Archive for How to select a landscape designer

Custom Landscape Design for Your Portland ADU: Part 2

Posted by Landscape Design in a Day 
· July 2, 2024 

Many Types of Portland ADUs Requires An Experienced Landscape Designer

Finding a design/build contractor with an emphasis on design is necessary to learn what the potential of your property will yield. There may be multiple ways to site the structure. Exploring options with both your contractor and your landscape designer is the path to a great design that fits you and your property. I have worked with multiple clients with different needs and obstacles for their ADU custom landscape design. Here are a few examples.

North Portland ADU Requires Privacy

Privacy fence designed for ADU landscape in north Portland, Oregon

An interesting screen design creates privacy between the original home and the new ADU designed by artisan Doyle Gamble.

One of the challenges of this ADU was having a need for separate privacy with the new ADU build and the owner’s home. In order to separate the ADU’s outdoor living space from the home, a modern privacy fence was constructed. This left the original entry to the home untouched and gave wonderful light to the ADU.  After completion, the house still looks like a single family home, which is what the clients wanted.

North Portland

Portland Oregon Rose City neighborhood ADU has a sitting porch which faces the street and custom landscaping.

This ADU is designed for ADA compliance. and is fully wheelchair accessible.

This ADU was built in the deep backyard of a Portland home which faced the street behind the property. The ADU required wheelchair access and compliance with the American Disabilities Act. And the clients wanted a relaxing and attractive landscape that many people would enjoy, as the ADU was built to be a rental.

Beaumont Wiltshire ADU

This custom landscape incorporated new paths and living spaces around a Portland ADU.

This studio/ADU and landscape were designed together for a perfect fit by Landscape Design in a Day and installed by D and J Landscape Contracting.

An outdoor living area was wanted by clients in Beaumont Wiltshire neighborhood that included an ADU. The landscape design included walking paths and an echo chamber water feature with a drilled boulder for the water feature. Clients used a customized manufactured shed as a studio and guest room, which was quite lovely.  While not an official ADU since it has no plumbing, this family uses the studio every day.

Hillside ADU Willamette Heights

NW Portland hillside custom landscape design includes ADU musicians studio with Timber tech decking, a folding door system and cedar tongue and groove siding for the ADU's exterior.

Timber tech decking has 3 board widths in a repeating pattern adding interest to the decking. The folding door system allows the entire studio to be open to the deck.

Creating a garden design for a hillside ADU in Willamette Heights neighborhood, included taming the hillside by use of decking.  The doors on the ADU accordion open and the studio becomes a stage for the musicians inside. The deck of this musical ADU and a curved block wall provide seating.  My clients selected the modern style of the studio and I selected the location where it would go and how the decking would fit with the hillside garden design.  The clients, landscape designer and the builder worked closely together to bring the practice studio to life.  The clients found the folding door system which adds so much more functional use and integration between the deck and the studio.   I was able to influence this project from beginning to end.

If you are considering an ADU or studio for your property, don’t wait to include me as your custom landscape designer in the process.

Categories : Accessory Dwelling Unit ADU, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Tree Selection
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5 Benefits of Having an Outdoor Living Room: Why Your Family Needs One Now

Posted by Carol 
· December 30, 2022 
Sellwood nieghborhood Portland outdoor living shaded area landscape design.

Outdoor living in Sellwood neighborhood of Portland Oregon provides shady summer outdoor living

Quality Outdoor Living for Residential Portlanders

As a landscape designer, I have seen firsthand the value that a back yard outdoor living room can bring to a family. These spaces can provide a place for relaxation, entertainment, and quality time spent together.  But wait there is more…..

Concordia neighborhood Portland landscape privacy solution.

Privacy solution for outdoor living in Concordia neighborhood of NE Portland features modern pavers and these special steel screens.

In Portland Oregon we know the opportunity to enjoy outdoor living is here late spring through mid to late fall.

The sky spigot tends to shut off just after early June’s Rose Festival and summer in Portland can be heavenly.

Having comfortable outdoor living is part of a quality lifestyle for most Portlanders.

Outdoor Living Gets Us Outside

First and foremost, an outdoor living back yard gives my clients a place to enjoy the beauty of nature. It gets us out into fresh air and sunlight.  This can feel especially wonderful during the warmer months when the outdoors becomes a haven for relaxation and rejuvenation.  Or it could if you have one…

Kenton neighborhood Portland outdoor landscaping screened front yard.

This attractive modern style front yard also has a comfortable outdoor living space screened away from the sidewalk in Kenton neighborhood of N Portland.

Gathering Place for Friends and Family

An outdoor living room can also serve as a gathering place for friends and family. With comfortable seating, access to outdoor cooking and a heat source like fire pits, outdoor fireplaces or outdoor electric space heaters placed under overhead cover, its easy to host events and create lasting memories with loved ones.  Aside: (outdoor electric space heaters placed inside covered areas don’t pollute or add to global warming here in Portland where we have abundant and cheap electricity.)

Gain a Needed Outdoor Office Space

Another benefit is having more functional room for working from home.  My snowbird clients in NE Portland’s Alameda neighborhood only have one office inside their Portland home.  The new outdoor patio also serves as an office for my client’s partner who is writing a book.  He needs a quiet shady place to work on his laptop and a covered patio with comfortable furniture is perfect for him.  She is a lawyer and uses the indoor office.

Rose City Park neighborhood Portland with outdoor living for bookworm client.

Outdoor living for Rose City Park back yard has large natural shaped flagstone patio and a covered lounge area affectionally called the book nook. Before plants

Personal Relaxation and Meditation Place

In addition to providing an extra office and a place for gathering with friends and family, an outdoor living room can also be a great place for a person to seek quiet contemplation. It can serve as a peaceful retreat where you can enjoy a book, meditate, practice Chi Gong or Yoga or simply sit and listen to the sounds of nature.

One of my NE Portland clients has a covered area in her outdoor living room that she calls the book nook.  While she can also use it for dining with a friend it is used primarily for her to read.  The neighbor’s walnut tree drops walnuts and so the roof of the book nook protects her from the walnuts and the bird droppings as the walnut tree is a wonderful haven for birds.

Get the Kids Outside

One of the greatest benefits of an outdoor living room is the opportunity it provides for children to play and explore in a safe and natural environment.  A back yard that has a covered place for sitting and socializing can also be used to do family arts and crafts in the winter and spring months.  Being sure the back yard has unstructured space to allow for kids and pets to run, jump, and play in the fresh air is a requirement.

Cully neighborhood Portland residential landscape design client.

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ (Cone Flower) with Delosperma cooperi. Perfect combo for a SW facing drought tolerant planting in Cully neighborhood of N Portland.

Design Your Back Yard to Fit Your Family and Your Property – No Do-Overs

While an outdoor living room can be a great investment for any family, it is important to carefully consider the design and layout of the space. It is important to take into account the size of the yard, the layout of the house, neighboring properties, and the unique needs and wants of the family. A good landscape designer can create a functional and cohesive design that will surprise you with it’s clever use of your back yard spaces.  Once installed this design will not require do overs because it works so well the first time.

Overall, an outdoor living room can bring a wealth of benefits to a family. It’s all about providing a place for relaxation, entertainment, and quality time spent together. By carefully considering the design and layout of the space, you can create a functional and cohesive outdoor living room that meets the needs of your family and becomes a beloved gathering place for years to come.

 

Contact Us

We love to create relaxing outdoor living rooms for your city property.  We know what it takes to make privacy and spaces you and your family will love to be in.  We know you want your landscape design to provide low water needs, habitat for birds, and happy places for the 4 legged members of the family too.  It’s all part of well designed outdoor living back yard in Portland, Oregon.   Contact Us

Categories : Before and Afters, Design Basics, No lawn back yard, outdoor living, Privacy
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Colorful Backyard Low Maintenance Garden Design in Portland

Posted by Alana Chau 
· January 21, 2021 

Low Maintenance Garden Design for Backyard in Woodstock Neighborhood

Client Wish List:

Low maintenance Landscape Design in Woodstock neighborhood

New Dining Area! Just waiting on the rest of the plants to make this corner complete.

Jill recently moved to Portland from an entirely different climate.  She is a gardener and knows that a different climate means an entirely different set of plants, watering strategies, and soils.  So she wanted Portland native plants to celebrate her new home in the Pacific Northwest. Getting expert advice about plants that would thrive here was her number 1 concern.  She wanted a vibrant garden with some traditional and colorful plants.  She also wanted her grandchildren, who live nearby, to enjoy playing in the backyard.

She already had a covered area for lounging adjacent to the house. She wanted to add an area for family dining, some edibles, and a play structure.

Landscape designer considers location of huge tree trunk for small back yard design in Woodstock neighborhood

Before – Doug Fir Trunk is 6′ wide at the base.

Designing around a large tree

The elephant in this room is that beautiful huge Douglas-fir. It took up a lot of space situated in the center of the backyard but to Jill it was a part of nature and she was happy to accommodate the tree.  Lawn is a poor choice near a Doug-fir and Jill did not want any lawn so we already had a good fit there.

The 6 foot diameter trunk will continue to grow so we needed to remember that as we worked toward the right design.  Many sources maintain that fir tree roots would prefer as little disturbance as possible. And we must be careful with how we water the plants around it so selecting drought tolerant planting companions was a strong consideration.  See Kym Pokorny article on stressed trees and how to care for them.

We had to address the elephant in the room first. In it’s natural habitat, the Doug-fir is surrounded by natural forest mulch and select native plants. More on the plants later. With the smaller size of the lot, the mulch around the trunk does double duty as a pathway. The color of the mulch will fade over time to blend in nicely with needles cast from the tree. It is important to only lay mulch around the tree and not up onto the tree’s trunk like a volcano.

Playground cedar chips are part of low maintenance landscape design in Woodstock neighborhood

During – Wide path designed around Doug-fir

Designing  the Dining Area near large tree roots

One way to create dining space near a large tree is to install a deck – it will have relatively low impact on the root system and allows rainwater through. A deck versus a patio is a better choice for our tree.  However, Jill was not too fond of the upkeep or cost of a deck. So we moved on to another good option – cedar chips and crushed rock. These materials also allow rainwater to soak into the ground and do not require too much excavation to be installed. And it’s easy on the budget.

Edibles in Containers

Jill initially wanted veggie beds in the soil, but due to greedy tree roots and the shade cast by the Doug-fir, we needed to employ some tricks to incorporate edibles into this yard. Three large pots or half wine barrels are designed in the sunniest part of the garden for annual veggies like tomatoes. A raised bed was designed next to the existing patio – and furthest from the Doug-fir – where part-sun veggies could thrive, such as greens and lettuces.

Flagstone path will lead through the plants to the back table with low maintenance plantings around the fir.

Structure of the Garden all ready to be filled in with Plantings

play house for low maintenance landscape design has cedar chip surface

Playhouse for Grandkids

Turn Unused Side Yard into Play House Space

We turned a previously unused side yard into the perfect play area for grandchildren. Kid-approved plants like Fuzzy Lamb’s Ears lead us down the path to a play structure. As the plants grow up, this area will transform into a miniature secret garden. As a bonus, when the grandkids outgrow the space, the structure can be easily replaced with a bistro table for an afternoon tea.

Planting Plans

Jill is a plant person and we especially had fun creating with a broad plant palette for this garden design.

Drought-tolerant plants that are native plants surround the Doug-fir such as Salal, Sword Fern and a vase shaped shrub called Oceanspray are all up to the task. 75% of the plants we selected are very low maintenance plantings.

For flower power we used well known color magnets like peony, cape fuchsia, hydrangea and more. Jill will add annuals to spice up the summer color.

Acer Circinatum "Pacific Fire" photo from Handy Nursery is a low maintenance plant.

Acer Circinatum “Pacific Fire” photo from Handy Nursery is the winter view from living room

For the view from the living room window we selected a native cultivar of Vine Maple (Acer circinatum ‘Pacific Fire’) which has red twigs in winter.

Materials

Cedar chips, crushed rock and also large flagstone for the path to the dining table.

We enjoyed this design process with Jill and helped her create functional hardscape landscaping with paths and a 2nd sitting area that works well.  Now she has plantings that fit our region as well as the color she craves for summer.  And the deck?  If she decides to add the deck, she has the design for future consideration.  With our laid back NW lifestyle and regular visits from grandkids, her simple table and benches sitting on cedar chips will suffice as her second dining area for many years.

Can we help you have the backyard that fits your ideals and lifestyle?    Contact us and let’s create together.

Categories : Before and Afters, Garden Tips, Low Maintenance Landscape Examples, No lawn back yard
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Custom Landscape Design for Your Portland ADU: Part 1

Posted by Carol 
· February 13, 2020 

Landscaping Your Custom Portland ADU

Portland hillside requires custom landscape design for new ADU.

NW Portland custom ADU and some of the new hillside plantings including a specialty Gingko tree from Treephoria.

Are you thinking about turning your home or property into an income producing situation with an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)? Is your ADU a long term investment or a way to add value to your home for re sale? These are some of the reasons Portlanders are building ADUs – Accessory Dwelling Units at a rapid pace. But don’t forget the importance of placing the new ADU in the perfect spot.  Getting that placement right is crucial, as it sets the stage for a harmonious and well-integrated outdoor space and an ADU or home studio that will be used every day.

Designer Finds Perfect Spot for ADU

As a seasoned landscape designer, I specialize in finding that perfect spot for your new ADU or home studio. By collaboratively planning the location, we can then craft a customized landscape design that seamlessly blends with your new structure and your outdoor lifestyle. This approach creates numerous opportunities to enhance your property’s aesthetics and functionality.

Collaboration, spatial design eye, plant experience and environmental know-how were all needed for this hillside design as well as relationships with other professionals.  Arborists, a design build contractor and landscape installers were consulted during the design process.

ADU Custom Landscape Blends Old & New

Looking down the hill to the new ADU music studio in NW Portland back yard.

Looking down the hill to the new custom ADU music studio in NW Portland back yard

The first step is to find a Portland landscape designer with experience siting structures and who works collaboratively with her clients and other professionals.

As a landscape designer, I have seen the value of design and know that sometimes it boils down to simple things such as how many steps down from the kitchen to the back yard or that the BBQ must be hidden …that divines our final design layout.  It is the same with adding an ADU, whether it is an attached or a stand alone structure.

Add Value without Losing Privacy

There are a myriad of practical details to consider for a successful integration of old and new. You want to gain a desirable ADU, and add value to your existing home and landscape without losing privacy or functional space. This is why my collaborative custom landscape process is so important. I work with clients to find out what their priorities are and find the best use of space in our custom design.  Collaboration, spatial design eye, integration of structures into the land and environmental know-how are all needed for custom landscape design-plus great plants of course.

NW Portland hillside with 2 huge Douglas Fir trees shows the area where we would place the ADU studio in the custom landscape design.

These two Douglas Fir trees dominate 1/2 of this sloped back yard in Willamette Heights.

Plan Landscape Integration Along with the ADU Design

When designing a free standing ADU, the landscape goals for the existing home need to be taken into consideration. This is why I suggest starting with landscape design and treating the property as a whole.  Once we have a design that shows where we want the ADU, then we bring in a design build professional (who values design) to contribute their special skills. We have to consider current zoning restrictions even in our initial designs but it’s very important to discover where we want the ADU not just where it seems the most obvious. Most builders will take the final design through the permit process and this is very desirable.

Collaborative ADU Design Portland Style

My extensive experience siting new homes on hillside lots with my custom builder spouse gives me a boost that many landscape designers do not have.  The way we landscape designers think about use of space and the integration of property flow allows us to select the best options for even unconventional backyard spaces.  I also bring a deep connection for trees and the environment, having worked with arborists to ensure the health and longevity of trees in my designs.

The best of all worlds is an ADU design/build contractor who works regularly with a landscape designer for collaboration. Let me help you find the right builder for your ADU or bring me into the initial design meetings with your contractor.

See examples of my ADU custom landscaping in Part 2 of this article.

Contact me

Thinking of adding an ADU to your backyard or home?  Contact me Carol Lindsay for a custom landscape plan to design the perfect ADU placement that enhances your entire experience of your backyard and property.  Working together makes the best designs.

 

Categories : Accessory Dwelling Unit ADU, Deck Design
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Portland Landscape Designer Alana Chau

Posted by Alana Chau 
· November 13, 2019 

Portland Landscape Designer Alana Chau

Hi I’m Alana and I love being a Landscape Designer.

I met Carol one December day at Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island. I was a sales associate and she wanted a unique plant gift for her sister. She was the only customer there because… December… so we got to chatting. Fast forward a few years and I now design for her company, Landscape Design in a Day.

Portland Oregon Residential Landscape Design Alana Chau

Alana Chau, Landscape Designer

Start Out With The Fun

I like to start out with what you really want for your outdoor space. Eating area? Low Maintenance? Year-round interest? Let’s talk about what having a great yard means to you, because everyone’s “great yard” is different. I have yet to meet two homeowners who want exactly the same thing. That’s what makes this job so fun.

Modern residential Landscape Design in Kenton Portland Oregon

Talk about fun! See more of this multi-function front yard here.

Then Comes the Function

This is where we get down to business. How does the space need to function to make your life better? Where do you need access to get to the trash bins and how do those bins get to the street?  Is there a water issue here and a drought issue there? Don’t worry, these are not questions you need to answer, these are the questions for which we find creative solutions!

hardscape residential landscaping deck with a modern twist in Portland Oregon

This project had so many interesting challenges and was a joint effort between Carol and I. More details here.

And Finally, Plants!

I love plants. It’s what got me into Landscape Design. I’m a former engineer who didn’t play well with cubicle life. I spent most of my working life as a consultant before finally taking the leap and going back to school for Landscape Design. Although it’s not all sunshine and roses (there is rain, dog poo, and blackberry bushes to contend with after all), I absolutely get a kick out of helping people turn their inspirations and worries into a real live landscape that they get to enjoy.

Drought Tolerant residential Landscaping along fence

Plants are the icing on the cake. See more of this backyard, including a very unique deck and bbq spot, here.

Ready to Get Going?

Of course I provide full Landscape Designs to transform your yard. But I also provide Garden Consultations and Garden Coaching at your home for those of you who don’t need the full transformation. Ask questions, learn how to correctly plant or prune, or just float some of your ideas around and get an understanding of what can work for your individual space.

If you’d like to set up some time to chat, please email me Alana@LDIAD.Com or text/call 503-927-3279. I look forward to working with you!

Thoughts from past Clients:

“Josh and I feel so lucky to have found Alana to design our dream garden oasis. It would have taken us years to plan what she masterfully designed in a day! We were not ready to do everything at once, but with a professional design plan customized to our liking, we were able to move forward with a plan. (Even though it has been implemented in stages and mostly diy!) She offered support through the entire process, from the very beginning design stage to follow up after our phased installation. We would highly recommend her services to anyone who is interested in quality and creative landscape design.” ~Gina, see No Lawn Backyard for the Whole Family

“Last night, Sam and I sat at our picnic table after dinner, enjoying the evening and watching a hummingbird feed on the flowers in our garden. Our scruffy backyard has been transformed, and we could not have done it without Alana’s help.  While we thought we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted, she saw potential that we did not. The design process was efficient, collaborative and enjoyable. The resulting landscape provides a variety of spaces, plantings and views that we plan to enjoy for many years.” ~Doreen, see A Pollinator Garden Paradise

“My design experience with Alana and Landscape Design in a day was outstanding and worth Every. Single. Penny! Here are some highlights that I think will be helpful for you to know about working with Alana:
• She was organized and professional, at each meeting.
• She took my opinions seriously and incorporated them into the design.
• She is also very thoughtful about being a good steward of the earth/wildlife and provided tips on how to be better stewards as well. She also suggested noninvasive plants –some of which are drought tolerant for the areas of our yard that get full sun during the summer months.
• Took our budget into mind—I need something that is affordable, but beautiful. We cannot afford to drop $50,000 on a front yard. To get the final look you want, you may have to be done in stages if you are on a budget—if you can embrace that, she can help you.
• She considered our timeline/budget, so that we could design/plant our yard in sections. She considered the seasons when plants would be blooming and not, so that there is never a time with the garden is completely bare of leaves and flowers. She also considered our gardening skill—not incorporating plants that require detailed, meticulous care.
• She was also considerate enough to respond to my emails within a day or so. So often I feel like I am left hanging for a week before someone responds, so it was refreshing to have someone respond within a reasonable amount of time.” ~Priscilla, (blog coming soon!)

Categories : Deck Design, Designers Journal
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