Planting design and native gardens on the Eastside
Layered beds of natives and proven plants for shade, slope and wet clay, planted to fill in, not to be replaced.
How we approach it
Planting is where most yards are lost. Builder shrubs in a straight line, bark between them, and a slow decline. We design beds in layers, from trees to groundcover, with plants that suit your light and soil, and we tell you what they will look like in year three.
This is for you if
- Your beds were planted by the builder and never filled in
- You want natives, or at least plants the bees use
- Deer, shade or wet clay keep killing what you plant
- You want privacy from the neighbours without a wall
What you get in writing
- Soil, light and drainage notes for each bed
- A planting plan with every plant named and spaced
- Soil preparation and mulch specified, not guessed
- Irrigation adjusted or added for the new beds
- A first-year care sheet, season by season
What moves the price
- Size of the plants at installation
- Soil amendment and removal of old beds
- Irrigation changes
- Tree work and protection of existing trees
- Access for plant material on steep lots
- Typical investment (sample)
- Sample range set by the owner, for example from $18,000 for a front garden to $75,000+ for a whole property
- Typical timeline (example)
- Example: 2 to 4 weeks of design, 1 to 3 weeks of planting
Sample project · Mercer IslandThe Mercer Island shade garden We gave up on lawn under the firs. The planting plan named every fern and shrub, said what it would look like in three years, and so far it has been right.
Questions about planting design
When is the best time to plant here?
Autumn, usually. Roots grow through our mild, wet winter and the plants arrive at their first summer ready for it. We plant in spring too, with more watering in the first season.
Do you only plant natives?
No. We lean on natives such as sword fern, salal, Oregon grape and vine maple, and mix in proven garden plants where they suit the site better. The plan marks which are which.
Other services: Patios and outdoor rooms, Outdoor kitchens and fire, Landscape lighting, Slopes, walls and drainage
Thinking about the yard before next summer?
Start with one conversation. A designer walks the property with you for about an hour. You leave knowing what is possible, roughly what it costs, and how long design and build take.