Bulb Basics (the 411 on spring-blooming bulbs)
landscape design, crocus, galanthus, narcissus, bulbs, allium, snow drops
Extend Summer Color with Perennials
After the dog days of summer, the landscape can begin to look a little peaked. Fall-blooming perennials are a great way to add a fresh splash of color that will extend garden blooms to the first frost and beyond. Plant
Ground Cover Essentials
Ground cover refers to a low spreading plant that forms a solid mat on top of the soil — typically only 1 to 3 inches tall. Some ground cover plants are “stepable” — meaning that they can tolerate low traffic
Got Deer?
Deer enjoy some of the ornamental plants we grow in our gardens as much as we do, so if you are designing a garden in an area where deer are present, there are some key factors to consider. Deer populations
The unusual: A Gothic garden, and beyond
I’ve always been intrigued by black flowers. Many varieties of black-flowering plants have flowers that are closer to intensely dark purple or aubergine. My interest in black flowers started with limited varieties of bearded iris and tulips. They had dramatic
Spring Flowering Bulbs by Design
About now the deciduous trees are coloring up nicely and the squirrels having been busy burying nuts (probably in your container gardens—just where you don’t want them) since last month. But, in my garden, it’s not officially fall until I can
Watering the Garden: You Can Relax this Summer
Right now it’s hard to imagine that the super-saturated ground in the Seattle area will ever dry out. But it will, and quickly — remember last summer? It doesn’t take long once the dry season comes. And the last few
Hedging Your Bets
What is a hedge? By definition, a hedge is “a fence or boundary formed by closely growing shrubs.” During wintertime, we are more aware of hedges. Usually evergreen, they dominate the barren landscape when there’s not much else happening. The
The White Party
Looking for a crisp, clean alternative to traditional holiday decor? Consider white, symbolizing peace, harmony and clarity. It’s hard to go wrong with white for the winter season, inside or out (unless you use cotton-candy-like fake snow, but we won’t
The Beauty of Repetition in the Garden
A riotous landscape packed with color and texture stimulates the eye, activates the senses and makes one feel alive. That’s why I like to offer my clients many stylistic options when we start the design process for a new or
A Step Toward Sustainability
“Sustainable gardening” is a term that has no technical definition. It’s more of a concept: gardening using practices that cause no harm to the earth and its inhabitants. A sustainable landscape or property is an ecosystem of sorts. If you’re
Paradise in July
So much is happening in the July garden that’s it’s difficult to focus on a single plant to report on. So this month I’ll talk about one the foundations of landscape planning: hardscapes. A “hardscape” is a level, two-dimensional hard
Seattle’s June Blooms
What blooms when? The bloom times of some plants are predictable, while others vary year to year based on winter conditions and early spring temperatures. It’s no secret we’ve had a lot of late sleepers this spring. Maybe the plants, like
May Plant Of The month
For May we’d like to introduce you to Styrax obassia, the Fragrant Snowbell tree. In the same family as the better-known Styrax japonica (the Japanese Snowbell Tree), it shares some of the prominent characteristics like the white bell-shaped flowers and
March Plant Of The Month: Lavender
While we might think of Lavender as a common plant, it has some uncommon uses for landscaping. A little background: Lavendula is the Latin genus referring to Lavender. There are about 39 recognized species of the Lavender plant. Countless variations are available
Late-Winter Garden Design Checklist
Witch hazel, Hellebore and Sweet Box are blooming Some of my favorite times to get outdoors are clear, brisk winter days. For avid gardeners there is is plenty to do when the rain stops. Bu, if you’d rather stay indoors, there
January Plant Of The Month
For January, we’re highlighting a tree associated with the season: The Winter King Hawthorn — Cratagaeus viridis. This isn’t your grandmothers thorny old Hawthorne tree! The Winter King Hawthorne is a truly well-rounded specimen that has something distinctive to offer during each
Happy Holly Day
For December, we would like to highlight a plant associated with the winter holidays: Ilex aquifolium myrtifloia ‘Aurea Maculata’ — or, as most of us know it, English Holly ‘Myrtifolia Aurea Maculata.’ Don’t worry — this sophisticated holly variety is only a distant
November Plant Of The Month
For November, we would like to introduce you to Euonymus japonicus ‘Dr. Rokugo Variegata’ — otherwise known as the Dr. Rokugo Variegated Spindle Tree. Though its name suggests a tree, this plant is truly more of a dense, mounding shrubette. It’s like
Ivy League
Does the word “ivy” make you wince? If so, it may be because you are thinking about the English ivies — Hedera helix ‘Baltica’, ‘Pittsburg’, ‘Wahington’ and ‘Star’ — or Irish ivy (Hedera hibernica). All are considered invasive and all have been placed on King
Decking Decisions
Did you spend much of the summer wishing you had a better deck? If you act quickly, fall may be the time to address that issue. If you can make some decking decisions, you are readying to get a deck
Take another look at patio and walkway (“hardscaping”) ideas
NOTE: The term “hardscaping” describes any type of hard surface impressed upon the landscape: patios, driveways, walkways, and more. Successful hardscaping projects take into consideration both the practical and the aesthetic. A straight walkway might be the quickest route to your front door, but a
July Plant Of The Month
For July, we would like to introduce you to Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Bird’, the Blue Bird Lacecap Hydrangea — also called Blue Bird Mountain Hydrangea. This shrub has a soft look that I do not usually associate with Hydrangeas (unless you
June Plant Of The Month
For June, we introduce you to the stalwart perennial Rodgersia aesculifolia, commonly known as Fingerleaf Rodgersia. Rodgersia is often over looked, although it been a standby in gardens, especially English ones, for a very long time. Dormant in winter, it comes into its
May Plant Of The Month
For May, we’d like to introduce you to the ‘Homebush’ Azalea. Of the genus Rhododendron, it’s a Knapp Hill hybrid deciduous azalea. These hybrids are characterized by an upright, bushy form with thin, soft, grass-green foliage. It sports a pop of bright
Another Dimension
Well-designed topography adds richness and dimension to a landscape. In gardens, grade changes offer opportunities for artful design and dynamic compositions. While terraces, rockeries and retaining walls are often put in place to capture views and manage functional needs (such as
April Plant Of The Month
For April we’d like to introduce you Paeonia japonica or Mountain Peony. This choice woodland species from Japan thrives in the dappled shade in contrast with other species of Peonies that require full sun. It has delicate,clusters of ovate leaves
February Plant Of The Month
The Silver Dollar Lenten Rose is one of the first Hellebore to bloom during winter. Its muted emerald green foliage is mottled with soft yellow variegation and begins to emerge in late fall just a couple months after going dormant.
March Plant Of The Month
For March we’d like to introduce you to Tsuga canadensis ‘Abbott’s Pygmy’, also known as the Abbott’s Pygmy Miniature Canadian Hemlock. This little dreamboat is in the same genus as the sky-high Canadian Hemlock, but, by contrast, miniature. It reaches
Big News For Small Gardens
Gardening in small spaces? Living with small outdoor spaces is becoming more and more common and designing for them is getting more and more attention from the landscaping industry. At the recent Northwest Green Conference small gardens were a hot
