The High Line’s gardens are deceptively carefree looking. They so beautifully encapsulate the genius of garden designer Piet Oudolf, whose signature designs nod to landscapes found in nature. But nothing on the High Line is “set it and forget it.” Gardens are dynamic spaces, and even more challenging when you add to it the fact we’re gardening in 18 inches of soil and with stressors like wind exposure and temperature extremes not found at street level.

It takes a skilled group of dedicated horticulturists to steward Piet Oudolf’s vision and the evolution of the High Line’s gardens, and I’m so proud to lead this team. Many of us have come to professional horticulture via a love of getting our hands dirty, being in tune with ecology, and making a positive impact—some of the same reasons people start gardening at home. And while we may be working at different scales, there are many practical lessons home gardeners can learn from what we’ve learned over the last 15 years as the High Line’s gardens have matured.

I was so thrilled to recently connect with New York Times gardening columnist Margaret Roach to peel back the curtain on techniques my horticulture team uses in the park, some of which make gardens friendlier for the smallest visitors, like birds, beneficial insects, and pollinators. I hope you’ll be inspired.

And if you’re interested in learning more about Piet Oudolf’s approach to naturalistic garden design, you’ll find interpretive signs throughout the park highlighting iconic High Line plants and providing insights into the ways our team is stewarding them into the future for our horticulture celebration this year, Wild by Design Since 2009.