The backyard of this Lake Stevens home started as a mostly blank slate with a long slope and the front yard had a few drainage issues that needed addressing. The homeowner wanted a place to relax and entertain along with a pool for the whole family to enjoy and plenty of room for kiddos to…
Tag: landscape design
Designing for Wildlife
Sometimes our busy lives overshadow our attention to the abundance of natural life around us. The PNW is awash in numerous animal species that also call our urban spaces home. You’ll be amazed by the wildlife activity you can welcome and encourage in your own backyard by providing these easy to incorporate elements. Element 1:…
Raised Planters
Although this spring has been slow to start, we promise it’ll come along in full force soon enough and then it’ll be a scramble to get your garden growing! Raised planters are not only great for veggie gardens but also for herb and cut flower gardens along with shrubs, perennials, and even trees. They can…
Favorite Native Plants for the Pacific Northwest
With the first day of Spring just passing us and plant sales popping up, it’s a great time to get acquainted with some of our Pacific Northwest native plants. This is just a small fraction of what’s available and can be grown in your garden. With the weather starting to warm up and plenty of…
Vertical Landscaping
When you think of a landscape you most likely imagine those parts that are on the ground level like a patio, pathways, plantings beds, maybe raised planters, and a water feature. But what about those elements that lift your eye away from the ground level. Vertical landscaping is great for maximizing a small space, getting…
Landscaping Around Septic Lids
Whether you walk by them or have to stare at them from your kitchen window every day, septic lids can be an eye sore in an otherwise beautiful garden. While it’s important that you are able to access your septic lids, it doesn’t mean you have to look at those big, plastic circles all the…
Our Favorite Fall Color Plants
With temperatures finally starting to drop (at least at night), some of our favorite fall plants are just about to put on a show. These plants will add splashes of color throughout your garden as the rainy, gray days start to return. Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonica) There’s nothing like the smell of a crisp autumn…
Xeriscape Design
In Boise, Idaho – where I’m located – mostly everyone gets their irrigation water through their local irrigation district. Our irrigation turns on and off at certain times of the year depending on availability and is provided to the Treasure Valley via canal system (which stretches over 1000 miles long!). When it gets as hot…
Container Gardens
Containers are one of the simplest ways to enhance any space, indoor or out, with color and life. Whether in a formal or informal setting, containers should complement the overall feel of the space and allow people to enjoy their outdoor spaces even more. Pots can provide symmetry, define a space, or function as a…
How to Improve the Drainage in Your Yard
Many gardens in the PNW are plagued with poor drainage, soggy soil, and muck for much of the year. Improving the drainage in your garden is not always a simple solution and often needs to be addressed using multiple tools/solutions. Most of the time we find that improving soil conditions, modifying slopes, and incorporating a…