Urban Oasis

This project is a particularly special one because it has evolved slowly over several years. The garden was already a beautiful space when we began—lush and full of life—but it had become overgrown, and the planting no longer aligned with how the client wanted to use and experience the garden. Rather than redesigning it all at once, we took a slower, more relational approach: tending the space together, learning how the light moved across the garden, and discovering the client’s preferences through each season.

Over time we refined the plantings—adding species she loved, removing those that didn’t thrive or resonate, and shaping the garden in response to the site’s natural conditions. This process allowed us to truly understand the character of the space and cultivate a garden that feels both intentional and deeply personal.

A central wish for the client was to have more flowers for cutting—plants that could be gathered into bouquets and brought indoors. One of her greatest joys is sitting in her backyard oasis surrounded by evergreen trees, listening to birds, and cutting fresh flowers to fill her home with beauty. Throughout the garden we incorporated annuals that spill from beds and edges, creating pockets of color and abundance throughout the growing season.

In the shadiest corners, we developed a layered understory of Columbines, Heucheras, and Rhododendrons, while the sunniest areas are anchored by resilient native and structural plants like Veronica and Smokebush. Together, these plantings create a dynamic landscape that shifts with the seasons.

What we love most about this garden is how alive it feels. Each year it grows, changes, and reveals something new—a true urban refuge shaped by time, observation, and care.