This family friendly backyard features a hidden movie screen that is built into the arbor which leads to the vegetable garden. The existing deck was modified to add a fireplace, new railings, and an outdoor grill area with a serving counter and cabinet for storage. The new patio area connects the deck to the remainder…
Tag: low maintenance gardening
Winter Foliage Wonders
The garden comes alive in Spring & Summer with countless blooms, but when the snow falls and gray clouds return, there are many plants that shine in the winter landscape. Focusing on evergreen foliage and texture will add multi-season interest even in the coldest months. Chief Joseph Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) – This…
Project Spotlight: Spanish Courtyard – APLD Award Winning Garden 2025
Read more about our 2025 APLD Winning Garden below! This Spanish-style home located in Kirkland had been replanted several times and was bare most of the year. The arched breezeway creates a grand entrance but the landscape was not complimentary. The client wanted to include low-maintenance plantings and hardscaping that connected the courtyard spaces with…
Top 10 Shade Garden Plants
Evergreen Beesia (Beesia deltophylla) – This slow spreader is great for covering ground under trees or in woodland gardens where other plants might not be as successful. The dark, evergreen leaves are glossy and heart shaped creating a nice, bold texture in the garden. In spring, slender flower stems rise above the foliage with small,…
Ask the Designer Series – Retaining Walls
Question I have a sloped backyard that is unusable in its current state. Should I put up a retaining wall to create a flat space or are there more options? Answer Being in the Pacific Northwest, we get some form of this question from almost every client. There are many different ways to tackle a…
Northwest Flower & Garden Festival Wrap-Up
It’s been a week since the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival opened and we could finally show our entire display garden to everyone. We loved giving sneak peaks on our socials but it feels so good to not have to hide it anymore! From our incredible installation crew at Alliance Landscape Services and Neucon Construction…
Plants that Stand Out in the Winter Garden
While there are a plethora of evergreen trees and shrubs that provide interest year-round, these plants really stand out in the garden when that first frost hits. Dwarf Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ or ‘Little Bunny’) – Although not technically an evergreen, the flower stalks can be left on through the winter to provide interest…
Year in Review – 2024
As we head into the holiday season, we wish to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our amazing clients that we get to work with. We love designing beautiful gardens that bring joy year after year and are so grateful that we are able to do what we love. We appreciate all of the…
Designing with Slopes
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…
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…