By The River—North Bend, WA

This home came with the ultimate back yard water feature: the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. However, on the other side of the house, the front yard was overdue for a renovation. An assortment of overgrown and ailing plants obscured the house and hid the entry from visitors.

My client was enthusiastic about the opportunity to start fresh with a cohesive plan that would provide curb appeal and also pleasant views from living room. The goal: To create a welcoming garden that blends with its natural surroundings. The result: A low-maintenance landscape with year-round interest and a defined sense of entry.

Now an unstructured natural stone border defines the edge of the garden and blends seamlessly with the informal crushed rock driveway, while re-enforcing the natural feeling of the setting. Flagstone replaced the existing aggregate landing and now a lush carpet of bright green Isotoma fluviatilis (Bluestar Creeper) grows between the stones and among plants, echoing the mossy floor of the surrounding woods. We used stone risers as steps leading to the garden where natural stepping stones create a meandering path to the backyard and river beyond. New dwarf conifers and broadleaf evergreens look at home among the towering Douglas firs overhead and provide structure during the wintertime when some plants are dormant. During spring and summer, perennials will add color and texture to the garden.