my idea of what a garden should be. I had to educate people about gardens, and still do today. I always go back to my gardens, and I even weed gardens that aren’t my own. I have visited one of my first gardens in Murray Hill nearly once a month for the last 40 years. The original homeowner still lives there at the age of 92. Her garden seems to inspire her very much.
What did you want to be when you were five?
I wanted to be Tarzan. I liked to go to nature and wildlife movies, and I was interested in animals and nature. I wanted to go to Africa and have a farm and grow things.
If you could do anything other than what you are doing, what would it be?
I would have liked to do more research to find and develop new plants. Europe has always been one of my favorite places to be inspired by new plants.
What advice can you offer someone who is considering a landscape architecture business?
You have to know your landscape material and your plants. You can’t just go by the photographs in a book. You are dealing with living things with so many variables. To learn how to make a sustainable garden with interest, you have to live with it and grow it on your own. There are always new ideas to be developed. Try to think out of the box.
Wolfgang Oehme continues to welcome interested clients. You can contact him at woco@live.de. His new book “Ornamental Grasses: Wolfgang Oehme and The New American Garden” was published in March 2009 by Frances Lincoln Publishers (franceslincoln.com)
