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The Green Heart is the most pronounced of Dutch planning concepts. It rests on an organic metaphor that for over 40 years now has been at the heart of Dutch national planning. Although the object of much debate, the national government has decided recently to stick to a restrictive policy for the Green Heart, for the next decade anyhow. The authors shed light on the apparent continuity of policy by invoking the concept of planning doctrine. Planning doctrine is a framing device for planners. It combines substantive as well as procedural aspects. In developing the notion of planning doctrine, the article draws on the work of Kuhn, Lakatos and Laudan.