Design Ideas
Streamside Planting
Opportunity KnocksOften a bad situation brings about an opportunity to create something new. In this case, a property line definition blocked off access between two sections of my garden. The wildflower garden and the shade garden have a stream between them with lots...
Spring Border
Spring borders are always a little challenging. Some plants are stubborn and refuse to bloom at the same time every year. Other plants are just emerging and are not partial to competition (I took out Galium Oderatum for that very reason). Planning the spring border is...
Shady Characters: Planting for Shade
Shady Characters: Planting for Shade Tall fir and cedar trees tower over this garden bed which can create a tough place for plants to live. The roots of the trees and their greed for water will make many plants give up and die. However, these plants, with supplemental...
Mid-Century Updated Entry Walkway
During the winter months pathways become more important. Just a way to get to a destination? No, but a way to keep out of the wet, above the often muddy, leaf covered beds and soggy grass. Often in the summer pathway edges are obscured by overhanging...
Mid-Century Woodland Garden
A beautiful house with history and modern lines, a stand of old mature fir trees, and wonderful clients, what more could a designer ask for? This lovely home was remodeled and updated about 6 years ago. Built many years ago without permits it was a definite challenge....
Garden Design Primer: Scale
Designing a garden can be tricky and every project is different. There is simply no cookie cutter approach to garden design. Each client comes with different needs, tastes, and property. What to know a secret? One of the hardest things to design is a blank slate. No...
Designer’s Challenge: Pond Planting
Gardening is not a static thing but always evolving and changing. Sometimes aspects of the garden present themselves as challenges when least expected. Often planning and planting go hand in hand but situations change and the plan needs to...
In Search of Shade
Not surprising I suppose, most people in Washington State don’t have to worry about too much sun. Most lots are shady with many native trees which usually provides a place with enough shade to have a shade garden. As Robert Jones recently said ‘Shade plants are the...
Garden Design: Vegetables
There are times when I wonder if other designers get to design and plant vegetable gardens. I feel lucky that way! Recently I got to design and plant a veg garden for clients who only come in during the summer.Obviously without year round residents a fence is needed....
Gardening With Deer: Distract, Divert, Conquer
Many times clients ask me to design a deer proof garden. On Bainbridge Island there are many deer. They are so rough looking that they look like much loved stuffed animals. You may have heard the old adage that there is no such thing as a deer proof garden. And that...