Our garden at the 2013 Northwest Flower & Garden Show was a contemporary outdoor space- an intimate garden for two- to get away, and become one with the space, to become a different character than our 8 to 5 selves; one that is deeply grounded in the present moment and not in the busyness of life and its to-do lists. Like good movies do, we aimed to captivate our audience and draw them in to our garden; the way you feel when you get lost in the plot of a movie, becoming the character that you are watching.

Good movies also always have an interesting location, some sort of conflict, mystery, drama, and an underlying message. The underlying message of ‘Living Amongst the Stars’, is that we are all part of something much bigger: a universe that connects each and every one of us. Star-gazing changes our perspective and helps us to see that we, and the problems we sometimes perceive as being so large, are minuscule in the context of an infinite universe.

Creating a garden like this truly takes a team of people and I couldn’t be more grateful for the team we had to work with! I would like to express special thanks to the very special people and companies for working with us to create our gold medal award-winning garden (in no particular order):

Fred and Fred Jr. Moore from M & M Irrigation for their long hours and fabulous carpentry skills building our garden walls and cabana

Mike and the great crew from Bear Creek Landscaping for bringing in the huge Monkey Puzzle tree, their hard work and great attitudes building the garden

Joel from Closer to Nature Landscaping for his hard work and diligence and help in building the garden

Bill Neidermeyer from Mukilteo Cedar and Phil Schneider from Midway Plywood for generously donating all the lumber for the garden

Angela and Stepstone, Inc. for donating the oh-so-popular modular pre-cast concrete pavers

Jennifer Gilbert Asher from Terra Sculpture for creating the beautiful ‘Kismet’ sculpture

Charlie and Diamond Spas for the providing us the stunning stainless steel spa

April and Mike from Luma Stream for providing installing the LED lighting fixtures and ultra-cool colored lights that set the tone for the garden

Dave Hunt and staff from Intuitive Integration for programming the lighting and providing the booming sound system for the garden

Matt Roberts, creator of the concrete lounges (the original inspiration for the garden)

AW Pottery for loaning us pots for the garden

Bedrock Industries for providing the tumbled recycled glass for our water feature

John Dunton, stone sculptor, from On the Rocks for creating our stone table and sculpture

Rock Mountain Products for loaning us the stainless steel gazing balls, granite tiles, and pump for the water feature

Simply Rocks for felt and liner for our water feature

Marenakos Rock Center for delivering and setting the black granite steps (this show could not exist with out them!)

Sawdust Supply Company who provides the unseen (but crucial!) filler for the garden- sawdust!

Don Marshall, staff and students that forced and took care of our plants at Lake Washington Institute of Technology (my Alma mater) and well as helping us set up the garden

Kirsten Lints from Gardens Alive Design for helping to procure plant material

Jaquelyn Davis, Jeannie McNeil (thanks for all the food that kept us going!) and WSNLA and the entire volunteer crew that took part in the set up and take down

Ben and staff at  Windmill Gardens for forcing our bulbs and perennials

Kern and staff and  The Bark & Garden Center for delivering and loaning us plant material

Charlie from Western Nursery Sales for delivering and loaning us plant material

Kathy and Ella from Wetlands & Woodlands for loaning us plant material

And to the following nurseries for donating plant material:

Van Klavern’s Nursery

Bailey Nurseries

Blooming Nursery

Briggs Nursery

Chimmacum woods nursery

Little Prince of Oregon

Robinswood Nursery

Skagit gardens

Sunbreak Nursery

Woodbrook Nursery

We could not have created this garden without all of you! To everyone who has donated and loaned items to us for the show we want you to know how much we appreciate not only your generosity but your faith in us to do you products justice- I hope we did you proud!

And, finally I must give a big thank you to my team of Kyrssie Maybay and Devin Golob- for your hard work and incredible talent in designing and creating the garden. And to John, for creating the amazing play list for the garden and for his continued support and encouragement throughout this process. Also to Gina Mazzaferro Photograpy for the beautiful shots of the garden.

And lastly, to Cyle, Janet and the many others that are the nuts and bolts of the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, for without their hard work and dedication there would be no show for all of us to enjoy!

Until next time….

Heidi

Plant list

An unusable and overgrown slope is transformed into a low-maintenance woodland garden…

Low maintenance grasses and evergreens add a burst of color even in winter

This site had a great woodsy feeling and a lot of potential but was an unusable space overtaken by brush, weeds and other unwanted plants. The homeowner was overwhelmed with the scope of the project and how to tackle it. 

He had received bids from multiple contractors for pathways on the side of the house that varied by thousands of dollars. He was conflicted (understandably) and hesitant to spend thousands of dollars to move forward without knowing what his finished landscape would look like afterward.

The design process

Every site comes with its own unique set of challenges that need to be considered in the design process.  The challenges of this site included:

• Limited access to backyard
• Shade from large trees
• Overgrown with weeds, blackberries, holly, and ivy
• Drainage- standing water underneath deck
• Unusable space due to a slope and all of the above 

Looking up from the bottom of the property ‘before’

The first part of our design process requires our clients to fill out a detailed questionnaire prior to us meeting with them.  These are some of the important questions and answers from the questionnaire that help guide us in the design process: 

What made you decide to work with a landscape/garden designer?

Have a hard time visualizing what would look nice and go well with my house and the sloping land. I would like to have a walkway on the side of the house that connects the front to the back. I would like to have a patio and a fire pit

What is the biggest frustration you have with your landscape?

It’s gently sloped and overgrown with weeds and some ivy. I want to be able to use the land and enjoy it instead of having to pull weeds from it.

If you had a magic wand, what would be the ideal solution for you?

I would like to have someone design something that looks nice and is low maintenance. A place that I can relax and the kids can also play around. In the picture you will see a tree stump that is about the height of the deck. My thoughts on that was to perhaps one day build a tree house on that stump and connect the deck via a small suspension bridge to the tree house

From the side of the house ‘before’

What is the single biggest question you have when it comes to the landscape design process?

How long does the design process normally take? Do we have to complete this project in one straight shot?

What is the biggest challenge that you would like to have solved with your current landscape?

Convert it into usable space that looks nice and is low maintenance.

What do you like most about your landscape now?

Although the backyard isn’t very wide (50ft), it is long and there is a nice woodsy feel to it. However I would like to have some useful space designed into the backyard so we can take advantage of the natural settings.

Patio area ‘before’

How will your garden be used?

• Outdoor entertaining
• Relaxing outdoors
• Growing edibles
• For children

Check each that you would like to achieve with plants:

• Provide a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscape
• Create privacy/screen neighbors
• Grow edible vegetables and/or herbs

Are there any other concerns, comments, or things that you can tell us that would help us understand your needs and desires for your landscape?

I really don’t know what I can accomplish with my budget but at the least I would like to have a good design down. I already talked to a couple of contractors to work on the walkways on the side of the house and its sort of mind blowing how much it costs to lay down a gravel path or to put in stamped concrete. If things are going to cost this much, I would like to get a full picture of how my backyard will look before I make any big mistakes.

The side of the house ‘before’

The concepts

We began by creating 2 concepts for the client to choose from. Both included the use of natural stone boulders and risers, new stairs off of the existing deck, an under-deck storage area, pathways on each side of the house, a clubhouse for the kids, patio and fire pit. The client chose concept 1 with a few modifications.

Design concepts

 The final layout & planting plan

 The final plan included a gravel patio with Montana slate flagstone border, fire pit, flagstone pathways using Montana slate, natural stone risers in ‘Golden Sunrise’, brown basalt boulders, and 1/4″ minus crushed gravel pathways. A new fence, wood privacy screens, a new stairway from the existing deck as well as a plan for an under-deck storage area were also part of the plan but will be installed in later phases.

Final design

Installation

We worked in conjunction with Devonshire Landscapes to install this project. The project started in December so we had a lot of rain and cold temperatures to deal with, including a week of temperatures so cold that the ground was frozen solid.

During construction

Phase one included the boulders, risers, gravel pathways, patio, fire pit, plantings, irrigation, and wiring for lighting. The second phase will include the play house, new stairs off the deck, under-deck storage area and wood privacy screens. Lighting will be part of phase three. 

A slippery slope during construction

The finished garden

The first phase of the project is now complete. This family now has a low-maintenance woodland garden that enhances the natural setting.  The kids will enjoy sitting and playing on the boulders until their new clubhouse arrives. The adult and the children will enjoy gathering around the cozy fire pit on nice evenings.

Stone risers and boulders create this winding pathway to the patio

Woodland garden ‘after’

The side of the house ‘after’

The new patio and fire pit area

Pathway from side of the house

Looking up from the bottom of the property ‘after’

Stone risers and boulders

Here is what the client has to say about the process and his new garden:

I purchased a new construction house that was on the market for quite a while. The builder ran out of money and did not do any landscaping in the back yard. Aside from the nice big trees in the back yard, it was overgrown with various weeds, invasive ivy and holly trees. The thought of me trying to maintain that backyard and slowly turn it into something nice was quite overwhelming and a lost cause.

I came across Sublime Garden through researching on the internet. In reading their philosophy and various blogs, I really felt that this company was the right fit for me. Their ideals for gardening and landscape design matched what I was looking for… in fact it was like sharing a similar vision of what I wanted my backyard to be.

The best part of the experience was how easy this process went. Heidi and Kryssie listened to what I liked and what I did not like. They provided previous design blue prints and copious amounts of pictures and magazines to get my thought process going. From this starting point, we were able to have a meaningful conversation and come up with a lot of great ideas that provided the basis for their design.

 Read the full testimonial here…

Just 21 days from today we will be setting up for our garden in partnership with the Washington Nursery and Landscape Association at the 2013 Northwest Flower & Garden Show. The show runs from February 20th-24th at the Washington State Convention Center. For garden geeks (we know who we are) and brown thumbs alike, the show is the unofficial kick off to spring; the sights, scents, textures and thousands of blooming trees, shrubs and flowers scream (albeit a bit early), “Spring is almost here!”  And boy, aren’t we ready for it?

For us as garden creators, it is a chance to step outside of our box and do something that we have never done before; to experiment and have some fun. Dubbed ‘garden theater’, the gardens are the hard work and creative offspring of many more people than you can imagine and will no doubt offer inspiration, lest we take them too literally. It is a show, after all!

Our 2012 show garden, “The Resonating Sounds of Nature~ Finding Peace and Solace in the Garden”

Hopefully you can take away an new idea or two that can be implemented into your own personal garden, attend one of the many seminars, including one from fellow horties Karen Chapman & Christina Salwitz (authors of the soon-to-be-released book ‘Fine Foilage‘) on “Bold and Elegant plant combinations”, or another on how to make craft cocktails from your own garden from Amy Stewart (now that’s what I’m takin’ bout). There is something for everyone and I have little doubt you will come away uninspired, and without a plant… or twelve.

The show

This year’s Northwest Flower & Garden Show theme is titled, “The Silver Screen Takes Root, Gardens Go Hollywood”.  Our take on the Hollywood theme was to create garden that not only captures the glamour of Hollywood, but that like a good movie, tells a story using many of the cornerstones of good film making: characters, plot, dialog, composition, special effects, sound and lighting.  

The plot

Like good movies do, we hope to captivate our audience and draw them in to our garden (figuratively speaking, as you can not actually enter the garden); similar to how you feel when you get lost in the plot of a movie, becoming the character that you are watching. Good movies also always have an interesting location, some sort of conflict, mystery, drama, and an underlying message. The underlying message of ‘Living Amongst the Stars’, is that we are all part of something much bigger: a universe that connects each and every one of us. Star-gazing changes our perspective and helps us to see that we, and the problems we sometimes perceive as being so large, are minuscule in the context of an infinite universe.

The main character: the garden

Our garden is a contemporary outdoor space- an intimate garden for two- to get away, and become one with the space, to become a different character than our 8 to 5 selves; one that is deeply grounded in the present moment and not in the busyness of life and its to-do lists.

Living Amongst the Stars, the Garden Takes Center Stage

The cast

The garden features a cozy cabana with a seating area below and a star-gazing deck above. All the wood for the cabana and our walls is being generously provided to us by Mukilteo Cedar and built by master wood-worker Fred Moore.

Imagine sitting back and relaxing in a stainless steel two-person spa from Diamond Spas. There really is no one else (that we know of) that does spas like Diamond Spas does spas. They are not just spas, but elegant works of art.

Living Amongst the Stars

The patio will be constructed using long linear concrete pavers from Stepstone, a Los Angeles- based company. When it comes to pavers, there is really nothing else like them in our area so we are excited to be able to show people a unique option for paving.

The white concrete chairs were actually the inspiration for the garden.  Last year while having dinner with a friend of mine (uncoincidentally, right before the last show) she showed me some photos of the chairs her husband has been creating.  I fell in love with them and once I heard of the Hollywood theme we decided we had to build a garden for those chairs to be in.

White concrete chairs by Matt Roberts

The main focal point of the garden is the ‘Kismet’ steel sculpture from Terra Sculpture, created by artist Jennifer Gilbert Asher in collaboration with metal artist Mario Lopez.  This piece is 84” tall and weighs close to 200 lbs. It is powdered coated in a silver metallic which will stand up to toughest outdoor conditions. The sculpture will be nestled in an up-lit basin of water amongst recycled tumbled glass from Bedrock Industries.

‘Kismet’ metal sculpture by Terra Sculpture

Tumbled recycled glass from Bedrock Industries

The stars

The plants are true Stars of the garden- it is a Flower & Garden show after all!  Without them all the other elements would lack the context in which to be enjoyed. Our plantings will be oh-so-lush-ious…from the 18′ tall Magnolia being brought in from Big Trees in Snohomish, to the three huge Angel’s Trumpets I salvaged from my mom’s garden in early fall, to the Tasmanian tree ferns and many, many, other plants. Think lots of green with hints of lime, accented with flowers that range from creamy yellow to fiery orange. I could go on and on about the plants but I’d probably lose you so I will stop there. 

Golden Smoke Tree leafed out already at LWIT!

Yellow Abutilon being nurtured by LWIT

The lighting and special effects

We are giddy about our lighting by Luma Stream. Now, we can’t give away everything (that would ruin the story) but I will tell you that out lighting will be ultra-cool, all controlled by an ipad, programmed by a company called Intuitive Integration.

The crew

How could I finish up without mentioning all of the people that it takes to put together a garden like this? I am again amazed at the right people that have shown up at the right time, eager to help and be part of this garden. From our plant procurement guru, Kirsten Lints, to our wood worker, Fred Moore, and the generous Bill Neidermeyer from Mukilteo Cedar, to the staff and students taking care of our plants at Lake Washington Institute of Technology (my alma mater) and Windmill Gardens, to the many, many (all to be named in a later post)  nurseries like The Bark & Garden Center, Western Nursery Sales and Wetlands & Woodlands  who have offered to loan and/or donate plants to the garden.

And that doesn’t even come close to everyone- there’s the innovative minds at Luma Stream lighting and Intuitive Integration, the guys that really do Rock at Marenakos Rock Center, the people at Sawdust Supply Company, WSNLA and the entire volunteer crew that will be taking part in the set up and take down- We could not do this without you!

To everyone who has donated and loaned items to us for the show we want you to know how much we appreciate not only your generosity but your faith in us to do you products justice- I hope we do you proud! And, finally I must give a big thank you to Cyle, Janet and the many others that are the nuts and bolts of the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, for without their hard work and dedication there would be no show for all of us to enjoy!

There are many more people whom we will stil want to thank but I will save that for a post for a later date as my 60 seconds is almost up and the music is starting to play…. And the garden hasn’t even been built yet, but in my head many times over.

That’s a wrap! We hope to see you at the show!

While you may not initially think of your garden pathway as being an attractive feature of your garden, it really can become one of the defining elements of your outdoor space. Your pathway can be so much more than simply a means of getting from one spot to another. It can offer an enriching and uplifting experience as you explore the corners of your garden. With a bit of careful thought about your garden and the experiences you want to have in it, you can easily get a sense of how the flow of your pathway can carry with it an energy all of its own as it takes you through your garden.

The cliché of “It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey itself” actually holds a lot of relevance when you consider your garden and the way in which you’d like to move through and experience it. Certainly a pathway can be practical and have a purpose – getting you from point A to point B – but the right type of pathway can take you on a wonderfully winding journey through your garden, allowing you to take in the rich sights, sounds, scents, and textures of the space. Perhaps your pathway leads you to a fire pit and cozy seating area, or perhaps it simply charms its way around your garden in a full circle while allowing you to absorb the subtleties of nature’s beauty.

Think about your garden. Think about what it says about your personal sense of style, and think about how it is a reflection of the tranquility that you hope to achieve in all areas of your life. From lush foliage to vibrant splashes of color, to delicate ferns and the trickling of a water fountain, your garden can be a veritable canvas and reflection of your innermost self. The pathway is a means of connecting both the visual and physical elements in your garden, allowing you to explore and experience your garden in an intimate, yet functional, way.

Hopscotch pathway in designer Tina Dixon’s garden

Straight vs. Curved Pathways

When you visualize your garden do you consider it to be a chic and contemporary place with bold plants that make a statement? Or do you consider it to be a combination of elegance and old world charm?  Just as there is no right or wrong style of garden, there are no hard and fast rules on what a pathway should look like.  There many styles of pathways that work within the various styles of gardens. A straight pathway can be every bit as charming and elegant as a curved pathway; both can embrace the clean lines of your outdoor design, and can help to highlight some of the other features in your space.

Mixed materials pathway at Blodel Reserve, Bainbridge Isle,WA

For example, your straight pathway could lead directly to your fire pit, making the fire pit the focal point of the outdoor space, or it could wind its way to your water feature and bird feeders. Your curved pathway could wind its way around your garden, embracing the soft edges of your flower beds, while serving to effortlessly highlight focal points in the garden, like your plants that offer bright pops of color or your metal sculpture that lends a bit of contemporary chic to your garden.

Curvy mosaic pathway in the Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland, OR

Pathway Materials

One of the most exciting aspects of planning a new pathway is that there are so many types of materials to choose from. The materials that you select can add an incredible level of texture to your garden. You could select materials that blend beautifully into the natural setting of your garden, like crushed rock or flagstone steppers, or you could select architectural concrete pavers that serve as a bold expression of your contemporary style.

Flagstone walkway

Stone steppers  include Ocean Pearl, Pennsylvania Bluestone, Granite, and Montana Slate (to name just a few), and can be used for a variety of settings, including formal outdoor spaces and on the polar opposite, a rustic setting. Stone stepper can add a natural feeling to your garden, and offer a great amount of versatility in design.

Ocean Pearl Steppers

Poured concrete offers a bit more permanence than some of the other types of pathway materials, and with the various finishes that are available, you could transform a dull concrete pathway into an energetic and bold feature of your garden.

Stamped concrete pathway

Concrete or brick pavers can be budget-friendly and with some skill and elbow grease can be installed by a homeowner. There are plenty of great choices of pavers including large architectural slabs, some that look like cobblestone, or those that have been tumbled to look well-weathered and aged.

Tumbled paver pathway in Mark Henry’s garden, Snohomish, WA

Crushed gravel is a great (and inexpensive) choice, primarily because it offers you so much flexibility with the lines of your pathway, as well as being able to easily install it on sloped and uneven surfaces. Crushed gravel can be used for straight pathways and just as easily for curved pathways. Edging can help to provide a much cleaner appearance to the pathway and can also help to keep the gravel in its place.  Walking along a crushed gravel pathway creates a wonderful “crunching” sound that adds to your experience.

Crushed stone pathway

A combination of materials can add a bit of eclectic charm to your garden, so don’t rule out the idea of using crushed gravel between pavers of a different color for a bit of contrast, or using pavers or stone as a border to a crushed gravel pathway.

Gravel pathway at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX

The width of your pathway is one of its most important features. This will depend on how much space you have to dedicate to it and the scale of the garden. Ideally you should consider a pathway that is at the very minimum 3’ wide. A pathway that is 4’, to even 8’, wide however will give you the ability to share your journey on your garden pathway as you take strolls with your other half or a friend who is simply accompanying you for some good conversation in a peaceful setting.

8′ wide mortared flagstone pathway

There are so many choices available when it comes to your garden pathway, so be sure to give some thought to your personal sense of style, and the type of tranquil space that you are wish to achieve. Think of what will truly draw your eye in and use those as the focal points along the pathway. And remember….Enjoy the journey.

The literal translation of Feng Shui is “wind and water” which makes Feng Shui almost an already naturally occurring part of garden design. The Five Elements of Feng Shui are the very foundation upon which the principles of Feng Shui are built, and with the correct application of these five elements, you’ll have an increase of natural healing energy (chi) in your garden and ultimately in all aspects of your life.

The Five Elements of Feng Shui are earth, metal, wood, water, and fire. Each of these elements of nature can be readily incorporated into even the most contemporary of garden designs. When incorporated into your garden, the elements will lend a sense of balance in your garden and they will work together in a way that creates an outdoor space that is tranquil, harmonious, and overall just a comfortable place to be. There will be minimal chaos, as chaos can detract from the balance that you are trying to achieve. It is also essential that the elements are combined in the right manner; otherwise they can have an adverse effect on one another. Consider what would happen if you combined fire and water, or fire and wood. The water would douse the fire, and the fire would consume the wood. Such is the way of Feng Shui and the energy that it brings into your garden.

Here are a few examples of how the Five Elements can be naturally included into your garden.

The element of Earth is represented best by rocks, stones, soil, and even pottery. This allows for the opportunity to build stunning landscaping features that incorporate the colors of earth, which could include shades of brown, beige, and even the vibrant orange of clay.

Natural stone steps and boulders represent the Earth element

The element of Metal allows for the opportunity to be creative and to inject a bit of your personality into your garden design. You could incorporate Metal with a metal sculpture, a gazing ball, a decorative trellis or even a melodic wind chime.

This rusted steel sphere represents the metal element in this garden designed by Vanessa Nagel, APLD

The element of Wood is naturally occurring in most gardens where there are trees and signs of life. There are some other items that you could incorporate into the design however. Some of these could include wooden furniture, a charming decorative wooden gate, or a well-designed wooden carving. The colors of wood are green, blue, and grey.

This rustic pergola represents the Wood element (photo taken on the Edmonds garden tour)

 The element of water is representative of vitality and of the energy that is Feng Shui. Moving water is much preferred over stagnant water, as moving water demonstrates the constant flow of positive healing energy. Stagnant water on the other hand is not going anywhere, and it can become an unhealthy aspect of your garden. With this in mind, you’ll realize that a flowing pond, waterfall, or a fountain feature can add that tranquil feeling that your garden has been missing. Water has incredibly healing qualities, and simply spending time around your garden’s water feature will instill a sense of calm.

This bubbling urn creates a soothing sound and represets the Water element

The element of Fire can be one of the most vibrant and dramatic aspects of your garden. You could certainly include a beautiful fire pit into your design, but it can also be incorporated with the use of bright orange and red hues. Flowers and design features that are orange and red can add a nice splash of color in an otherwise subtle Feng Shui space.

Glass art by Jesse Kelly with Japanese Blood Grass in the background represents the Fire element

When your garden is designed following the principles of Feng Shui you’ll find that it isn’t just a beautiful and tranquil retreat, but you’ll find that simply spending time in the garden fills you with an abundance of energy.

Reflecting back on 2012 a few common things stood out, the main one being that people want to spend more time outside. They want their garden to be an extension of their home— to provide a bountiful harvest, a place to connect with our senses and others, to be enjoyed year-round and all day long.

As we look forward to the upcoming year here is what we expect to see as the gardening trends for 2013:

Eco-Chic Gardens

The movement toward eco-friendly gardening continues as we all get a little more conscious of our effect on the environment. We’re seeing more gardens designed sustainably, incorporating new materials along with recycled and up-cycled materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill. We are also seeing a greater desire for native plants, which have adapted to the area and will grow well without a lot of effort or resources. People are taking more interest in what goes into healthy soil, composting their own yard waste, working with the natural eco-system, and selecting natural and organic products over harsh chemical solutions.

Up-cycled spigots create all-season flowers

Edible Gardens

People are showing strong interest in becoming more self-sufficient through their garden, with more people relying on their gardens for a supply of fresh produce. Compost bins and chicken gardens are also gaining in popularity. You don’t have to live on a farm to enjoy the grow-your-own-food trend or to have a fresh supply of eggs. A small herb garden or a few carefully selected small fruit shrubs offer an easy way to grow edible ornamentals.

Natural stone raised beds

Gardens Inspired by Nature

Organic shapes using natural materials, like stone walls and steps, flagstone patios and boulder out-croppings are gaining popularity as people yearn to feel more connected with nature in their own back yard. Garden design is trending towards foliage, texture and color using a combination of ornamental and native plants, and moving away from large expanses of high-maintenance grass. We expect to see more gardens designed to use less water and fewer chemicals, while high maintenance gardens are out.

Flagstone patio replaces a portion of lawn

Gardening for the Greater Good

The movement towards self-sustaining gardening continues with a “back to basics” approach. People are working together in community gardens grow their own food. Sharing their harvest, land, time and knowledge, helps to increase the availability of local and organic food, while building strong community bonds at the same time. We are also seeing interest in heirloom varieties and a desire to grow healthier, organic, and non-GMO (genetically modified) foods.

Homegrown organic strawberries- Yum!

A Connection with the Senses

Multi-sensory gardens enhance our connection with nature. One way is through plants carefully selected to play on the senses, such as fragrant lavender, textural succulents, and soft flowing ornamental grasses. Bright, cheerful colors catch the eye and lend an upbeat look to the garden. Garden designs to captivate the senses will not overlook the sense of smell. It’s a natural reaction to stop and smell the roses, but as gardeners well know, not every bloom is blessed with bountiful scent. In 2013, expect to catch a whiff of more fragrant flowers in the garden.

Stop and smell the roses

LED Landscape Lighting

If you’re like many gardeners, you’ll work in the garden until you can’t see the weed you’re pulling anymore. Low-energy LED lighting can create a “wow” effect without wasting a lot of energy. Not only does lighting enhance your outdoor setting, but it provides safety as well. For 2013 we expect a surge in the demand for energy efficient LED lighting as people try to conserve energy and extend their time outdoors after the sun goes down. Add to that the convenience of being able to control your lighting with the use of a smart phone or ipad, and even the brownest of thumbs can get excited about their garden! 

LED Lighting

What are you most excited about for 2013?  Please feel free to share your comments below.  Happy New Year!

A plant palette of perennials, ornamental grasses, trees, shrubs and even edibles that offer something in multiple seasons creates a garden that has year round interest, along with providing food for you, birds and other wildlife eat.

We were recently featured in an article by the Everett Herald to showcase what makes a great fall garden. Check out the article here.

And while we love plants with fall interest, most of our favorite plants are so fantastic because they are botanical work horses and provide interest all year long.

Here are a few of our all-year round favorites:

Perennials:

Heuchera spp. ( ‘Delta Dawn’, ’Berry Smoothie’, ’Ginger Ale’, ‘Peach Flambé’, and ‘Solar Eclipse’ are just a few of our favs) – Semi-evergreen,  bell-shaped flowers from spring throughout summer that attract hummingbirds

Heuchera ‘Solar Eclipse’

Euphorbia spp. (Spurge) - Evergreen foliage with tinges of red or purple and bright green bracts in summer

Euphorbia martinii

Ornamental grasses and grass-like plants:

Caligamagrostis ‘Karl Foerester’ (Karl Foerester Feather Reed Grass)- Semi-evergreen, 4-5′ tall blooms that start out plum colored and mature to wheat-like color and sway in the breeze

Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘ Karl Foerster’

Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ (Golden Sweetflag)- Evergreen, colorful golden foliage (bonus: can handle being planted in wet areas)

Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’

Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ (Black Mondo Grass)- Evergreen, black foliage with tiny purple flowers that mature into black fruit

Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’

Conifers:

Pinus strobus ‘Louie’ (Golden Pine)- Golden yellow color all year long

Pinus strobus ‘Louie’ in mixed container planting

Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’ (Eastern White Pine)- Bluish colored ‘twisted’ needles

Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Summer Snow’ (Summer Snow Lawson Cypress) - Creamy white and green foliage

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Summer Snow’

Shrubs:

Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Zeblid’ (Scarlet Leucothoe)- Evergreen, white bell-shaped flowers in spring turns, burgundy/purple in fall/winter

Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Zeblid’

Physocarpus opulus ‘Coppertina’ (Coppertina Ninebark)- Coppery colored foliage in spring turning to rich red, light pink flowers in summer, red seed capsules, peely bark, said to be longest lasting fall color

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Coppertina’

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’ (Oak leaf hydrangea)-  Foot long cone-shaped, creamy white flowers (actually bracts) in summer that fade to pink, cinnamon colored peeling bark, deep red to orange and purple fall color

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’

Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’ (Gulf stream Nandina)- Evergreen foliage  that varies in shades of red, orange, purple,  and green, white flowers in spring, maturing to red fruit in late summer

Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’

Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ (Kaleidoscope’ Abelia)- Semi-evergreen, white flowers in summer, variegated gold and green foliage becoming orange-tinged in fall

Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’

Osmanthus ‘Goshiki’ (Goshiki False Holly)- Evergreen and gold variegated foliage becomes purple to orange tinged in fall/winter

Osmanthus ‘Goshiki’ in mixed container planting

Trees:

Stewartia pseudocamellia  (Japanese Stewartia)- Patchy camouflage-like bark, white camellia-like flowers in summer, red fall leaf color

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Acer tegmentosum ‘Joe Witt’ (Joe Witt Snake Bark Maple)- White and pale green striped bark, yellow fall leaf color

Acer tegmentosum ‘Joe Witt’ at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2012

Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple)- Cinnamon colored peeling bark, orange-red fall leaf color

Acer griseum

And because it’s so hard to leave out so many plants that we also love, the following plants get and honorable mention for having interest in at least 3 out of 4 seasons:

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Shasta’ (Shasta Doublefile Viburnum) – Horizontally branched, covered in flat-topped white flowers in late spring, red maturing to black fruit that birds love in fall, red to purple fall color

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lady in Red’ (Hydrangea ‘Lady in Red’ )- Red stems, great purple fall color, pink lace-cap flowers turn burgundy red in fall

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lady in Red’

Of course, there are many more fabulous plants out there, but to keep this post relatively short this is just a sampling, in part limited to those that I have photos of.  There is also more to having a beautiful year-round garden than just plants but we will save that for another post.  Please feel free to leave a comment below and share about some of your favorites!

Happy gardening!

Images by Heidi Skievaski 

My guess is that if you read my blog posts it’s because you like gardens or gardening, or are inspired by something you saw or read here. If you’re like me, you don’t want to be preached to, or told what to do, or what not to do. So I like to keep what I write about here fairly light. 

However, sometimes I come across something more serious that I feel compelled to share- because I think it will help you. This is one of those times. And I’m pretty fired up about it. I’m actually really fired up about it. We watched this movie last night. Genetic Roulette Movie (Which you can watch online free for the last time today).

I’ve seen several movies and read a lot about GMOs and our food system (something I’m pretty passionate about) but this one may just be best- and the worst- yet. So, I am asking you to Please Watch This Movie. For the sake of your health and your family’s health.

It will change how you think about what you eat. It will change how you think about what you feed you children. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant Please Watch This Movie. If you have a child with autism or know anyone who does Please Watch This Movie. If you have ANY health issues or know anyone who does Please Watch This Movie.

But, I warn you – it will make you mad. Please watch it anyway. You can watch it free until the end of the day today, September 22, 2012.

I look forward to hearing what you think. Please feel free to share your comments and thoughts below.

Genetic Roulette Movie

I am a self-confessed plant junkie. So to satisfy my urge, one of my favorite things to do is to visit nurseries and find new plants or cultivars that I have never seen before. As a landscape designer, it’s the best way to keep up to date on what’s new in the plant world…and it sure beats sitting and the computer and searching through Google images.

This past week I spent a few days buying plants for a handful of landscape installations that we have coming up. And as always, I was inspired and gushing with plant lust for the new cultivars that I found. 

I have special weakness for Heucheras and their close relatives Heucherellas (a hybrid cross of Tiarella and Heuchera). I personally believe that every garden should have one or the other, or both. 

Heucheras and Heucherellas are such a great all year round plants. They come in a plethora of colors, leaf patterns and shapes, are semi-evergreen and get panicles of small bell-shaped white, pink, or red flowers which attract hummingbirds.

The darker colored Heucheras like Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ can take full sun, white the lighter shades, like Heuchera ‘Key Lime’ will do best in part to full shade. 

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’

Heucheras and Heucherellas like well-draining soil and do fabulously well packed tightly in containers.  In fact, I like them best in containers since they can’t be beat for year round foliage color and interest.

Heuchera ‘Key Lime Pie’

It’s the one plant(s) that I can’t help myself from buying when I stumble upon a new cultivar.  And I can’t just buy one, I have to buy at least two. With Heucheras and Heucherellas new cultivars come and go quickly so I am compelled to grab a couple for fear that I won’t find that cultivar again.

Heuchera ‘Solar Eclipse’

At one nursery in particular I was overwhelmed by all the new Heucheras and Heucherellas. Like a kid in a candy store I just stood there for a moment taking in all the colors and then went and grabbed my camera, which I always carry with me for such occasions.

Heuchera ‘Electra’

Below are a few new ones that really got my heart pounding and that got to home with me. I also just love the names, some of which get me humming and some that make my mouth water.

Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’

Heuchera ‘Delta Dawn’ (yeah, like the song)

Heuchera ‘Rio’ (another great song)

Heuchera ‘Kassandra’

Heuchera ‘Cracked Ice’

Heuchera ‘Carnival Watermelon’

Heuchera ‘Berry Marmalade’

Heuchera ‘Ginger Snap’

Heuchera ‘Georgia Plum’

Heuchera ‘Creole Night’

Heuchera ‘Fire Chief’

And a few others that have been around for a while but are still worth mentioning.

Heucherella ‘Solar Power’

Heuchera villosa ‘Caramel’

Heuchera sanguiniea ‘Snow Angel’

Heuchera ‘Georgia Peach’

Heuchera ‘Crimson Curls’

Oh, there are so many more that I could mention and probably even more that will be coming out this fall.  Better save that for another day, I need to get out in the garden…

A billowy mass planting of grasses punctuated with stone cairns welcome you at the entry of the garden

It’s also a great reminder of how BIG plants can get, and that you really can’t rely on plant tags to gauge the mature size of plants.  There is no substitute for getting ‘out there’ and seeing plants in a mature garden setting, like this huge clump of Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureloa’ (Japanese Forest grass).

Is it alive?

One of my favorite combinations was this one with Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’ (Variegated Moor Grass) in the foreground, the pink smokey plumes of Cotinus coggygria ‘Young Lady’ (Smoke Tree), and the golden glow of the Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Aurea’ (Golden Dawn Redwood) in the background.  I just love the movement and texture that grasses add to the the garden!

Variegated Moor Grass

I also loved this ensemble of Aster ‘Monch’, Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Summer Sorbet’, and Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’.

Aster, Caryopteris and Artemesia

  And this one of Agastache ‘Heatwave’ and Allium schubertii.

Agastache and Allium

I particularly loved the view of the garden form this vantage point and the repetition of creamy white from the Hydrangea and the variegated grass behind it.

One my favorite views of the garden

Of course, the art was great too and adds such an interesting element to the garden, a topic I rently wote about in an earlier post.

Glass art by Jesse Kelly with Japanese Blood Grass in the background

These pieces add instant color to the garden

Non-invasive Glass Bamboo by Jesse Kelly

I also loved these glass ‘leaves’ created by artist Marcus Harper.

Glass Leaf by Marcus Harper

And these steel towers and ‘rock flowers’ by artist Alice Smith.

The steel towers would look great alone, filled with stones, or used as a trellis for vines in the garden

Rock Flowers: The ultimate low maintenance ‘plant’

The Yao garden is a tranquil, contemplative Northwest version of a Japanese garden. Just walking through it is a calming experience.

The Yao Garden

Pagoda in the Yao garden

The lush borders along a gravel pathway

If you haven’t visited the Bellevue the Botanical Garden it is well worth a trip.  The art is gone but the gardens remain and will be at their prime for just a bit longer.