Magnolia residence

This garden, built in winter 2008, was designed as a Mediterranean garden for a client with a great love of plants and a desire to work in her yard. The site’s location on the bluffs overlooking Puget Sound, combined with the stone walls built into the slope, fully evoke the feeling of being on the seaside cliffs along Mediterranean waters.

Low walls bring tiny specimen plants closer to eye level and allow beds to be at a more workable height for gardening. The walls break the slope into usable levels, while creating a seamless extension from the house to the garden. Winding paths connected by stairways add interest and space to stroll, making the small yard feel much larger than it is.

Rock Solid won an Award of Merit for this garden from the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals.