Services - Plant People NW

Garden Design

At Plant People Northwest, we delight in creating garden spaces that bring health and enjoyment to our clients, as well as to the greater community and planet. Our gardens provide delicious food, habitat for birds and pollinators, stormwater runoff mitigation, and oftentimes the sweet relief of never mowing a lawn again.

We’ll design your garden to maximize the flow, beauty, and sustainability of your outdoor space. We can carve out a quiet and serene place of retreat; a kitchen garden with fruit trees, berries and vegetable beds; a sunny haven for birds and butterflies; or a woodland shade garden with ferns and dappled light. A careful assessment of soil health, drainage issues, and light and water availability will aid us in designing various elements and choosing the best plants to thrive in your garden.

Though the desire for immediate gratification is strong, we refrain from “overplanting”, which is a common practice of planting a new garden too densely in order to create a lush, full look at the start. We design so that each plant may reach its full potential and retain its structural beauty.

Structural Elements

A great garden has spaces that people remember: a bench in a sunny, sheltered spot with fragrant groundcovers underfoot. A wandering pathway that leads you through the garden from one surprise to the next. An open patio that invites you to step outside with bare feet. The flow of a garden is about more than just the plants. Structural elements create a sense of definition between the various “rooms” of your garden, as well as a backdrop for the beauty of your plants. We accomplish landscape construction projects, such as patios, pathways, and raised beds, during the quieter months of the gardening year. We’ll take the time to install these features properly so that the results last a lifetime.

Organic, Year-Round Garden Maintenance

Why Regular Maintenance?

When we spend time in your garden on a regular basis, we are more likely to see what needs to be done, communicate those things to you, and implement them in the proper timeline. We take responsibility for an action plan so that you can be only as involved as you’d like to be. With regular care, your garden won’t get out of control and require enormous cleanups. It becomes a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself!

What do you DO in the winter?

Winter is the best time of year for pruning most trees and shrubs. Winter is also the best time to put down a thick layer of mulch to insulate your plants’ roots and suppress spring weeds. Our year-round clients suffer less of a weed explosion in spring, and their gardens stay better maintained throughout the busy season.

What Year-Round Maintenance Includes

Skilled pruning of shrubs and small trees
Raking, weeding, and general cleanup
Organic fertilization of garden beds and lawns*
Maintenance of vegetable beds, fruit trees and berries
Mulching garden beds
Splitting perennials
Deadheading spent blooming plants
Maintenance, repairs and winterization of microspray irrigation systems

* Please note: we do not mow lawns.

Frequency of Maintenance

We offer year-round, holistic garden maintenance on either a monthly or every-other-month basis. Our minimum for these visits is 6 labor hours per month, or 8 labor hours every other month. If you’re not sure how much care your garden requires, please get in touch. We will meet with you to help customize a plan that fits your needs and budget!

Microspray Irrigation

A common misconception is that gardens require little water in the Pacific Northwest due to our reputation for rain. However, with our summers getting hotter and drier, an irrigation system is more essential than ever. Microspray irrigation is an effective, convenient and water-saving way to irrigate your garden. We connect your system to a timer to maintain a consistent watering schedule, so you don’t need to give it a second thought. As your regular maintenance team, we will keep an eye on the health of your plants and adjust the irrigation system as needed.

Consultation & Teaching

Our clients can schedule a one- to four-hour consultation if they wish to learn more about garden concepts. A skilled member of our team will work alongside you to teach correct pruning methods, learn the names and needs of your plants, coach you in vegetable or fruit production, or answer any questions you might have about the garden.