GOAL: To make the 3/4 acre property more private, serene, organize a variety of outdoor rooms for different uses, connect the gardens around the home, and keep the maintenance manageable.

This welcoming home now features 3 main areas for entertaining, many spots for sitting quietly, a lovely garden 'shed' near the productive vegetable garden, a variety of pathways through sun and shade--all places to enjoy the quiet wooded setting. Colorful art is paired with plants throughout the site. All windows and pathways have lovely views all year long. Sunrises are enjoyed from the ipe back deck and sunsets from the bluestone entry terrace.

CHALLENGE: This tight 30'x90' urban site needed more privacy for quiet relaxation and entertaining. It lacked interesting focal points. The plantings were chaotic and it lacked interest.

NOW: The blue garden door hints at the secret urban surprise ahead. Several paths and stepped terraces gracefully absorb the 8' slope. Outdoor rooms and paths encourage exploring plants and observing the animals at the birdbaths and feeders. A variety of humorous, affordable art pieces are tucked throughout the garden waiting to be discovered. Large-leaved dramatic plants mix with finely textured ones. The many evergreen plants and the colorful garden art

are interesting even in winter.

The connection between the kitchen and garden was enhanced by redesigning the back stairs and deck. Utility storage is hidden now with additional seating over it.

Handy garden storage was carved out of unused space under the house.

The curtained pavilion holds a comfortable L-shaped sofa and coffee table. Two small modern  fountains muffle the ever-present urban noise. In another seating area four chairs surround a fire table for chilly evenings. The surrounding fences are covered with climbing hydrangeas giving the garden a softer 'green room' feeling. It is now a well-used landscape. 

The Mid-Century Modern home's interior was recently remodeled by the architect owner. It was featured in the Seattle Times Northwest Magazine.

LANDSCAPE CHALLENGE:  The exterior needed a refresh. Much of the concrete driveway was removed, planting beds were expanded and curved. Plantings were largely refreshed and are drought-tolerant. Now the entry and both patios are welcoming and enjoyable throughout the year. Privacy was enhanced everywhere and the new landscape is now a lovely fit with the architecture. This garden was featured on the 2019 West Seattle Garden Tour.

CHALLENGE:  Design the landscape for a custom home. Requests:  outdoor entertaining, many hydrangeas and roses, calm landscape, grass for kids, attractive plants in every season, good circulation

throughout the property.

This comfortable home was almost finished when Land2c began designing the exterior. The open-concept main floor has 3 sets of French doors opening onto the partially covered terrace. The  patio area was tripled in size from the architect's concept and became three curving continuous terraces. The middle terrace has a built-in seating wall for trays of food, drink, and extra seating. The views out to the back garden are lovely and change throughout the seasons. The clients are avid gardeners and the collection of their favorite plants--hydrangeas and roses--light up the garden pathways that circle the home.

CHALLENGE: This urban view home on a steep site needed a usable, landscape that highlighted the views, a new chicken coop, an entertaining area, and vegetable and fruit spaces.

The entry was rehardscaped and a new recessed tall gate for security matches the existing metal fencing. The plantings now are largely evergreen for interest all year long. In the rear, the upper deck looks out over the new landscape to the city view with new outdoor furniture. A new stone pathway leads to a lighted terrace with a curved seating wall around a fire bowl. New generous stairs connects to the pathway that leads by a trellised garden swing, a large pot fountain, and continues through three vine-covered wire trellises to the new recessed terrace. Many plants have been planted to fill the garden with bright cutting flowers, lush grasses and evergreen shrubbery, vines, and ferns.

CHALLENGE: More entertaining space in a 15' narrow space for a pizza oven, BBQ, seating for a crowd, all with a steep rockery edge. Also add a vegetable garden and a shady seating area on the property sides and a hot tub for two. 

SOLUTION: Cantilever a wooden deck with built -in seating and add more stone terrace. Use containers to 'green up' the new hardscaping. The front area now supports 30 dinner guests. The sides host the vegetables and bistro seating, and the small hot tub can be tucked into the back area in a maple grove. 

CHALLENGES: Make the entry courtyard welcoming and more secure.

The main entry for a two-story stylish urban townhouse is through a small 12’ x 15’ fenced courtyard. The new custom courtyard entry door is now locked and the area is secure.

A more gracious entry area was required.

The fence was sided with shingles matching the condominium. Evergreen vines-cover the fence and ceramic containers distract from unwanted views of neighboring properties.The sheen of the flagstone echoes the metallic glazes of the planted containers which echo the stylish interior. The courtyard planted with evergreens is now appropriately welcoming. 

This multi-level young family's waterfront home needed more contemporary polish and additional outdoor space. The entry is now welcoming with dark wood wrapping the garage & ADU, new wooden garage and entry doors, all new landscaping, and the utility bins are hidden.

The site is very steep with over 90' of vertical drop between street level and the waterfront. Several custom planters soften the steep entry stairs. New stone symmetrical staircases were added on the waterside, the planters stepping up the steep hill are now re-clad with steel, an outdoor kitchen/living room was added, artificial turf replaced muddy winter grass for soccer games, the exterior paint was darkened and several concrete walls were painted and others clad with a tailored stone wrap. Outdoor lighting has been added  in an updated contemporary style. Hardy plantings provide an abundance of colorful pops throughout the NW seasons.

The Queen Anne commercial area had become shabby and unattractive. In 2005  we started a volunteer group eventually named 'Picture Perfect Queen Anne' to help make the avenue more welcoming. The volunteer group applied for and received a grant to commission urban planners, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, to work with the community to re envision the commercial area. The resulting 2007 document is called 'Queen Anne Avenue Streetscape Master Plan' which has been used by the city as a model for neighborhood development. Following the Master Plan the city reworked several of the intersections making them safer but in need of landscaping.

Queen Anne is Land2c Landscape Architecture's neighborhood. We volunteered to provide the initial landscape designs for the 3 involved intersections. We continue to provide landscape updates as needed. PPQA is still successfully  promoting the Master Plan vision as the neighborhood               grows and changes.

Land2c values clarity and team work when we design earth-friendly projects for clients' needs.

Each project includes a comprehensive Landscape Notebook about your project. It includes Before pictures, a buying sheet listing all plants and sizes needed, a descriptive page of each plant with photographs, seasonal care Instructions for your landscape, construction detail drawings if they were needed,  landscape maintenance and tool suggestions, and computer drawn hardscape and planting plans. This should make caring for your new landscape manageable if you do the upkeep or if you have others take care of it.