Field notes from the potting shed.
Seasonal advice, project stories and the occasional strong opinion about lawns.
Why every garden needs a path to nowhere
The meandering path is the cheapest way to make a small garden feel twice its size. Here’s how we lay them out.
Read the article →Planting for clay soil without a fight
Six shrubs and perennials that love heavy ground, and the mulch trick that changes everything.
How to sow a wildflower meadow in autumn
Scalp, scarify, sow and wait. A step-by-step from our Sauvie Island project.
Raised beds: cedar, steel or stone?
Costs, lifespan and looks compared after ten years of building all three.
The low-water lawn is here
Clover blends, fescues and the case for mowing a little less often.
Shade is a gift, not a problem
Layering a north-facing garden with ferns, hellebores and dogwood.
Seed-starting on a windowsill
Trays, light and timing for tomatoes and peppers in the Pacific Northwest.
Let’s grow something together.
Tell us about your plot — a courtyard, a quarter-acre or a forgotten strip by the fence. We reply within two working days with ideas and a ballpark figure.