The Journal

Design ideas & planning guides for Pacific Northwest outdoor spaces

Organized by the five questions every project raises: design, plants & materials, cost, hiring, and seasonal care.

Pink sedum spilling over dark stepping stones set in grass
Step 01

Design & Planning

Two white Adirondack chairs and a side table on a lawn beside a cedar garden shed
Design & Planning

How to Zone a Small Seattle Backyard

Dining, lounging, and garden space in a compact city lot.

7 min read
Covered wooden walkway framed by purple and red maple foliage
Coming Soon

Covered Outdoor Living: Why a Roof or Pergola Matters Here

Designing for Seattle's rain, not around it.

Wide stone steps climbing between block retaining walls with a metal handrail
Coming Soon

Working With a Slope: Design Strategies for Hilly Lots

Terracing, retaining walls, and making elevation an asset.

Step 02

Plants & Materials

Step 03

Cost & Budgeting

Close-up of gray concrete pavers in a herringbone pattern meeting a border course
Cost & Budgeting

What a Seattle Patio Actually Costs, by Material

Real per-square-foot ranges for pavers, concrete, and stone.

9 min read
Gravel garden path edged with white Japanese anemones, ferns, and a granite boulder
Coming Soon

DIY vs. Hire a Pro: Where the Line Makes Financial Sense

Metal bistro chairs and table on gravel, surrounded by lush shade plants
Coming Soon

Best Time of Year to Plan and Hire a Team

Step 04

Hiring & Vetting

Garden bed with rhubarb, blueberry and lavender along a stone block wall
Hiring & Vetting

Licensing & Insurance: What to Actually Verify

Before you hire in Washington state.

6 min read
Planting bed of pink coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and purple blazing star in front of a brick building
Coming Soon

Design-Build vs. Hiring an Architect & Contractor Separately

White hydrangea blooms
Coming Soon

Red Flags in a Landscape Design Proposal

Step 05

Seasonal & Maintenance

Japanese maple leaves turning pink and gold in fall
Seasonal & Maintenance

Fall Cleanup Checklist for PNW Gardens

What to cut back, what to leave, and why timing matters here.

7 min read
Pink Japanese anemones in bloom against white board-and-batten siding
Coming Soon

Winter Storm Prep: Protecting Decks, Furniture & Young Plantings

Outdoor spigot with a brass hose splitter and a digital watering timer
Coming Soon

Irrigation Shutdown & Startup: A Seasonal Calendar

Ready to find someone to build it?

Meet the Collective: landscape architects, design-build firms and landscape care pros across the Puget Sound.

Meet the Collective