Integrating Pacific Northwest Native Plants Into A Dream Garden Design
(Read parts one and two of this series.)
Part 3 of Leslie’s Dream Garden – Designing The Private Office Entry
While planning the lanscape design for the entrance of Leslie’s office, we put considerable thought into accessibility. Instead of adding a second path off the front walk, we used wide planting bed paver edging on both sides for symmetry. This subtle landscape design choice preserved the front yard’s elegance as a residence while providing a practical solution for access to her office.
We also retained two perfectly square boxwoods on either side of the front walk, beautifully pruned by Leslie, which added a structured element to the design and the old hydrangea. All the other overgrown shrubs will be replaced with evergreen shrubs and multi season perennials and ground covers for a welcoming appearance year-round.
Creating a Rich Plant Palette for the Front Yard
Front yard foundation plant list: Camellia japonica ‘Winters Snowman’ is a variety that makes a perfect, small, vase-shaped shrub or small tree and it flowers in fall.
Fatsia ‘Spiders Web’ has attractive green and cream variegated leaves, Sarcococca confusa is lovely evergreen with fragrance and shiny dark green leaves. Hellebores, brunnera, heuchera (coral bells) specialty hens and chicks, Lithodora diffusa ‘White Star’ (sky blue flower with white eye) and other groundcovers make a tapestry of color at the front edge of the landscape.
Working with Portland Native Plants
The east side of the property features a pedestrian boulevard planted with native flora like vine maple, cascara tree, Oregon grape, and sword fern. We kept a lot of the existing native plants. We wanted to add complementary species to ensure the boulevard garden looked like an extension of Leslie’s yard but the front yard was too small to add native shrubs. Instead we added low water compatible perennials like the intense magenta flowered hardy geranium ‘Tiny Monster,’ which blooms for two months and a blue flowering Amsonia which is fully drought tolerant.
Leslie is thrilled with the design and eagerly awaits implementation. I’m excited for her to enjoy her garden entrance to her office and to be energized by her interesting and colorful plantings.
Do You Have A Dream Garden?
Creating a dream garden takes time conversing and understanding a client’s vision so that the space available can reflect that dream. This process includes, design choices that compliment the property using hardscaping and a planting plan that delights the eye (and suits your garden care skills). This is my passion—creating custom landscape designs for small city properties.
