I recently had the opportunity to revisit a garden we had installed 5 year ago and I was thrilled to see how beautifully the homeowners had looked after it! The skies were grey that morning but this colorful oasis shone regardless. Designing and planning for growth and evolution of a garden isn't always easy. Considering mature growth of plants and knowing what and when to edit is a key skill but also designing for the growth of the family. In this instance, the four young children had all grown up and are now ages 14-22 but they still love to hang out in the garden whenever they can and it still feels like a private retreat for the family. I shared this garden makeover shortly after installation was complete but thought you might enjoy seeing how things have matured so in this post while I've copied/pasted portions of the original post I've added in updated photos for you to compare plus a few extras to help you better understand the space.

2020 Design Brief

Covid had many of us re-defining what was important. With movements and social interactions severely reduced, our homes became far more than just a place to eat and sleep, but also an office,  a home schooling center, and often a necessary oasis from the chaotic world beyond our borders. When a lovely family in Snohomish, WA asked me to re-design their garden as a private retreat with multiple, functional destinations for them to enjoy I couldn't help but smile. This wasn't about curb appeal or entertaining the neighbors, this was about utilizing their garden as an extension of their home primarily for their own enjoyment. I was thrilled!

The problems

Before I can design a garden to be more functional I need to analyze what isn't working.

    1. Deck was too small

The original aggregate patio had been overlaid with a deck, which while offering an updated appearance still left the space far too small for even a modest dining set and the BBQ had to be perched on concrete blocks off to one side

    2. Access  felt awkward

The only entry point to the garden was a single door from the kitchen, at the far end of the house. To make matters worse, when walking out onto the existing deck you felt squeezed between a cedar bench and trellis combination, added for privacy from the neighbors yet the problem it created outweighed the solution it was intended for.

   3. Waterlogging during winter

The existing storm drain catchment system had long since ceased to function making the back garden a quagmire in the winter

  4. Wide but shallow lot

The wedge shaped garden was going to need a few design tricks to make it feel deeper than it actually was. Additionally the lawn was not a design element but rather a filler in between random plants.

The wish list

• A patio large enough for 6
• A separate fire pit area
• A full, abundant look but using lower maintenance plants including spring-flowering trees and fall color
• An easy-care water feature
• Drainage corrected
• A kid friendly space that would provide opportunities for teenagers to have a private space in the future.

The solutions

Improved access

New French doors leading from the dining area and removing the cedar bench and lattice structure opened up the space significantly, with both doors opening onto a large, level patio using dimensional pavers. Generous landings and easy steps make this a comfortable transition from the home and enabled us to build the two patios on a single level.

Multiple destinations and lawn revision

The primary destination consists of a large dining patio close to the home and a circular firepit area just a few steps away. Both lead easily onto a generous grass path that invites the family to explore the remainder of the garden. From the fire pit patio the family has a view down the grass path to the far corner of the garden which features a small circular grass lawn and a secluded bench.  

Privacy screening

With the original cedar bench and lattice removed, the garden felt exposed to the neighbors once again. This area has a storm drain so planting is not possible to create the necessary privacy. Instead the contractors added a removable boardwalk using recycled decking boards to cover the drain, then built a custom art panel which acts as a focal point and effectively blocks that view. The trees on the neighbors side will flank this to complete the effect.  

Kid zones

I'd honestly love to adopt these children – rarely have I met such polite young people! We had some fun conversations about what they might like in their new garden and the ideas they came up with were wonderful. The unused north garden now has stock tanks for edibles, a bistro set for snacks with friends and plenty of room for a potting bench and an outdoor movie screen for fun family nights.

Plant selection

By focusing on a foliage framework and lower maintenance shrubs rather than demanding perennials, this garden is much easier to care for. An irrigation system makes weekends away not only possible but worry-free.

What the homeowners said:

We are surprised by how much larger our yard feels now, every bit of it has a purpose and is not wasted.The kids go outside to do homework or visit with friends, we've taken conference calls outside, enjoyed reading, eaten dinner together quite comfortably, and sat around the fire roasting marshmallows while the sun went down. It's like an extra room to our house, another place to go and it's so peaceful out there. Having the french doors helps pull us into the yard too, walking down our stairs, we see the backyard and fountain through the doors and it's so inviting to just walk out there now.  Lastly, watching the garden change each day has been a real joy as things grow and blossom and change. Thank you.

And 5 years later:

Five years later we still enjoy the garden as much as we did when it was first designed. Every year we look forward to the warmer weather so we can get back outside to visit and relax at the end of the work day, or read with a cup of coffee in the morning. The fire table has become a favorite place for our growing kids to hang out with their friends during warm summer evenings.  One thing we’ve come to appreciate is the visual interest all year long with changing colors and textures. We love watching the bees and hummingbirds enjoy the flowers that bloom throughout each seasons. The garden is especially enjoyable because of its low maintenance. With occasional weeding, pruning, and seasonal cleanup the yard always looks beautiful. Every spring it comes back to life and fills in more lushly, year after year.

Contractors: Berg's Landscaping Does your garden do all that? Is it time to re-evaluate it's purpose?