Planting Design & Gardens
Thoughtful plant selection and garden design for Eastside properties. We choose plants based on site conditions, long-term performance, and your maintenance capacity—not trends or impulse.
We provide planting design as part of comprehensive landscape projects or as focused garden renovations. Our approach prioritizes site-appropriate plant selection, realistic maintenance expectations, and long-term performance over short-term visual impact.
What We Do
Planting design is the practice of selecting and arranging plants to achieve functional, aesthetic, and ecological goals while accounting for site-specific conditions and long-term performance. On Eastside properties, this work is most effective when it is coordinated with grading, drainage, and hardscape decisions before installation begins.
We assess sun and shade patterns, soil conditions, drainage behavior, existing vegetation, and microclimate variation before finalizing plant selections. This helps avoid the common failure pattern of choosing plants by appearance first and adapting the site later.
Planting design typically addresses:
- Site conditions, including light exposure, soil composition, and moisture behavior
- Functional goals such as privacy screening, view framing, and circulation edges
- Layering and composition across trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers
- Maintenance thresholds aligned with how the property is actually managed
- Mature plant dimensions to prevent overcrowding and recurring rework
Why Planting Design Requires Planning
Many planting failures originate before installation. Common issues include mismatched plant-to-site conditions, spacing based on nursery size instead of mature form, and planting strategies that ignore drainage or soil limitations.
A planning-led planting strategy is designed to reduce:
- Plant loss from poor site fit
- Excessive pruning and replacement caused by overcrowding
- Decline from unmanaged moisture or compaction conditions
- High-maintenance palettes that do not match homeowner expectations
Relationship to Landscape Architecture and Design-Build
Planting performs best when coordinated with site planning and construction. Drainage strategy, grade transitions, and hardscape layout directly influence root health, irrigation behavior, and long-term garden stability.
Related: Landscape Architecture, Design-Build, Drainage & Grading, and Our Process.
Ready to Discuss Your Project?
If your property needs planting renewal, privacy screening, or a complete garden strategy, thoughtful planting design helps align performance, maintenance, and long-term visual structure. Request a consultation to assess your site and define the right approach before installation begins.
