I am honored to have been working on this property for nearly three years now. We did a full yard landscape design plan and then completed phase one and two, for the front and backyards, with a high focus on plants. Then came phase three. This gravel filled and slippery side yard (photos 2 and 4). In the design we had contemplated a flagstone path. But by the time we got to phase three (the side yard) the homeowner expressed a new need for safety with a railing and steps with minimal rise and a lot of run and trees to add privacy. @views.llc installed the steps and railing last Fall and then came phase 3b this Spring for them to remove more gravel and for me to plant. Blue arrow junipers were the perfect narrow, low water privacy solution and there are a few other plants added including blueberry bushes in the side yard. What an immediate difference from the stark and lifeless “befores.” And we were still able to add a touch of flagstone on the upper flat part of the path as you enter through the gate! It’s going to be even more amazing when things start filling in a few years from now! Photo 1 —> After Photos 2&3 —> Before & After Photos 3&4 —> Before & After #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #beforeandafter #womeninlandscaping #womanowned #💪💪💪💪

And just like that, Tulip season is over. That’s okay though, Checkermallow season has already started and it’s gonna be a good one! #nuthatchgardendesign #tulipinspiration

Looking through my photos from I few weeks ago, and remembering how much I loved the warm colors on the Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ when I picked them up. They were going in with other warms including Forsythia ‘Show Off’ and Dryopteris ‘Autumn Brilliance’ in a space that flows from sun to shade. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Green Arrow’ will be in the mix - a nice tall evergreen, weeping feature and Astilbe ‘Fanal’ a bright shot of color in the summer. Amongst some existing conifers that will provide year round color and focal points and a few natives like sword fern and creeping mahonia. These plants are part of a “phase one” planting for a homeowners’ full yard design. I love to help out my diy clients with plant purchase and delivery. They told me the area they want to plant on their design, and I picked up the plants from that part of plant list and delivered them on a Friday just in time for their weekend planting plans! #nuthatchgardendesign #plantideas #designinspiration

If the idea of plants with blue pollen, PNW native plants, pollinator banquets, and annuals that will self-seed around your garden is exciting to you, you will love these annuals! Gilia capitata and Collomia grandiflora will reach 2+ feet in height and have blue pollen(💙!) while Prunella vulgaris is more of a prolific ground cover. #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #pollinatorplants #plantideas #landscapedesign #wildlifegarden #wildlifehabitatgarden #giliacapitata #collomiagrandiflora #prunellavulgaris

Here is the design for the front yard I posted early this week. There is a “phase 2” to this project that I’m excited about coming later! I hand draw and color my designs digitally in @morpholio, compile plant photos and care instructions in @plantmaster, and add finishing details like title block and plant list in @canva. #nuthatchgardendesign #plantingplan #designinspiration #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womanownedandoperated #womeninlandscape #morpholiotrace #canva

This design has a very intentional, three-color color palette and will be at its most amazing throughout Summer when one Hydrangea p. Limelight and multiple Little Lime are the stars of the show. I’ll have to go back to get more photos when they are in bloom. @views.llc did a lot of work on this project too, removing old hedged shrubs and vinca, refreshing the dry creek, and moving the Rhodie over two feet to center it in the window. I followed up with planting and mulch. A team effort! Photo 1: after Photos 2&3: before —> after Photos 4&5: before —> after Photos 6&7: before —> after #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #beforeandafter #womeninlandscaping #womanowned #💪💪💪💪

Here is a combo from the last design that I posted that you couldn’t see very well in the photos. It’s a plant selection focused on its reflective qualities that is only seen when on the outside patio. A bit of a calming corner amidst the bright colors elsewhere in the garden. Clockwise starting top left: Brunnera, Hellebore (this one is ‘Moondance,’ and Athyrium fern. 📷: @nuthatchgardendesign #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #plantideas #landscapedesign #reflectivegarden #moongarden #calminggarden #brunnera #hellebore #athyrium

This week in my own #nuthatchgardendesign native plant garden. Redtwig dogwood (nativar), Red Flowering Currant, Camas, Early Blue Violet.

Here are befores and afters of a portion of the front yard, same location as last week. We removed overgrown shrubs and boxwood that were hiding the beauty of that gorgeous weeping Japanese maple and added color, vertical highlights to enhance the symmetry of the house, and Spring&Summer flowering shrubs. Photo 1: after Photos 2&3: before —> after Photos 4&5: before —> after #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #beforeandafter #womeninlandscaping #womanowned #💪

Here is the design for the backyard photos I posted. I hand draw and color my designs digitally in @morpholio, compile plant photos and care instructions in @plantmaster, and add finishing details like title block and plant list in @canva. #nuthatchgardendesign #plantingplan #designinspiration #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womanownedandoperated #womeninlandscape #morpholiotrace #canva

Here is the backyard portion of a recent install. @views.llc removed the old, narrow brick retaining wall and installed a new, taller and wider @western_interlock murata retaining wall over the winter, creating a much deeper garden bed space, in addition to a few other changes. The homeowner and I planted the plants together last week. This was a fun project with multiple goals. You can tell from the plant palette and dark “before” photos that one of the goals was to brighten up the area in the back. Photos 1&2: afters Photos 3&4: before —> after Photos 5&6: before —> after Photos 7&8: before —> after #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #beforeandafter #womeninlandscaping #womanowned #💪

Hundreds of plants and three Early Spring installs later, I have some fresh befores and afters to share with you! Then it’s back to finishing up some designs with the hope of fitting in a few more plant installs in late Spring. Can’t wait to show you how these installs turned out! Trust me that they will be more picturesque than a photo of my muddy pants and boots. 😆

It was a treat to get out to @sauvienatives last Friday! They sell native plants of course but you can also walk around their multi-acre pathway setting with mature native plants and habitat for inspiration and a calming nature moment. They also have these awesome metal sculptures that put a smile on my face. 😁

Wow, breathtaking Magnolia in bloom. I was in a hurry but I stopped in my tracks when I spotted this beauty! 😍

Wishing for native plants that bloom in early Spring? That’s easy, keep those hummingbirds delighted with this trio: Ribes sanguineum (Red Flowering Currant), Mahonia aquifolium (Tall Oregon Grape), and Oemleria cerasiflormis (Osoberry). The key to keeping them looking amazing year after year and not turn into a brambly tangle is an annual light pruning. I’m good with brambly tangle too, and so is wildlife, but I also get that on small urban lots it can be beneficial to incorporate native plants but keep them looking in top form year-round with just a touch of plant care know how. That is why I love offering garden coaching services to clients at an hourly rate. Sometimes you just need someone to spend a few hours showing you how to prune each type of plant, and then you can manage it yourself from there on out. 💪 #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #pollinatorplants #hummingbirdgarden #plantideas #landscapedesign #wildlifegarden #wildlifehabitatgarden #ribessanguineum #mahonia #oemleriacerasiformis #redfloweringcurrant #osoberry #oregongrape

Here is the backyard portion of the design I just posted. Really cozy, romantic vibe in the back too. — — I’m a landscape designer in Beaverton, Oregon. I hand draw and color digitally in @morpholio and add in other details like plant list and title block using @canva. #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #morpholiotrace

This was a lovely design and install from last Spring that I posted a few snippets of yesterday. This is the front yard portion of the design. It has a very romantic feel to it with the plant selection that matches the older architecture of the home. It will be dreamy in bloom this Spring/Summer; need to remember to go back to snap photos when more things are in bloom! The existing hedges provided a great deal of evergreen framework so it was mostly flower and form and flow in the design work. — — I’m a landscape designer in Beaverton, Oregon. I hand draw and color digitally in @morpholio and add in other details like plant list and title block using @canva. #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #morpholiotrace

Snapped a few photos while visiting this install from last Spring today. Everything is looking great, most of the plants are just waiting patiently for Spring to really open up and shine. In the meantime, the daffodils and camellias are happy to take center stage. Also, this client’s birdbaths are THE BEST and I loved getting to find the perfect homes for them at the design stage. #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #daffodils #camellia #birdbath

Here is a current photo of Manzanita ‘Panchito’ from a sidewalk strip planting I did last year, looking phenomenal after the harsh storm we had earlier this year. 😍 The key for long-living manzanitas is to plant them in full sun, stop watering them after the first 2-3 years, and don’t plant them where water pools up. #nuthatchgardendesign #manzanitapanchito #sidewalkstrip #hellstripgardening #plantingplans #designideas #planttips

I’m trying a few things differently this year, including sharing more content about my work on my website and in Instagram. One of my primary service offerings is to-scale design drawings for front and backyards. Here is a final design for a DIY client. The front yard will be a pollinator and flowering delight throughout the year, with dual use plants (smell nice, provide food for humans and wildlife, lots of color). While the backyard plants and design is a little more restrained and structured, in part due to two dogs who need space to run and play and trample. I hand draw and color all my designs digitally using @morpholio for the scaled drawings and @canva for finishing touches like adding the title block and plant list. My clients also receive other details to inform and support like plant care information. I absolutely love the process of making each design uniquely fit the client and the client’s goals, integrating it all to work in harmony with the existing earth features and needs. 💚 🌎 🌱 #nuthatchgardendesign #plantingplan #pollinatorgarden #designinspiration #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womanownedandoperated #womeninlandscape #morpholiotrace #canva

When you start to get desperate to see something, anything in bloom this time of year in your yard, remember that feeling in the Fall and plant crocus and daffodil bulbs! I like to plant them late October and into November here in the Willamette Valley. Crocus bulbs are already blooming right now. You can plant purple and yellow like those top right above or there are other colors too, like bright yellow and lavender. Some daffodils are blooming, others are still on their way (classic yellow is always a fantastic choice, here is a darling white variety top right in a #nuthatchgardendesign yard and a white with orange-ey center from my own yard. And then I have a cool white and apricot variety in my own yard too that I’ll try to post when it makes an appearance.) Tulip leaves have started appearing letting us know they won’t be far behind the others. #bulbs #crocuses #daffodils #plantideas 📷 cred: @nuthatchgardendesign

Does anyone else think this Magnolia stellata bud looks like an Old English Sheepdog?

It’s crocus time! The recent sunny days brought these beauties out. I love to tuck these bulbs in under weeping Japanese maples in client’s gardens. They bloom before the maples leaf out, and then the fresh leaf growth covers up the limp leftovers as the crocus dies back. You can find them in lavender, white, yellow, and purple. The key is to remember you need to plant them in late Fall. In the second photo, the groundcover is #violaadunca a native plant that spreads around pleasantly. The flower and leaves of Viola adunca are edible and reportedly high in vitamins A and C. And it’s a host plant to the endangered Oregon Silverspot Butterfly. Win, win, win, win, everyone should let Viola adunca into their gardens IMO! 😊 And notice the leaf, ground litter? It may look messy to some but I think we all know it’s healthy for soil and insect populations to give up the pristine not-a-leaf-in-sight mentality by now, right? #planttips #plantideas #crocus #landscapedesign #gardendesign #gardentips #winterblooms

Dreaming of Spring. I took this photo in a #nuthatchgardendesign garden in May last year. The purple poof is #alliumglobemaster and in the background is a Lupine hybrid. #springblooms

It’s that time of year where you can snip a few branches that have budded out but not flowered yet - I do this with Forsythia and Ribes Sanguineum - to bring inside and enjoy early blooms indoors. I’ve heard all sorts of ways to do this, including soaking the full stem, but I keep it simple and put freshly cut stems in lukewarm water and it works like a charm. Oddly, the Ribes blooms are always white when forced indoors. #forcingforsythia #forcingribes #springbloomsindoors #nuthatchgardendesign #indoorplantideas

I love this combination of foliage colors for a mixed shade/sun nook, preferably morning sun rather than afternoon sun. - Mahonia 'Soft Caress' - Took a beating in the recent freeze, but it seems to be coming back everywhere that I have seen on the west side. I've heard it did not fare quite as well on the east side. - Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' - I love the variegated leaves on this Japanese Forest Grass. - Purple Heuchera - there are many varieties. I'd have to remember at which client's house I took this photo to know for sure but I think this one is Wild Rose. 📷: #nuthatchgardendesign #heuchera #purpleheuchera #mahonia #mahoniasoftcaress #hakonechloa #hakonechloamacraaureola #plantideas #plantcombinations #gardenideas #pnwgardening #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womeninlandscaping #womanowned

When one of your kids is in a musical and you want to give her a bouquet after her performance but you don’t do store bought bouquets and it’s still winter… 🤩🌱.

Amazing colors in the Sunrise this morning! Is anyone else noticing the birds “sounding of Spring” today? #appreciatenature #earthoutdoors

It’s Winter Solstice, a wonderful time for reflection and to spend time together with family. I will be taking a break from social media from now through the first week of the New Year. But I look forward to seeing you all again in this space in 2024!

Have a partly shady nook in need of understory plants? These plants native to the West Coast will be a wonderful addition! Clockwise from top left: Symphoricarpos albus, a small deciduous shrub with white berries (toxic, don’t eat them) in Fall/Winter. Mahonia repens a favorite evergreen groundcover of mine. And Dicentra formosa (also toxic, don’t eat), with its delicate Spring flowers and leaves that go dormant by mid summer. 📷 cred: @nuthatchgardendesign and @plantmasterofficial #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspiration #pnwnativeplants

The PNW winter deciduous landscape is stunning this time of year and holds a surprising amount of color. 💛

TBT to when my @dovetailworkwear #womensworkwear flannel shirt helped me “dress up” as the Evermore album cover when taking my Swiftie kids to see the Taylor Swift Eras movie. 😂 Things I’ve learned from my kids in 2023 include that Swift is an impressive and hard working business woman, in addition to her music talents, and that friendship bracelets are back in style. One of my many favorite things about being a parent is how much I learn from my kids! 🎶 So anyway, cheers to a female business owner wearing a flannel work shirt made for women by a female-founded company #dovetailworkwear, to enjoy a movie-concert by a talented musician and business woman. 🤪

Time for another weekly Wednesday plant combination! On top is a Crabapple cultivar of which there are many. So much to love about it… fall leaf color, spring flowers, winter food for humans or wildlife. Bottom photo is a favorite combination of mine… Epilobium and Echinacea. The echinacea seed heads look awesome against the soft gray foliage (furry-level soft, great for sensory gardens) of Epilobium ‘Silver Select.’ Hummingbirds appreciate the nectar from Epilobium which can continue blooming all the way into December. The Epilobium can go with little to no summer water, the other two like a touch of extra water in the summer. 📷 cred: @nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspiration

It’s that time of year when seed heads steal the show!

Another year round interest plant combination, this time with PNW native plants. Myrica californica is a large shrub that can provide year round evergreen cover for wildlife and also privacy (in time). Erigeron glaucus is a short perennial that flowers beautiful lavender purple flowers all summer long. Sedum spathulifolium is a favorite flowering groundcover. All of these are drought tolerant. They need watering in the summer to get established and then very little water after that. All three of these also benefit local wildlife as host plants, habitat plants, nectar sources, and more. 📷 cred: @nuthatchgardendesign and @plantmasterofficial #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspiration #pnwnativeplants

I’m working on designs for Spring install. Partially for inspiration and partially for visualizing options in person, it was a visit wholesale stone yards, pottery sellers, and furniture sort of a day. Pictured here is variegated flagstone and blue thermal stone at @smith_rock_inc.

How about a mid-week plant combo to brighten our week? This one combines bold color with interest throughout the year. The Euonymus alatus ‘Compactis’ flames bright red in the Fall before dropping its leaves for winter, and provides a neutral green backdrop the rest of the year. The Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’ is a favorite of mine with dark green narrow foliage year-round and lovely scented white blooms in the Spring. Both of those become mid to large-ish shrubs in time. And the Gaillardia would be a great perennial to use around both shrubs. It’s a summer —> fall bloomer and relatively short-lived but still worth planting. Leave the seed heads on it overwinter for birds and also because frost on seed heads looks delightful. The Choisya is drought tolerant over time. However, all of these plants will perform their best with some supplemental water during the summer in the PNW. #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womanownedbusiness #plantinspiration #gardeninspiration #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gaillardia #choisya #euoynmus

And that’s the end of my installs for 2023! It’s design work only for the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my amazing and wonderful clients. I enjoy creating beautiful habitats and landscapes for you! Note about this photo: I take all these leftover pots back to local nurseries who will reuse them for the next set of plants. There are ongoing pushes for a more sustainable way to grow plants without using plastic pots like @landscapedesigners @oregonapld #healthypotshealthyplanet initiative, which is an important shift. I look forward to seeing more sustainable pot options make their way onto the market over the next few years. In the meantime, I’ll keep bringing in these plastic pots for reuse. ♻️

The only “cactus” in my own home/garden, which is really a succulent not a cactus 😆, is timely in bloom. I’ll be back in this space again next Monday!

Dropped off a minivan full of these beauties to one of my clients a few weeks ago, who did the planting themselves. A stunning pollinator patch is about to be born with a carefully selected mix of native and non-native plant beauties that will ebb and flow seasonally! I look forward to seeing it in bloom next year! Did you know that I do design work for those who want to do the planting themselves? I add several details to the planting plan for DIY’ers so that the plant placement goes smoothly. And I will even source the plants and drop them off to you to help you get the exact plants you need for your project all at one time. I’m full with design projects through February 2024, and I’ve started receiving design requests for March 2024. So if you’ve been thinking about a design for your yard in Spring 2024, reach out to me soon. We’ll have a quick phone call to see if your project is a good fit and I can get you on my list for Spring! #pollinatorplants #nuthatchgardendesign #womanownedbusiness #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #pnwnativeplants #pollinatorpatch

Leaf texture and varying green colors from a recent Nuthatch install and then a homeowner diy install photo. If your only planting space is a narrow strip between a lawn and fence, your choices are more limited but you can absolutely still play with a few different foliage attributes! Once these plants grow in they will draw the attention away from the fence. 🍃 And if you remove more water-intensive lawn to make way for more plants, that’s where you can really have some fun creating depth with plants by utilizing more plant layers and heights! #nuthatchgardendesign #womanownedbusiness #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #plantideas #pnwlandscaping #pnwgarden

Look at this Yucca in bloom in Portland! 😍

I’m headed back to Oregon today, so here is one of my Oregon projects from this Fall. Plants are always a focus but safety is important too. In addition to the planting design, this homeowner needed safe access down a frequently used, slippery gravel slope and these sturdy, gradual steps were the answer. After —> Before After —> Before Install by @views.llc. #nuthatchgardendesign #beforeandafter #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness

At the University of Arizona, this is five stories of over-structure garden terraces, it was stunning! #iamapld #apld23 #apld2023 #apldoregon

“Plant the rain, plant the shade, then plant the seeds.” ~ Brad Lancaster, @drylandwaterharvester An inspirational journey this morning through how Brad has helped transform the water, shade, and seed systems throughout his Tucson neighborhood and well beyond, working with nature at every step. At his own home, an outdoor shower and laundry room, to an open air guest “room” above a water catchment tank, to watering vegetables and fruits in thoughtful ways, I loved everyone minute of this garden tour in Tucson, Arizona. Thank you, Brad, for your work and enthusiasm! You are an inspiration! #apld2023 #apld23 #iamapld #apldoregon @landscapedesigners @oregonapld #rainwaterharvesting #rainbarrel #gardentour

The design lines in this project by Kathryn Prideaux were outstanding. Not pictured is a quiet nook on the side of the house designated for bird watching with at least six feeders overlooking a natural area, which of course I loved! #apld2023 #apld23 #apldoregon #iamapld #tucsonarizona #gardentour sonorandesertlife @oregonapld @landscapedesigners @prideauxdesign

This rooftop retreat by designer Shelley Ann Abbott in Tucson had a ton of lighting details that make me want to go back and see it lit up at night! 😍 #apld2023 #apld23 #imapld #apldoregon #tucsonarizona @landscapedesigners #sonorondesert @apldoregon

Learned about the amazing world of Cacti from Esmeralda at the Ponderosa Catcus, a family owned nursey specializing in… you guessed it, cacti! Thank you for sharing your space with us. @ponderosacactus.az Fun fact: saguaro cacti don’t begin growing their “arms” until they are around 150 years old! 🌵 #iamapld #apld2023 #apld23 #apldoregon #tucsonarizonaplantlife #sonorandesertplants #saguarocactus @oregonapld

Fair warning, I’m totally going to overpost this weekend! The shadows from the cacti against the white were gorgeous at this house. Tucson, Arizona. Design by Box Hill. #apld2023 #apld23 #iamapld #apldoregon @landscapedesigners @oregonapld @shopboxhill

Gorgeous Sonoran Desert residential landscapes at the APLD national conference in Tucson, Arizona! This design by Sonya Becker. #apld2023 #apld23 #iamapld #apldoregon#tucsonlandscapes #tucsongardendesign #gardentours #sonorandesertliving @landscapedesigners @oregonapld @sonyabeckerlandscapes

The smell of Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ in bloom is lovely this time year! Depending on the type of Camellia you have, yours may not bloom until Winter, but the blooms are a welcome sight (and smell for some, like Setsugekka) whenever they show up! #camelliasasanqua #nuthatchgardendesign #fallinterest #winterinterest #fragrantflowers

Fall gardening tip that also reduces yard work: leave some leaves this Fall for mulch and overwintering insect habitat! If you have more than you need for mulch, pile it up in a tucked away corner of the yard to slow-compost or toss in your hot composter throughout the year. 🍁 #gardeningtip #leavetheleaves #fallyardcleanup #insecthabitat #wildlifegardenhabitat #backyardhabitat

@xtabayvintage has the best statues in her yard! Just look at this one, holding up the fuschia pot. #vintagestatues #gardenideas #gardeninspiration

Agastache and Epilobium (California Fuschia, it’s the silver foliage with orange blooms in the background) still going strong this Fall. Asters are another great perennial continuing to bloom right now. #nuthatchgardendesign #fallblooms #epilobium #agastache #fallflowers #hummingbirdplants

What did your plants dress up as last night? 🎃

Last blooms of Fall in this #nuthatchgardendesign as we turn to colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours in the PNW.

I’m a muddy mess finishing up some installs for the season. More pictures to come when I’ve finished up for the year. In the meantime, looking back at Spring designs and installs for 2023, I noticed quite a bit of pink/purple shades, lime, and dark green, with feathery leaf texture contrasts. A #nuthatchgardendesign 2023 trend, perhaps? 😆

Sometimes a few pots in a perennial bed can really add that final touch of height and visual interest.

Tulips, daffodils, and crocuses, oh my! It was a hundreds of bulbs planting kinda week! It was so fun to return to finished design/install houses plus regular edit and pruning clients to get these bulbs in this week. It’s a great time to plant your Spring bulbs, if you haven’t already. Followed by hoping the squirrels don’t dig them up behind you. 🐿️

First day of Autumn! 🍁 I’m collecting the last of Summer’s bounty today before the rain arrives. And whoa, it’s been awhile since I posted in this space. There is a lot going on with the biz. Designs, installs, consults, I love my 🌱 business! Meeting all of you amazing clients and being entrusted to fulfill your dreams for your outdoor space is always a wondrous experience. I’ll start sharing more gorgeous design and install photos again soon as the weather continues to change!

Another gorgeous #gardenbouquet made by my twelve year old!

I visited this install last week and just had to snap a few photos with all the beautiful summer blooms! 🌸 🌱

It’s always a lovely evening when this female Rufous Hummingbird comes to visit us. Her dinner of choice is the Penstemon Kunthii, although we’ve also seen her catching insects in flight. #rufoushummingbird #penstemonkunthii

I hear “I’m not ready to get rid of my lawn because . . . [kids, dog, maintenance, etc.]” all the time. I think people need to come around to no lawn (or less lawn) in their own time, it doesn’t work to pressure anyone into it. But sharing facts about the hundreds of benefits of no lawn can definitely get people there faster. I have three kids, an average-sized PNW suburban yard, and no lawn. What do they do without a lawn? So much! I find them picking leaves and flowers and making mysterious and beautiful things with them. (Photos 1, 2, and 3) They pick berries and vegetables and edible flowers and snack on them (Photos 4, 5, and 6) They spot insects and come find me to ask about them (what is this? It’s hopping around on xxx plant, or I was blowing bubbles and found a butterfly come see it) and ask for binoculars to observe birds and become bird-fanatics. (Photos 7, 8, and 9) Kids are curious by nature. They will find something to do. And often, when they are surrounded by nature in their own yard, that thing they find to do is extra cool and creative. For sports, there is always a park or school yard.

One of my lovely clients sent me a few photos from a late Spring design and install. Time for a couple afters —-> befores! This design is around 20% native plants with the rest ornamentals and a specific request for a meadowscape view from a sunroom. Native plants included are Yarrow, Douglas Aster, Meadow Checkermallow, Rose Checkermallow, Creeping Mahonia, Western Geranium, and Chamisso Sedge. And an old stump became the perfect pedestal for a gorgeous bird bath!

TBT (on Wednesday 🤣) to when @lindsayrobbinspdxrealtor put together an extremely fun event complete with delicious pastries and tea where I got to blab on and on and on about the amazingness of native plants! And then we forgot to take a picture together. Next time!

Even the birds are happy with the new @xtabayvintage plantings and birdbath locations! #chestnutbackedchickadee #nuthatchgardendesign

I visited this #nuthatchgardendesign yesterday. It’s looking good! #nuthatchgardendesign

There are a crazy number of Echinacea varieties/hybrids on the market, but its natural form is by far the best. It’s stunning, it’s more reliable, it sets seed, and it’s the best for the greatest variety of pollinators. #echinacea #echinaceapurpurea

Nature is beautiful. #erigeronglaucus #beachdaisy

Do you ever sit outside with your morning cup of coffee or tea and wonder who all those beautiful bird sounds belong too? I am lucky enough to have multiple family members (including one of my kids!) who can accurately ID birds by sound. I am not that gifted but I love listening to the sounds. Bird Sound ID Tip for people like me who need a little assist: download the Merlin Bird ID app and it will tell you who you are listening to! This is not a sponsored thing, I don’t do sponsored things! It’s a free app that I personally find useful and fascinating. Here is a segment from what I’m hearing this morning. In addition to getting buzzed by some Hummingbirds. 😅

The sounds of the morning. Back garden has turned from the pinks and purples of Spring to the yellows and red/pinks of Summer. #nuthatchgardendesign #morningbirdsongs

Astilbe ‘Bridal Veil’ showing off in the shade. #astilbe #astilbebridalveil #shadeplants #nuthatchgardendesign #zone8b

And now the @xtabayvintage front yard! Lots of changes here. It used to be almost entirely lawn with a bunch of pots crowding up the entryway. We reshaped/reduced the lawn and added many shrubs and a few trees. The shrubs and trees are babies now so hard to distinguish in the photos but they will be super standouts in a few years. A gorgeous opened pathway to the front of the house with ground cover and a colorful perennial border. And placement of more birdbaths that were already on site. Such a fun project! My before photos don’t really line up with the afters so you get a midway photo instead of a before… First photo —> after Second photo —> midway (work by @views.llc) The rest of the photos —> after #nuthatchgardendesign

One more view of this backyard project before we head into the weekend. 💓

Another #nutchardgardendesign before and after for you! First —> after Second —> before Third —> after Fourth —> before Then a bunch more afters I am always honored when family trusts me with their design. And my wonderful sister-in-law’s backyard retreat is now complete! I had such fun working with @xtabayvintage on the design and plant selection! @views.llc did most of the install work, from a lot of clean up work to installing the back patio, to hauling in soil and mulch and more! I look forward to working with Jose and Alfonso on more design and install projects in the future. With many different birdbaths and statues on the property, I had my pick of decorative items to incorporate into the install. My favorite is the birdbath with the squirrel on it. But I couldn’t leave out David, little cherub dude, or the deer, either. Can you spot the owl in the after pictures? I’ll show you front yard before and afters soon!

Crocosmia always fascinates me as it comes into bloom. Even it’s long, flattened leaves create a lovely structural point in the Summer garden. Strikingly beautiful.

I’ve grown a lot of things, but never garlic until now. It was fun! I would definitely grow it again. “They” say garlic is a heavy feeder and you need to add a lot to the soil. I did not and the bulbs look great. 🤷‍♀️ I will add compost before I plant anything new in this bed though.

Hidden in plain sight: beans are starting to move their way up the arbor, peas are slowly finishing under the windows, strawberries are slowing but still producing, blackberries are fruiting, blueberries have started ripening, currants are delicious, honeyberries will be a little while longer, and the baby dwarf apple and persimmon have put on a ton of new growth. Happy Friday! #nuthatchgardendesign #permaculturedesign #ediblefrontyard

Eight Spotted Skimmer (female) (I think) pausing on a stake in the front yard.

Summer Solstice. And a bouquet compiled by my twelve year old, who puts together the loveliest of bouquets. ☀️

Planted last Fall, I visited this nook yesterday… it looks great and is starting to fill in nicely! #nuthatchgardendesign

Western Tiger Swallowtail season! They are obsessed with the Globe Gilia. #westerntigerswallowtail #papiliorutulus #globegilia #giliacapitata #pnwnativeplants

I still have a few final things to finish up on this courtyard project. But when I was working there on Friday morning and the rain kept coming down in a lovely drizzle, I just had to snap this one photo. —-> to see before. #nuthatchgardendesign

Another #nuthatchgardendesign project. This calming woodland corner did not go quite as planned last Fall. A critter decided some of the plants were too delicious to leave alone. I came back this Spring, moved some things around, and we decided to add a few different plants. It’s looking much better now. Swipe—> to see the before.

Here is a fun before and after through a few seasons of my own front yard. I designed it on paper before planting just as I would a client’s outdoor space. It’s designed for pinks/purples in spring, purple/salmon/red in summer, and orange/yellow/red/purple in fall. It’s also an edible yard with veggies and fruits mixed in, including: annual veg beds (outside photo to the left), peas/beans, blackberries, currants, artichokes, strawberries, honeyberries, and edible flowers. There is a baby dwarf persimmon tree and apple tree too that will change the space as they grow up and add shade and fruit. First photo —> now, late spring. Second photo —> before Third photo —> early spring Fourth photo —> late summer/early fall This outdoor space went completely unused when we first moved in. And the shrubs were growing over the sidewalk making it uncomfortable to walk by. Now, neighbors stop and sit on the wall as they stroll by, friends and family walk and run along the paths, snacking as they go, and it is literally humming with life. 🌱

One of my awesome DIY clients from last year posted a few photos last week. Which means it’s time for another set of before and afters! I need to get over there to see the whole thing soon but I thought I’d share these while the Mt. Everest Allium is still in full effect. First photo after, lots of summer/fall bloomers just starting their growing cycle in there too, then a before. Then an after of another section of the yard, followed by a before and another after view. Did you know I support DIY planting? I provide the design and plant list along with lots of tips. You buy the plants and put them in the ground according to the spacing on the plan. I love seeing what my clients can do all on their own! It looks so good! 😍

A gorgeous Friday morning! #nuthatchgardendesign

Here is an after photo, then a before for comparison, then a bunch more afters. When my client first bought this home, the landscape was fine but quite boring. The start of an idea was there. Someone had landscaped it with flagstone, nicely placed boulders, and added a few grasses (and tortured a vine maple into oblivion, ugh). But there was no movement or color or pizazz. My client loves flowers, especially flowers of soft purple/lavender and pops of bright pinks and purples. And so we amped it up times ten and relocated a few things. There will now be many colorful flowers blooming throughout spring, summer, and fall. There will be movement (thank you gaura with your whirling butterflies). We added a small styrax (‘evening light’) to emphasize a delicate feature. And we added definition to the canvas of flagstones with cedar bark chips and black metal edging. I extended the chips out past the seating area to round around a beautiful new green-blue pot to really draw the eye around the yard. After seeing that, my client exclaimed “oh, there is a little hill over there, I couldn’t even see that before!” The right design makes a difference. And every client has different goals in mind. I think one of my strengths is listening to clients and creating something that excites them and draws them out into their outdoor space daily. Design ideas are endless. Fitting the right design to the goals of the client that also fits with the layout of land, sun, and existing features, all within a client’s budget, that’s what I strive to achieve. I can’t wait to show you this space again a couple years from now when it all fills in! Happy gardening friends!

I’m back at this recent install today putting in the finishing touches. Before and after photos coming soon! #nuthatchgardendesign

Black Tailed Bumble Bee (I think) on Lupine. #blacktailedbumblebee #bombusmelanopygus #lupine #nuthatchgardendesign

I love Helianthemum (Sun Rose)! So versatile for those sun spots and the foliage is evergreen. It can sprawl/trail or stay more compact and bushy, depending on how you prune it. I have a variety of colors along a retaining wall in my own yard (first photo), most of which are easy to find at most retail nurseries. The white version ‘The Bride’ was harder to track down this year though and I really needed white to finish up a client project. @xeraplants to the rescue —-> these (second photo) are going in a client’s yard next week. Definitely worth the trek across the river to pick them up! #nuthatchgardendesign #helianthemum

A darling little native plant just coming into bloom. This is Blue-Eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium idahoense. Fun fact: it’s actually in the Iris family, it’s not a true grass despite it’s common name. And bonus it can handle those seasonally wet spots in your yard.

If you plant it, they will come. 😉😁 Gray hairstreak butterfly on my Sidalcea (Checkermallow) today. #nuthatchgardendesign #grayhairstreak #strymonmelinus #sidalcea #checkermallow #nativeplantsfornativepollinators

Yesterday, I played in my own yard and spent time with my family in celebration of Mother’s Day. Swipe to see what my yard looked like two years ago when we moved in. Amazing what a solid design plan and a lot of 💪 and 🌱 can do. There are a number of shade trees mixed in there too but they are all babies so hard to distinguish. #nuthatchgardendesign

Plants are amazing! In addition to enjoying the full view, I love to get really close up. The unfurling of a hosta in spring, the scent of many flowering plants, and even sitting still in one spot just to see which birds, bees, and butterflies are enjoying the same plants. #plantgeek 🌱 🌎

Another view from this #nuthatchgardendesign install this spring.

Balancing out the wildness of some of our native plants with thoughtfully selected human-made additions that provide for wildlife can really make a landscape design sing. #nuthatchgardendesign #nativeplants #pnwnativeplants #birdbath #wildlifefriendlygarden

A new #nuthatchgardendesign install to share. More photos to come later.

A little snippet of a recently planted #nuthatchgardendesign sidewalk strip. The manzanita will fill out to 3’ x 3’ in time. I’ll get a full view in a month when it’s even more in bloom.