Family Exploration Garden
Contractor: Prestige Landscape
This project was a patient unfurling, and one that held many lessons in experimentation. The owners purchased this new home in part because of the large garden potential (back yard will be done at a later phase), and almost right away, they reached out with excitement to get garden ideas flowing: exploratory paths, a centering area for grounding and meditation, big rocks for the adults to sit on or for their daughter to play on, a rain garden, edible trees and shrubs! But, setbacks on house renovations delayed the project for one year, and then another. While it was hard for all of us to wait to put plants in the ground, we had time on our side to really finesse the design and do some DIY work in phases. Here's some lessions we learned:
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Lesson 1: Sheet mulching requires babysitting
We started by sheet mulching the front yard with cardboard and wood chips. But because it sat for so long and the owners weren't living there to keep any weeds that popped up under control, the opportunistic grass just came right back.
Lesson 2: Solarization works best for single areas, not complex shapes
Then we attempted solarization, where you lay down thick clear plastic in the summer and it heats up weeds and seeds, killing them and leaving bare soil underneath. We found that this worked in areas, but noxious weeds like crab grass grew prolifically around the edges and it was impossible to smother the WHOLE yard because of the existing trees in the landscape.
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Lesson 3: Utilize what you've been given
When house renovations required some major digging in the back for a dry well system, we utilized the excess soil to build up a berm at the edge of the front yard to create a naturalistic hedge of privacy plants. The owners saved money here from having to have a contractor bring in soil for this part of the design in the future. If life gives you soil, use it!
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Lesson 4: Sometimes, you just need a machine
With our failed attempts at successfully killing all the grass in the front, our contractor, Prestige, got in there and ripped up the remaining weeds with an excavator. But it was easy, quick work, and less overall material to haul off to the dump than a fully intact lawn. The wood chips from sheet mulching worked their way into the soil over the last two years, adding organic material to loosen the existing clay soil. All was not in vain!
After beginning garden plans in 2021, we were finally able to install plants in the Fall of 2023, just a few weeks after they finally moved in — the best homewarming gift! It was ceremonial, joyous, and so sweet to share the experience with their daughter, Maeve, who was an excellent little helper.
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The garden offers welcoming curbside appeal in a very communal and walkable neighborhood where the owners can sit in front while talking to passing by neighbors, while the densely planted front berm provides a sense of separation from the street, offering increasing privacy over time. Having a curving kidney bean shaped island bed allows for pathway exploration around it on all sides that open to a widened seating area with large boulders to sit on where they can ground in the morning sun and observe the rain garden below, or watch Maeve play among the flowers. The planting plan consists of primarily drought tolerant plants and edible curiosities, including persimmon, fig, blueberries, pineapple guava, and huckleberries. Native wildflowers are used throughout to offer pollinator support. One year later and the garden is on fire with color and bees.
LOCATION
Cully, NE Portland
GARDEN GOALS
- Lawn removal​
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- Explorative paths
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- Meditation/resting area
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- Wildlife habitat
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- Curbside appeal​​ with a touch of wildness
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- Privacy, without feeling closed off
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- Edible plants
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