Whimsical Woodland Garden
Ken and I bonded over our love for Ursula K. Le Guin, Lord of the Rings, and Sci-fi and Fantasy books. Ken is an avid walker who wanted his front yard to offer a picture of beauty to passerby's, like the many gardens he admires on his walks (one of which, he discovered, was one of my clients!). I wanted to give his yard beauty and fantastical whimsy. It was a perfect surprise when a flush of spotted amanita (Fly agaric) mushrooms popped up right after we planted. And just like Ken had envisioned, neighbors came to admire his new garden complimented by the delight of the fungi.
We removed a patchy lawn that wasn't doing well in deep shade and used berms to create contour. A swale-like rain garden captures water from the disconnected downspout. Lots of native plants and a mix of evergreen and deciduous perennials offer year round interest. Pops of fun flower colors and shapes like Corydalis 'blue heron' and pink spotted toad lily brighten the shady space.
LOCATION
Irvington Neighborhood,
NE Portland
GARDEN GOALS
- get rid of lawn
- create shape to remedy flatness
- plants to survive in deep shade
- inspirational beauty for passerby's
 BEFORE |  AFTER |  Freshly planted |
|---|---|---|
 Mapping out garden beds |  |  Ken pointing out his magical mushrooms |
 A happy Ken |  Fly Agaric mushrooms popping up in the yard |  |
 |  A swale-like rain garden to hold water from the disconnected downspout and add a stream-like visual effect |  |
 |  Whimsical shaped rocks and uniquely colored flowers add to the magic |  Stepping stones allow walking through the garden for exploration |
 A curved berm to add height and contour. Plants will eventually grow tall enough to hide the porch slab |  Wonderful garden helper, Jackson, planting the Japanese forest grass |  Laying out the mosaic of colorful ground covers |
 Design Concept |  Plant inspiration |  Plant inspiration |
 Plant inspiration |