Located in Ballard, this project started as the quintessential blank slate. Turns out the landscaping was essentially untouched for nearly a century!

For the past several years, this family's home improvement efforts were focused on refurbishing the inside of this 100 year-old large Victorian. The Muenzbergs (a family with three small children) had their sights set on both aesthetics and function.

When the focus turned to the outdoor living space in 2006, the Muenzbergs first installed a retaining wall and fence to help define planting spaces and play areas for the children. They also created entertainment space with a large paver patio.

Then Akina took over! First, we established some primary goals: 1. Soften the hardscaping with plant material 2. Highlight the beautiful house 3. Create a kid-friendly and low maintenance garden that the entire family could enjoy

The Muenzbergs had a few specific plant requests, which we worked into the design. And as usual, we incorporated many native plant species that added the signature Northwest look to the landscape. Special attention was also given to adding bright colors and fragrance for the enjoyment of the family and passerby alike.

The children were as enthusiastic as their parents during the design and installation process; to this day they all enjoy watering and weeding alongside our maintenance crew, that visits twice a month to keep everything looking great!