Consultations
Unsure where to start? Let's schedule a phone call to discuss what your garden and design needs are and we can figure it out together from there. Many garden coaching services are offered at an hourly rate.
Landscape Design
Detailed landscape design for a portion of a yard to an entire yard, created from measurements taken on site and discussions with you. You receive paper copies of a digitally hand-drawn design in color along with a detailed plant list and photos.
Installation
Support for the installation process, regardless of whether you are installing the design yourself, hiring me to install it, or needing a referral to a fantastic landscape contractor.
My Philosophy
I love to transform static residential yards into thriving, busy gardens that hold space for birds and beneficial insects flying in and out, with rich, nutrient-dense soil fueled by leaves and other plant debris, and numerous pathways for humans to connect and interact with our outdoor spaces in a deeper and yet respectful way. ïŧŋ
We can all become stewards of the land surrounding our homes. As a landscape designer, I can help you bring nature back into that space. You do not need a minimum budget nor do you need to have the ability to transform your garden overnight.
Let's work together at a pace and budget that works for you to create an outdoor living space. One that makes you want to get outside and connect with and value the plants and animals, and even the microorganisms, who live there.
Testimonials
We bought a home with a blank canvas backyard and we thought we knew our way around a nursery to do our own landscaping. We quickly learned, we did not. In came Nuthatch Garden Design to the rescue! Upon our first consultation, we knew Becky understood our vision, our style, and our budget. She provided us with a plan, complete with a beautiful detailed drawn map and the list of plants we needed to create our oasis.
We enjoyed searching for our plants at our favorite nursery, and discovered others at Becky’s suggestion. What fun bringing them home and knowing just where to plant them! Knowing that Becky considered the sunlight requirements and how the plants would complement each other, gave us a great peace of mind.
Simply put, we couldn’t create this beautiful yard without her! We highly recommend Becky at Nuthatch Garden Designs for all your landscaping needs. She’s a delight to work with and her expertise is invaluable!
- Kate W. and Joe C.
I moved into my house a year ago and needed a full landscape redesign. Becky at Nuthatch Garden Design had a real vision for my yard, incorporating my own favorite plants with her suggestions for native planting, year round color and interest, and what would do best in the different areas of my yard.
The overall result was beautiful with each area naturally flowing into the next. I now have curved pathways, a honeysuckle climbing over an arbor, and gorgeous plantings that flourished in the heat of summer. Becky’s love of gardening and of our natural surroundings comes alive in the plan that she created for me. I highly recommend her services.
- Martha G.
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Bleeding heart stealing the show in this woodland #nuthatchgardendesign. There are many different color options available at retail nurseries, but the best is the real deal native species for calming woodland vibes and ecological contribution. #dicentraformosaButton -
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When I haven’t been posting on instagram in awhile, that means I’m crazy busy on installs! Photos to come on those later. In the meantime, I’ll share this green roof/shade structure in my own yard that I designed and @viewsllc built for me last summer. All native sedum on the roof, looking happy and full after settling in over fall/winter. Serviceberry in bloom in the foreground. Mostly native plants in the ground (not in the planters though), my yard is gold certified with the backyard habitat certification program. Habitat yards can be both stunning and functional with the right design features! This space was already paved so the options were to depave and plant or create a sit spot. This sit spot gives us a nice long view of our yard and protection from afternoon sun. #amalanchieralnifolia #greenroof #shadestructure #moderngazebo #westernserviceberry #serviceberry #nuthatchgardendesign #pnwnativeplants #backyardhabitat #backyardhabitatcertification #gardendesign #gardendesigner #landscapedesign #kandscapedesigner #womanowned #womeninlandscapingButton -
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What’s in your rain garden? This gold certified backyard habitat rain garden has sedges, Sidalcea hendersonii, deschampsia cespitosa, there is a non native iris or two in there, a dogwood on the edge, some rocks and branches, it can handle this “torrential downpour” without any issue. By mid-spring it will be full of blooms and grassy stalks. Even better, I get to enjoy this one year-round because it’s in my own backyard! ðą #nuthatchgardendesign #raingarden #wildlifehabitatdesign #backyardhabitatcertification #rainswaleButton -
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Beautiful weekend! Spent the weekend hiking with my kiddos and husband and then tinkered in the yard while my kids played outside. âïļ We all giggled over the antics of two Varied Thrushes (Splash and Dash) in the bird bath and had a lovely view of Seedy, the Townsend’s Warbler yesterday. Snapped a photo of this little corner with crocus growing in the Douglas Meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasiii) patch. Last two photos make me happy because they are things my kids created in the yard over the weekend = signs that Spring is around the corner. ðĪĐ Back to work on all your lovely designs and prepping for plant installs today!Button -
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Fall install photos from the design I shared earlier this week. This was a complete blank slate before we started, no plants at all just an empty backyard. Now it’s full of life and color and movement! ð Plant selection was intentional for year round color and texture and a solid percentage of native plants. I’m going back for pruning/upkeep work this year so I’ll be able to capture some updated photos while I’m there! @views.llc did all of the install work on this one, Farmington Wholesale delivered a lot of the plants, I brought in the native plants and placed plants in their spots and helped with a few things here and there, and the project came together beautifully because teamwork is everything! ðŠ #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #gardendesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesigner #pollinatorgarden #nolawn #womanownedbusiness #womeninlandscapingButton -
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This is one of my favorite designs from last year (I say that about all of them! ð) that was installed in the Fall. It was a blank slate, new construction backyard. No lawn here, lots of support for birds and pollinators, a path perfect for wandering through the space, and a color palette that changes with the seasons! Mixture of native and non-native plants. Bonus, I have the privilege of being hired to maintain the garden with proper pruning techniques (all you fellow garden ðĪs out there know how important that is!), which I love because then I get to see it in all its glory year round! #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #gardendesignButton -
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I had these lovely ladies as company at my pruning job this morning! @beavertonneuro is all about the fruits and veggies, so pruning included fig trees, blueberry bushes, and a currant bush. I’m sketching out a new garden bed space too with the request that most everything in it be edible in some way. I love that! If you are looking for a holistic, gentle care option for anxiety and adhd, you should check out her business!Button -
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Dormant perennials like echinacea and grasses looking ð with the snowfall. Winter interest isn’t always about the evergreens! #nuthatchgardendesign #winterinterestButton -
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Here are some install photos of the design I shared earlier in the week. First is the long view of the front yard, second is the side view, then photos of plants waiting to head to their new home, and final, the before photo with just lawn. Thanks to @views.llc for their work in bringing the design vision to life! I am excited to see these plants grow in over the next few years! #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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These lovely clients wanted to remove their boring and resource-intensive front lawn and replace it with a native plant focused pollinator garden. We came up with a planting plan that had no trouble passing an HOA review. And we added a more wild pollinator planting to a corner in the backyard as well. Planted in Fall, I look forward to visiting in the Spring to see all the creatures who find will find the resources to thrive in this new habitat space! #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #pollinatorhabitat #nolawn #lifenotlawn #frontyardmakeover #pnwnativeplantsButton -
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Bringing the outside inside during Winter with plants native to our ecoregion… Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry) and Cornus sericea (Red Twig Dogwood) are one of my favorite pairings to snip and bring indoors. You can leave these two in a vase without water and they will continue to look good for over a month! ð ðą #nuthatchgardendesign #pnwnativeplants #naturalbouquetButton -
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Thought I’d highlight one of my many favorite plants that are native to the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Sunshine, Eriophyllum lanatum. A perennial that prefers little to no summer water, enjoys the sun, and is very easy to care for as long as you don’t fuss over it with extra water! Grayish green foliage that changes throughout the summer, flowers of varying yellow colors that are highly attractive to pollinators of all kinds. The yellow coloring is one that I find mingles well with both warm and cool color flowers. Flowers from late Spring through Summer. It’s on the Portland Plant List for all you Backyard Habitat clients. So much to love! ð·: all taken by #nuthatchgardendesign in installed designs. #oregonsunshine #eriophyllumlanatum #pnwnativeplants #backyardhabitat #habitatdesignButton -
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Install pictures from the design I shared last week! Install was late October, can’t wait to go back and put in a few final plants in the Spring and show you more photos then! Clients were full participants in planting + mulching from grandma through a 3rd grader. They were all amazing. Photo 1 - view of fall colors with the privacy screening around the hot tub in the background. Photo 2 - view of a sit spot near the hammock/reading space framed by a shade tree and perimeter flowers. Photos 3&4 - after/before, the long view of the seeded eco lawn space, mixed shrub/perennial bed, flagstone pathway, and short retaining wall. Transformed! ð #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesign #gardendesigner #gardenbeforeandafter #pnwgardening #pnwgarden #pnwgardensButton -
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Here is another 2024 design and install project to share. The homeowner had already installed the deck before I came on board. We separated out a large lawn space, very patchy so a good opportunity to overseed with an eco lawn mix, and then created two separate smaller no mow hammock and reading green spaces on the other side. With a pathway connecting the deck steps to the side of the house, you can now access all the spaces. Lots of flowering plants and structural plants to fill in the spaces. Lots of plants that smell good. Privacy screening around the hot tub. Really lush and inviting finish. There will be a maintenance component for the first year or two as there are likely some recurring weeds that will creep back in. But after that it should all fill in nicely and reduce maintenance. @views.llc did the a lot of work on this, the retaining wall, the pathway, the eco lawn compost add + seeding. Farmington Wholesale delivered most the plants. I procured the rest. The whole family… from grandparents on down to a 3rd grader… planted the plants with me and shoveled/spread the mulch afterwards. Can’t wait to see it in Spring when everything starts to put on growth and flower! ð #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesigner #gardendesignButton -
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Well hello there, little one. It’s good to see you. The first of the ornamental bulbs to emerge are snowdrops, Galanthus nivalus. Winter isn’t over yet. But snowdrops appearance is always my reminder that I can start to look around my garden and begin to see new growth emerging. You have to intentionally look for it this time of year, but it’s there for you to see if you take the time to look. #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Photo sent to me by a client with a Fall ‘24 install… finches enjoying seedheads. ð Leave those seedheads up, folks, birds enjoy the seeds and they add texture/winter interest to your landscape! Frosty mornings show off their beauty with particular grace. #nuthatchgardendesign #wildlifehabitatgarden #gardeningforwildlifeButton -
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Progress photos from the backyard habitat native plant design I shared earlier this week. Work done in the Fall, with a few more plants to put in this Spring. I look forward to sharing more photos in Spring! Photo 1 - midway progress, lots of mostly native plants in the ground, lawn resized! ðĪĐ This was mostly a DIY project, I helped with plants and homeowner did the rest! They even brought in their own habitat logs after this. ðŠ Photo 2 - the before: lawn, lawn, and more lawn. ðī Photo 3 - beauty photo of some of the plants on their way to their new home! ðą #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #nativeplants #pnwnativeplants #backyardhabitat #beforeandafterButton -
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It's 2025 and I still need to share some of 2024 with you! :) I thought I'd start with this awesome Backyard Habitat Certification front yard design from the Fall. Previously mostly lawn, client and extended family worked together to remove the lawn and do most of the install work. I had the honor and privilege to drop in after all the hard work was done with a load of native plants and dig them in together with the client. These lovely clients were a joy to work with and I appreciate their dedication to providing a beautiful habitat space for all the critters. I look forward to seeing how it all grows in over the next few years! #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesign #gardendesigner #backyardhabitat #nativeplants #nativeplantsoforegon #pnwnativeplants #designingwithnativeplants #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Whew! I haven’t posted in quite awhile! It’s been a busy busy install season and I look forward to sharing some of the designs and photos with you in this space over the next few months. For now though, I’ll leave you with this flurry of cute Pine Siskins who flew in and out over the weekend!Button -
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Thinking about phase one of this install from a month ago, privacy screening and visual emphasis around the hut tub, need to get some photos of phase two pathway by Views also already completed, and then phase three (plants) is happening in a few weeks. It’s another good one! Panels from @metalartfever interspersed with narrow growing evergreen plants. #landscapedesigner #gardendesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesign #hottubprivacy #privacypanel #privacypanels #metalartfever #nuthatchgardendesign #metaloutdoorpanels #pnwgardenButton -
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This was a really fun install with @views.llc! From a boring, resource-guzzling grass lawn at this new construction home to a no lawn, flowering oasis and picturesque pathway, heavy on the native plants but also combined with ornamental plants, for this homeowner who loves to support the local wildlife and values alllll the benefits of native plants! @views.llc puzzle pieced together the meandering flagstone pathway with patience, skill, and a lot of heavy lifting. Alfonso picked out the most perfect bird bath boulder to complement the new privacy trellis. Plants came from a combination of @xeraplants, @echovalleynativenursery, Champoeg Native Plant Wholesale, and Farmington Wholesale. They’ll take the Fall and Winter to settle in their roots and then the flower show will begin anew in the Spring and Summer. In the meantime, redtwig dogwood will brighten things up in the center island throughout the winter. It takes a village! And my client shared with me that hummingbirds began showing up the very next day! Hooray! I get to stay involved with maintenance on this one so you’ll see updates as these baby plants grow in over the next few years. #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womeninlandscaping #pnwnativeplants #backyarddesign #naturescaping #wildlifehabitatgarden #pollinatorgarden #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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When you want privacy from the neighbor, but a welcoming entry gate on your side, and you sprinkle it with a little moon gate vibe, you get this! ðĪĐ And in case you were wondering what is going to go on the inside of the fence, we’re going to espalier a Garrya elliptica (Silk Tassel, native plant but not PPL native) on the inside. Boom ðĨ. Oh yeah… that’s right, it’s going to be a-ma-zing (in like ten years when it grows in ð ). Thank you to @views.llc for making my quickly-sketched vision of this gate and fence come to life! #nuthatchgardendesign #moongate #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gateideas #womaninlandscape #womanownedbusiness #gardendesign #gardendesign #welcomingentry #gardenideas #gateButton -
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When people tell me they want to remove their lawn but are worried they won’t “fit in” if they remove it, I say just look at this stunning no lawn front yard that I designed and installed a few years ago! My client tells me she regularly receives compliments from people out walking. ðąð #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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A native plant palette mixed with a few others, just waiting for install time! #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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This #nuthatchgardendesign is really starting to fill in. Total overhaul to this backyard a few years ago. It’s filled with the client’s favorites along with a spattering of tried and true native plants for habitat value. My client maintains her garden with utmost love and dedication. It’s always a pleasure to take updated photos!Button -
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A vibrant flowering entry installed at the end of spring (crocosmia and lavender already existing). Those existing crocosmia will have to be kept in check a bit and I look forward to seeing this space fill in over the next few years! #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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A cozy sit spot in my own #nuthatchgardendesign. ðButton -
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Nodding onion (allium cernuum) in a well established #nuthatchgardendesign, leaves me wondering why I haven’t planted this in my own garden yet! ð Bonus for all my wildlife habitat certification clients, this native plant is on the Portland Plant List!Button -
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A great update to this corner with Panicum grass that you can’t see yet along the fence line, deep pink peony, mango kniphofia, grounding evergreen bright lime dwarf cryptomeria. Photo taken right after planting. Can’t wait to see it again three years from now when it’s really hopping! #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Plant styled as food. Artistry and creativity by my children. ðButton -
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A welcoming side entry with paver steps, a handrail, and privacy screening. This was previously a slippery barren gravel hill with no plants or soil. A huge improvement! #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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A beautiful set of purples, pinks, and lime to dark greens that I installed earlier this Spring. I didn’t get a good picture after install. It’s a mini phase one of a multi phase project though so hopefully I’ll be able to show more “in the ground” photos another time. ð #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Photos from this first summer for the “Pollinator Patch.” #nuthatchgardendesign provided the design and plants, clients used nurse logs from a tree that had to be removed from elsewhere on the property and did the planting. First summer and it’s already starting to pop! We used a combination of non-natives the clients were relocating from another space and brought in native plants and a few more non-natives. For the design, I focused heavily on creating drifts of plants by season. I sketched the nurse logs in midway on the slope to function as habitat and year-round interest, as well as soil and water retention. These clients are already amazing gardeners without any help from me so I was extra honored that they asked me to design their Pollinator Patch for them. ðą ð ð Also, they gave me homemade pickles! ðĨ Yum.Button -
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A gorgeous Lupine that I planted last year, photo in bloom this summer, at a lovely garden where I do some plant updates and pruning a few times a year.Button -
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Photos of plants I installed just before Summer in front of this beautiful boulder wall and waterfall. The challenge with the plant choices for this space was that the plantings needed to flow along a long border with a distinctly different sun/shade pattern along the border. To keep it balanced I used similar colors throughout… Yellow daylily, orangey-red Koi Geum, and red Monarda in the sunnier spots and soft caress Mahonia (yellow flowers), orangey-red Fireball Azalea, red Fanal Astilbe, and red/lime green Solar Eclipse Heucherella in the shadier sections. It will have a cohesive feel throughout the whole year, with evergreens placed where they can be seen in winter from a primary window. #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Took a break this weekend after my last plant install before the hotter summer temps arrive. I puttered about the snow on Wy’East/Mt. Hood with the fam and enjoyed the much needed break. Saw Mountain Bluebirds, Cassin’s Finches, and a Horned Lark and patches of Phlox. Photos of all the installs/designs to come soon after I catch up on some design work!Button -
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Using containers to frame a deck in a #nuthatchgardendesign.Button -
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Oh the difference a week makes in berry season. This weekend’s harvest vs. last weekend’s in my own “edible focused” front yard. Because people ask I’ll share in advance this time: no, I don’t have a separate garden bed for my strawberries, they co-exist with everything else as a groundcover. No, those are not blueberries (they aren’t ripe yet), they are honeyberries! If you haven’t grown those yet, you should! The leaves are so soft and the form is pleasant shrub-like. They can also handle some shade.Button -
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More client pictures sent to me, I love receiving these and reading the sweet messages sent along with them! A thriving, flowering sidewalk strip planted last Spring, a newly planted Hebe in bloom, and a deliciously smelling Styrax in bloom planted a year or two ago. ðąððą #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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I love receiving update photos from my client’s gardens! We put these plants in their new home last Spring and just look at the gorgeousness emerging this year! ð #nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Attended one of our @apldoregon (association of professional landscape designers) events yesterday, this one on furniture. Paul at @terrisdraheimoutdoor is sure to be a phenomenal resource for us to help clients access long lasting, quality outdoor furniture that perfectly fits their landscape design and suitability needs here in the PNW. Fantastic event!Button -
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Native plants in bloom (not all are PPL) over the weekend in my #nuthatchgardendesign #wildlifehabitatgarden.Button -
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Spent a lovely Mother’s Day weekend in my own #nuthatchgardendesign #backyardwildlifehabitat. And received handmade suncatchers and bouquets. Perfection. ðButton -
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I was adding plants to a side yard at this client’s house yesterday and just had to take a quick pause to photograph this pot near the front entry that I put together last Spring. It still looks amazing this year! No need to change anything out there. ð #nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #gardeninspiration #gardenideas #containergardendesigneeButton -
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Oh, #columbineaquilegia. I adore you. You are so cool and unique. âĪïļð§Ąð #nuthatchgardendesign #pnwnativeplantsButton -
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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 #ðŠðŠðŠðŠButton -
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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 #tulipinspirationButton -
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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 #designinspirationButton -
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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(ð!) while Prunella vulgaris is more of a prolific ground cover. #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #pollinatorplants #plantideas #landscapedesign #wildlifegarden #wildlifehabitatgarden #giliacapitata #collomiagrandiflora #prunellavulgarisButton -
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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 #canvaButton -
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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 #ðŠðŠðŠðŠButton -
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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. ð·: @nuthatchgardendesign #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #plantideas #landscapedesign #reflectivegarden #moongarden #calminggarden #brunnera #hellebore #athyriumButton -
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This week in my own #nuthatchgardendesign native plant garden. Redtwig dogwood (nativar), Red Flowering Currant, Camas, Early Blue Violet.Button -
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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 #ðŠButton -
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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 #canvaButton -
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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 #ðŠButton -
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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. ðButton -
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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. ðButton -
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Wow, breathtaking Magnolia in bloom. I was in a hurry but I stopped in my tracks when I spotted this beauty! ðButton -
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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. ðŠ #nuthatchgardendesign #gardencoaching #pnwplants #nativeplants #pollinatorplants #hummingbirdgarden #plantideas #landscapedesign #wildlifegarden #wildlifehabitatgarden #ribessanguineum #mahonia #oemleriacerasiformis #redfloweringcurrant #osoberry #oregongrapeButton -
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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 #morpholiotraceButton -
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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 #morpholiotraceButton -
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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 #birdbathButton -
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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. ð 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 #planttipsButton -
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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. ð ð ðą #nuthatchgardendesign #plantingplan #pollinatorgarden #designinspiration #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womanownedandoperated #womeninlandscape #morpholiotrace #canvaButton -
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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 ð· cred: @nuthatchgardendesignButton -
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Does anyone else think this Magnolia stellata bud looks like an Old English Sheepdog?Button -
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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! ð 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 #winterbloomsButton -
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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. #springbloomsButton -
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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 #indoorplantideasButton -
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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. ð·: #nuthatchgardendesign #heuchera #purpleheuchera #mahonia #mahoniasoftcaress #hakonechloa #hakonechloamacraaureola #plantideas #plantcombinations #gardenideas #pnwgardening #landscapedesign #landscapedesigner #gardendesign #gardendesigner #womeninlandscaping #womanownedButton -
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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… ðĪĐðą.Button -
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Amazing colors in the Sunrise this morning! Is anyone else noticing the birds “sounding of Spring” today? #appreciatenature #earthoutdoorsButton -
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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!Button -
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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. ð· cred: @nuthatchgardendesign and @plantmasterofficial #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspiration #pnwnativeplantsButton -
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The PNW winter deciduous landscape is stunning this time of year and holds a surprising amount of color. ðButton -
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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. ð 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! ðķ 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. ðĪŠButton -
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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. ð· cred: @nuthatchgardendesign #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspirationButton -
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It’s that time of year when seed heads steal the show!Button -
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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. ð· cred: @nuthatchgardendesign and @plantmasterofficial #landscapedesigner #landscapedesign #gardendesigner #gardendesign #womanownedbusiness #plantcombo #plantideas #designideas #yearroundinterest #gardeninspiration #plantinspiration #pnwnativeplantsButton -
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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.Button -
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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 #euoynmusButton -
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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. âŧïļButton -
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The only “cactus” in my own home/garden, which is really a succulent not a cactus ð, is timely in bloom. I’ll be back in this space again next Monday!Button -
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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 #pollinatorpatchButton -
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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. ð 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 #pnwgardenButton -
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Look at this Yucca in bloom in Portland! ðButton -
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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 #womanownedbusinessButton -
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At the University of Arizona, this is five stories of over-structure garden terraces, it was stunning! #iamapld #apld23 #apld2023 #apldoregonButton -
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“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 #gardentourButton -
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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 @prideauxdesignButton -
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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! ð #apld2023 #apld23 #imapld #apldoregon #tucsonarizona @landscapedesigners #sonorondesert @apldoregonButton -
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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! ðĩ #iamapld #apld2023 #apld23 #apldoregon #tucsonarizonaplantlife #sonorandesertplants #saguarocactus @oregonapldButton -
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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 @shopboxhillButton -
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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 @sonyabeckerlandscapesButton -
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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 #fragrantflowersButton -
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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. ð #gardeningtip #leavetheleaves #fallyardcleanup #insecthabitat #wildlifegardenhabitat #backyardhabitatButton -
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@xtabayvintage has the best statues in her yard! Just look at this one, holding up the fuschia pot. #vintagestatues #gardenideas #gardeninspirationButton -
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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 #hummingbirdplantsButton
