KGW interviewed me for a story on Portland's home improvement market. We discussed how both the housing boom and weather play a role. 

This is the first guest post we have ever accepted on our landscaping blog. My sister Holly, and her husband Sean, live in NY. When work took them to Japan in February they go the chance to see real Japanese gardens. My sister came back with a love of them she didn't have before. Read on for her thoughts, and a bunch of great pictures!

Portland Cleaning Service

My good friends Joel and Shannon Ward have a business I want to share with you: JCW Cleaning. They are Portland based and offer window and office cleaning.

Why am I telling you this?

Joel is a great friend and I know he does excellent work. I also know how hard it is to find someone you can trust to do any kind of work around your house. Joel has been in business for many years, but has just started with his website. So this is my way to help my friend and you, my loyal readers :-)

Putting a landscape design together for a client is a process. Sometimes a long process.

It may take time, but the design process has a purpose and our clients enjoy it.

Find out why it's a good thing that Ross NW Watergardens landscape designs take time:

That amazing plant has long term costs. How much maintenance will it require? How much water will it use? Before you head to the nursery this spring spend a couple minutes thinking about the true cost of the plants you will add to your Portland landscape!

If you have been following along with the expansion of Portland's Japanese Garden, then you know the name Kengo Kuma, the world renowned architect of the Cultural Crossings project.

His first US exhibition is coming to Portland in February. "Tsunagu", Japanese for "connect", will do just that; connect people to his work at the Japanese Gardens.

Everything You Need To Know About Bark Dust

The most underrated way to improve your landscaping? Bark dust. It's nothing more than pieces of bark and wood that have been run through a grinder. Simply spreading it over the open spaces in your beds will make them look fresh and finished.

To help you out I have put together a list of the most common gravel choices available here in Portland. For each I will also suggest uses, pro's and con's, and approximate prices. Enjoy!

Worried that you will ruin the environment while beautifying your landscape? Follow this (only semi-serious) plan for a guilt free garden:

A couple of weeks ago I visited unusually warm (thanks El Nino!) New York City. The trip wasn't about sight seeing, but I did have two free Saturdays. The first Saturday I went to the High Line park (pictures here). The second Saturday I checked out Brooklyn's Botanic Garden.