Archive for fall color

Outdoor Living Oasis for Grant Park Backyard Part 2

· August 16, 2023

Dream Cottage Garden Plantings for NE Portland Outdoor Living Space

Redbud Forest Pansy included in Grant Park Portland outdoor living space.

Redbud Forest Pansy Foliage photo by Doreen Wynja for Monrovia

Shade Trees for Small City Properties

An aside about shade trees…..Most clients these days want to invest in a shade tree given how much hotter summers in Portland are with global warming. It’s tricky to get a tree that will take the heat we are expecting that will not get too big and the tree I wanted for this garden was just too mundane for these clients who love fall color. They went with an Acer rubrum (maple) variety that will be a very large shade tree once it matures. And they consulted with their neighbor to ensure a large shade tree that would provide shade to her landscape was wanted, which it was.

A Small Tree for Full Season Interest

We also selected a ‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud, considered a small tree, to see from inside the kitchen. The tiny explosion of sizzling pink flowers on bare stems in late winter, the rich burgundy heart shaped leaf in the summer and the fall color made the Redbud an obvious choice. Plus we put it in a raised bed which greatly increases the chances of a healthy tree as Redbud can sometimes get a disease called verticillium wilt. A raised bed ensures good drainage which is something this tree must have to live a long and healthy life.

Columbine, a cottage garden plant added to outdoor living space in Grant Park.

The perfect cottage garden plant, Columbine.

Full Season Interest Plants

Annely wanted to see the seasons evolve in her new garden from the kitchen so we knew we needed a special touch of seasonal interest plants. She wanted plants to express a colorful cottage garden styling, and pictured in her head plants full of vibrant colors and unique texture combinations. While the original backyard could not accommodate Annely’s vision, the new design allow us to create the desired outcome. My then apprentice Alana Chau and installer Donna Burdick, (of D & J Landscape Contractors) were also part of the team.

Once those large structure plants were selected, the next step for us was selecting some of the shrubs. Annely was familiar with her own plant collection, and it is she who decided upon and placed all the perennials you see in these spring photos. Annely’s plants are so lovely and add so much soul to this garden. This garden is a perfect example of designing layout and hardscape for functional outdoor living spaces while claiming perfect areas for plantings. This kind of design outcome requires creating the layout while simultaneously holding the spaces and places for magical plantings.

Total backyard remake into dream outdoor living space in Grant Park.

Carol Lindsay founder of Landscape Design in a Day enjoys the perfect sit spot in the new garden oasis. Photo by Hilary Hutler

Hardscape Artistry Lies in the Hands of the Landscape Contractor

The stone work is so beautifully done and well thought out. Donna Burdick had me come and finalize the shaping of the raised bed and stone wall on site and making a few decisions about where the design had to be tweaked. This way the integrity of the design remains intact in face of many changes we were not expecting including a change about the location of the property line.

Donna and her employees put heart into the placement of the stone and walls. I could not be happier with the way she worked this space as she thoughtfully prepped and installed the hardscape, planting soil and more.

The clients added art and so you see colorful surprises throughout the design – thoughtful touches that I think add little moments of joy and surprise as the seasons changed. The final landscape design exceeded our wildest expectations! Our clients now have a spacious outdoor living area, the planting areas are maximized, the stone work and hardscape fully supports the beauty of the plants without overwhelming the garden.

Garden art added to dream outdoor living space for Grant Park backyard.

I love the simple steel heart hanging from the shared shared tree.

This small back yard space in NE Portland has been transformed into a tranquil oasis that can be shared with friends — a true example of what you can create with clients who dare to dream, imagination and the right professionals.

Looking for a true paradise in your back yard? Contact me today and we will collaborate to find the perfect landscape design for your yard. Together we can transform your outdoor space into your own garden oasis!

Categories : Before and Afters, Dramatic Flowers, Garden Tips, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Plants I Recommend

Tags : boulders, dramatic flowers, fall color, flaggstone in the garden, garden design with stone, Hardscape Design, No Lawn, outdoor entertaining patio, small back yard

Outdoor Living Oasis for Grant Park Backyard Part 1

Posted by Carol

· August 2, 2023

Total backyard makeover in Grant Park, Portland Oregon.

Grant Park neighborhood backyard plant paradise with super comfy sitting area occupied by Carol Lindsay, Landscape Design in a Day

Design a Magical & Spacious Backyard Makeover for Outdoor Living in NE Portland’s Grant Park Neighborhood

Recently I had the pleasure of designing with Annely and Wayne, a lovely couple living in Portland’s northeast side. They wanted to turn a small and rather typical back yard into a magical outdoor living oasis. Using my collaborative Landscape Design in a Day process, we created a garden design that would bring their dream of an outdoor haven to life.

Clients Wish List for Landscape Design for Small City Back Yard

Outdoor living space backyard design includes client plants.

Our client had lots of plants waiting for their new home.

Space was pretty limited especially since their garage ate into back yard space but Annely and Wayne were not daunted and had ambitious goals for their back yard.

Annely dreamed of a covered outdoor entertainment area with comfortable seating for 6, and a lush garden of plants. She is a passionate hobby gardener, and had a large collection of plants at the ready. She had been waiting for several years to have the garden of her dreams and she had plants sitting about in pots to prove it. We also needed room for outdoor dining, cooking (to include BBQ, outdoor sink and prep area) and we needed easy access from the deep shared driveway to the back door. The groceries and daily family access to the house happened through the backyard too.

BEFORE outdoor living space design the backyard had to be cleared in Grant Park.

The newly cleared lot gives us our blank slate.

BEFORE the backyard makeover for Grant park clients in Portland

Carol and clients analyzing site conditions before design process. Photo by Alana Chau

Room for Outdoor Living with Friends

Our first step was to maximize the tiny space. We discussed possible ways to extend the small lot space, including opening up the side of the small garage to create the covered dining area, (like a casita) so the rest of the yard could be free for plantings. However, the garage storage space was too precious and a casita didn’t match their vision.

After creating multiple backyard layout drawings and more consultation and collaboration with our clients, we decided on the multi–level raised garden bed, foregoing the covered patio, and we placed a shared with the neighbor shade tree near the property line. By pushing the shade tree back, the neighbor would also get shade and we had more space for new colorful plantings.

Continue the story of our Grant Park total backyard makeover in our upcoming Part 2 blog post.

The start of Grant Park clients' outdoor living space makeover.

The patio is cut and its’ walls retained by D and J Landscape Contractors

Are you inspired to transform your own back yard into a true paradise? Contact me today and let us create the perfect landscape design for your city garden oasis. Together we can transform your outdoor space into something remarkable!

Categories : Before and Afters, Dramatic Flowers, Garden Tips, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Plants I Recommend

Tags : boulders, dramatic flowers, fall color, flagstone in the garden, garden design with stone, Hardscape Design, No Lawn, outdoor enertaining patio, small back yard

Hummingbird Candy-Gardening for Birds

Posted by Alana Chau

· May 19, 2021

Gardening for Birds Makes Year-Round Entertainment

12 Portland Plants to feed Hummingbirds

Did you know Hummingbirds stay in Portland over the winter? You can attract these beautiful creatures to your yard, and provide much needed nectar, with a variety of plants. Here is a round up of plants we call “Hummingbird Candy” for every month of the year. If you’d like help integrating these plants into a Garden Design, contact us. Or just add one or two in a pot on the porch!

(Note: plants bloom at different times each year depending on the weather. The plant selection above is typical in Portland.)

Happy Bloomers for Early in the Year

January: Oregon Grape

February: Witch Hazel

March: Flowering Currant

January – Oregon Grape, Mahonia sp., blooms winter through spring, depending on the type. I enjoy Xera’s description of Mahonia x media ‘Charity’. Pair this Mahonia with other natives such as Red Twig Dogwood, Cornus sericea, and a dwarf cultivar of our Western Red Cedar, like Thuja plicata ‘Excelsa’.

February – Witch hazel, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’, is a winter must have. See the blog post Winter Garden Plants the Sizzle for some ideas where to view these beautiful shrubs in full size. This is one of those plants that improves with age.

March – Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum, is a beacon of joy in Portland’s dreary season. The bold pink of this bloom is just so happy! Ribes is one of the easiest Portland native plants to grow. For more easy natives, see Native Plants.

Usher in the Spring with these Reliable Plants

April: California Lilac

May: Cape Fuchsia

June: Penstemon

April – California Lilac, Ceanothus sp., is great for Hummingbirds as well as Bees. Pair the small dark-green leaves of Ceanothus impressus ‘Dark Star’ with the strappy light-green foliage of Hakone Grass, Hakonechloa macra. Of course, you’ll need to water that Hakone Grass with drip irrigation until it’s established.

May – Cape Fuchsia, Phygellus sp., is a plant we like so much it has it’s very own blog post: Colorful Cape Fuchsia.

June – Beard Tongue, Penstemon sp. is a wonderful bloomer for drought-tolerant landscaping. Many Penstemon’s are native to the west coast and all attract hummingbirds.

Enjoy the Lazy Days of Summer with Beautiful Blooms

July: Hosta

August: Crocosmia

September: Salvia

July – Hosta cultivars are an often overlooked hummingbird magnet for shade. See A Pollinator Garden Paradise

August – Crocosmia blooms all summer long, ending around August in my Portland garden. This is often the first plant people think of when they want to attract hummingbirds. Check out some impressive captures in Portland on this instagram account.

September – Anise Sage, Salvia guaranitica, is a favorite of a recent client design and install, see Laurelhurst Neighborhood Backyard.

Keep the Hummingbird Entertainment Going through Fall

October: Hardy Fuchsia

November: California Fuchsia

December: Yuletide Camellia

October – Hardy Fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica and hybrids bloom from summer into fall, depending on the type. Portland Nursery always has a nice selection.

November – California Fuchsia, Epilobium sp., is less widely known as others on this list. It blooms the entire fall season, later than most perennials. Pair it with ornamental grasses, which look fabulous at the same time. I might suggest an evergreen sedum or other evergreen groundcover in front of this plant as it gets pretty ugly after the first hard freeze of winter.

December – Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ and other Camellia’s fill a very important season for hummingbird plants. Some hummingbirds leave for the winter but our native Anna’s Hummingbirds stick it out through the cold and wet. Consider planting a winter-blooming Camellia for these pretty creatures. For more fun winter interest, see Cheery Winter Landscape.

If you are a bird lover who wants more wildlife in their garden, contact us to make an appointment.

Categories : Dramatic Flowers, Garden Tips, Plants I Recommend

Tags : dramatic winter plants, fall color, food for hummingbirds, long blooming flowers, native plants

Trees for Portland Residential Landscape Design in Woodstock neighborhood

Posted by Carol

· April 4, 2018

Young Japanese elm in Woodstock neighborhood

Trees for Portland Residential Landscape Design in Woodstock neighborhood

One September afternoon while in Portland’s Woodstock neighborhood I drove by a former client’s home. My clients had moved, and I was curious to see how the design (installed a dozen years ago) had held up. Once clients move I rarely have continuance with the landscape.

This drive by is a mixed bag.

Shade Tree for the backyard

Affordable Landscaping Portland design in residential Woodstock.

The shade tree for the back yard is absolutely perfect, and exactly what I had envisioned. This is the part of drive bys I like the best. I used a Japanese Elm – Zelkova serrata variety called ‘Wireless’ because it’s one of the few shade trees that is compatible with lawn and ‘Wireless’ is the perfect shape and size to provide shade for city landscapes.

Their leaves are smaller than most shade trees and allow dapples of sunlight through the canopy to the lawn while filtering out the heat. The exaggerated vase shape of the tree also allows light to come in under the tree in the morning and late afternoon. This tree provides shade to the south facing deck and the back of the house. It will get over 30’ wide at the top. It matures at 25’ tall so it is a tree that will be wider than it is tall.

If you are a discerning shade aficionado you will say hmmm…… the shade tree doesn’t have low branches so how can you sit on the back deck and have dinner without being blinded by the south sun? We kept a mature mixed hedge at the back of the property and it will block those dinner hour sun rays. The shade tree will filter the hottest sun of the day.

Privacy Screen Planting for side yard

Residential Garden Design Portland, Oregon Woodstock neighborhood. Less successful is the privacy screen planting for the side yard. I used a narrow variety of Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Franz Fontaine’) to block the view of the neighbor’s driveway and their vehicles and also to create an attractive view from the bedroom Affordable Landscaping Portland residential trees. windows. For the design to be functional, the Hornbeam would need to be pruned once or twice a year to become a 10’ narrow wall of thick leaves. The maintenance did not happen since my clients moved. Now the side yard privacy screen is wildly out of scale and the charm is gone.

Make an appointment to start your Portland residential landscaping with designer Carol.

Categories : Before and Afters, Design Basics, Garden Tips, New Improved Plants, Plants I Recommend, Tree Selection

Tags : backyard garden, backyard landscape design, city trees, fall color, hedge plant, privacy screening, shade, Shade tree

Colorful Four Season Plant for Portland Residential Landscape Designs

Posted by Carol

· December 13, 2017

Colorful Four Season Plant for Portland Residential Landscape Designs

I like to use Nandina as a colorful four season plant for my Portland landscape designs.

Advantages

The foliage is colorful year around.

Very low maintenance plants if you know the cool pruning tip.

They are easy to prune successfully so you can keep them for years.

Nandina varieties fit multiple diverse needs in the landscape because they can be small (18″ to 24” tall) or up to 8 feet tall.

They thrive in half or full day sun. Deer don’t typically eat them.

Disadvantages

People prune it wrong and then it’s so ugly they remove them – this is so easy to avoid.

Many varieties require a lot of sun and will look leggy and sparse in the shade. They will look so bad they will be removed. Some varieties will take more shade so you have to know which is which. Best practice is to plant in at least 4 hours of strong sun.

People think Nandina is drought tolerant and they don’t water it in the summer……….this ends badly.

Nandina (from China) doesn’t feed our native insects; therefore, overusing it limits food for our native bird population. I like to select at least a few native plants for companions.

Is this plant overused? Some garden designers snub the Nandina plant because it is used in commercial landscapes. Nandina is useful to my Portland residential landscape design clients who want low maintenance landscapes. With the right plant partners Nandina can sparkle in a home landscape.

How I Use Nandina in Garden Designs

Nandina domestica – Heavenly Bamboo (not related to Bamboo)

There is a variety of Nandina to fit every landscape:

6 to 8 foot tall ‘Moyers Red’ or 4 to 6 foot tall ‘Plum Passion’ dress and soften an expanse of fence, hide the hot tub or garbage area nicely
2 to 4 foot tall ‘Sienna Sunrise’, ‘Moon Bay’ or ‘Firepower’ work well in foundation plantings and entry areas.

Use a tape measure on planting day, assume the size info on the plant tag is being modest and give your plant more room to grow. Some varieties of Nandina will grow 3 to 4 feet wide. To keep your Nandina from getting too wide, I suggest pruning out entire canes at the base of the plant once a year. For varieties that are listed as 3 to 4 feet wide, plant it at least 30 inches off your path.

A new variety called ‘Blush’ is typically 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide. The evergreen leaves turn an intense claret red and hold their color for months, longer and redder than other Nandina. ‘Blush’ was designed for the southern United States where it is fully drought tolerant. In Portland, all varieties of Nandina including ‘Blush’, requires irrigation in summer. Multiple articles on the net enthusiastically state ‘Blush’ is drought tolerant but they do not mean here in the NW. In the high humidity of an Alabama summer I too am probably drought tolerant…..Mint Julep anyone?

Plant Partners

I love to combine Nandina with textured or needled plants that contrast with the narrow Nandina leaves. Dwarf conifers, (Pinus mugo ‘Sherwoods Compact’), heather Erica carnea ‘Adrienne Duncan’ or ornamental grasses like Opiopogon (black mondo grass) work well. NW native plants, like salal, sword fern and huckleberry give contrast and good looks. They also provide food for native insects and for our birds who must eat native insects for food. Pairing Nandina with typical cottage garden plants disappoints my aesthetic; there isn’t enough leaf contrast.

How to prune Nandina

The key to success with Nandina is learning how to prune it which is all about thinning the multiple canes (or stems) of the shrub. Read more in my next blog or check out this u tube video I found to get you started.

Categories : Garden Tips, Low Maintenance Landscape Examples, Plants I Recommend, Winter Gardening

Tags : curb appeal, dramatic winter plants, drought tolerant plantings, fall color, garden tips, low maintenance landscape, low maintenance plants, Winter Color in the garden

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