Creating usable space with sloped properties can be challenging but not impossible. This extra layer of complexity can add more interest and make the spaces more dynamic while maximizing accessibility throughout the property. Working with the existing slopes of a property instead of against them will help you find better solutions that keep the entire…
Tag: Garden Design
Building, Planting, & Maintaining a Rain Garden
We’ve past the first day of fall and the rainy weather has returned. If your yard is plagued with drainage problems this time of year, a rain garden may be the perfect solution to your drainage woes. By routing your drain systems and downspouts to a rain garden, you can move excess water on your…
Container Garden Maintenance
Pots and container gardens provide additional gardening space for both ornamental and edible plants. Making sure your pots are well watered and cared for will keep your plants looking their best throughout each season. As the weather heats up it’s especially important to make sure your containers get plenty of water each day. Summer Fall…
Project Spotlight: Backyard Retreat
This small Bothell backyard features a paver patio and seat wall with plenty of room for a fire pit and extra seating. The cedar arbor, perfect for a bench swing, also provides a little privacy from the neighbors. The composite deck landing abuts steel planters for vegetable gardening which also serves as a backstop for…
What Can You Plant Over Your Drainfield? Landscaping Over Septic Drainfields: Do’s & Don’ts
Septic drainfields can be tricky places to landscape over and around. There are a few things that you should be sure not to do over your drain field and you’ll likely have heard that you should steer away from anything except lawn over your drainfield. While this is true, there are plants that can actually…
Pollinator Friendly PNW Native Plants
Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all depend on various native plants for food and shelter. Planting native plants throughout your garden will not only attract pollinators but will also cut down on maintenance as these plants are well adapted to our climate so they can handle the changes in seasons, animals, and soil…
The Landscape Design Process
Each designer has their own process and when choosing a landscape designer, it’s an important topic to ask about. This will help you find the best fit for your project, and you’ll know exactly what you’re going to get throughout the process. Initial Consultation After having a phone consultation to learn about our design process…
Plant Selection and the Hardiness Scale
The USDA plant hardiness map is the go-to resource for gardeners, designers, and growers to help them determine which plants will thrive in a specific location. This map uses the average minimum winter temperatures which is then broken down into 10 degree zones and 5 degree half zones. They’re numbered 1-13 and are followed by…
Project Spotlight: Woodland Estate
This wooded property is surrounded by thick evergreen trees and has a peekaboo view of Swartz Lake. The homeowner was in the process of building their custom home when they contacted us to do the design of their landscape. Because this was a new custom home, the landscape was starting from a blank slate and…
Low Maintenance Gardening
It’s rare that we find a client that doesn’t want a low maintenance garden. Many people think low maintenance means no maintenance, which is typically not the case in most gardens. In general, a low maintenance garden would be one that you wouldn’t need to fuss with more than 1-2 times a year although everyone’s…