Ok, so it’s cloudy. It’s also gorgeous, culturally and economically vibrant, and one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Obviously, there’s something magic about the place.

Seattle rests on a collection of hills, which are echoed in the east by the grand Cascade Mountains. With the Pacific Ocean to the west and Lake Washington to the east, temperatures stay fairly mild year-round, kept in check by the masses of water. If you don’t mind moisture, you can enjoy the outdoors much of the year.

The dramatic landscape of the northwest, with deep green forests, large mountains, and crystal lakes, is a palpable presence throughout Seattle. This natural landscape is not far away, either. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Seattle for its proximity to nature and the enjoyment it offers.

Whatever your landscape vision may be, Yardzen is ready to make it a reality, working with you to craft a landscape design that achieves the look, feel, and function you are dreaming of, then connecting you with a vetted contractor from Yardzen’s Pro Network to get your design built.

Landscapes in Seattle reflect the diversity of the city’s population, with designs spanning the stylistic spectrum.

As with much of the northwest, there is a strong culture of support for native plants, and species from northwestern ecosystems are commonly included in landscape designs, giving a boost to both ecological and aesthetic value.

Large evergreens like douglas fir, western red cedar, and shore pine come to mind, but smaller deciduous trees like vine maple and Pacific crabapple are equally prevalent and popular, particularly on smaller sites, along with a host of understory species.

Of the many wonderful natives available for use in landscape designs, here are a few outstanding options:

→ Vine maple

→ Salal

→ Vaccinium ovatum

→ Dicentra formosa

→ Amelanchier alnifolia

For those looking to branch beyond the local, here are some tried-and-true introduced species that perform well in Seattle:

→ Japanese maple

→ Pieris japonica

→ Heuchera cultivars

→ Ligularia

And for those looking to include a nod to the regional conifers but lacking the space for a full-size tree, there is a wide range of dwarf conifers available, including cultivars of cypress, arborvitae, and spruce.

With so much rain, drainage is an obvious factor that landscapes must accommodate. Sloped sites should be covered with vegetation as much as possible to minimize erosion and stabilize soil against the force of downhill-draining water. Minimizing erosion will protect local waterways by trapping pollutants on site.

Frequent rain also can raise maintenance challenges. Utilizing proper stormwater management techniques can capture water in desirable locations, recharging groundwater while minimizing the mess that unchecked stormwater can spread across a property.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

Utilizing the winter to work through the design phase sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.