You did your research (or paid a designer to). You went to the nursery (or paid your landscaper to). You carefully chose a location for your new plant, dug a hole, and planted it (or...you get the picture). Then you watered the plant and waited for it to grow. 

Now, less than a year later, it is dead or dying. What happened? I have 3 good answers for you:

Everyone wants a deal. I get it. So you have three bids, from three landscape companies. Why is one bid higher than the others? Should you just go with the low bid?

There is often a good reason one bid is higher. And sometimes that means you would be wise to pay it. But there are projects where the low bidder probably makes sense. I will explain it all here:

Clean, sleek, sophisticated. This not how I would describe a typical Portland landscape. Our gardens are lush and rowdy. Portland is full of gorgeous gardens- but very few modern ones.

Is that changing? Is Portland on the cusp of embracing a more modern landscape design aesthetic?

I think so, for a couple reasons:

No, our site was not hacked by some other Portland landscaper.

We just realize that we should not try to be "all things to all people". And that's ok. Your landscaper is out there. 

Here are a couple reasons you might NOT want to hire us for your landscape project:

For 9 days in January you can get free admission to the excellent Lan Su Chinese Garden. 

If you have never been to the Chinese Garden you are missing out! The garden is small, but every square inch is covered with intricate beauty.

For more on the Chinese Garden's Nine Free Days check out the full post.

The Backyard Habitat program is growing!

This is good news for all the animals we share our neighborhoods with.

The program is already in Portland and Lake Oswego. I see the little "Backyard Habitat" signs all over my neighborhood in NE PDX. It's not surprising to see this great initiative growing.

Now Gresham and Fairview landscapes can be certified too.

Here at Ross NW Watergardens we love stone. Mica slate, river rock, Mexican pebbles, gravel, decomposed granite, basalt... and probably some other ones I am forgetting. 

Bluestone, however, has a special place in our hearts.

We don't use it the most often and it's not right for every landscape design client. But when we do utilize bluestone it's fantastic.

I am sure it was a beautiful garden at one time. But over the years it had really suffered. Plants had been sheared into balls. The water feature had been taken apart and put back together badly. Random plants had sprouted in odd places. Trees had been mangled by storms.

Could this mature landscape be saved? Perhaps even be restored to something better?

Portland is a town full of wonderful outdoor spaces- and Landscape Architects have played a major role in that.

Apparently it's not just Portlanders who recognize this. The American Society of Landscape Architects has published an interactive guide to the city of Portland. It's well done and a nice recognition of what our outdoor spaces have to offer.

I recently wrote about the advantages of working with a landscape design/build contractor, like Ross NW Watergardens.

And while I believe in the model, I recognize that it has some drawbacks. Working with a landscape designer can ensure continuity, flexibility, and space. What does that mean? Read on to find out!