Fairmount

The first phase of this landscape in the Fairmount neighborhood of South Eugene, Oregon, was created with an unusual perspective in mind. Most of the shady, back garden is one story below the main living space of the house, but, due to an injury, one of our clients finds it difficult to walk down stairs. So, our first goal was to create a garden that was beautiful from the deck that hovers above it. We planted tapestry of interwoven foliage, with something always in bloom, and built a striking oval flagstone patio that doubles as a focal point. In the end, the space proved too inviting, and our clients requested handrails on the stairs down into the garden. Now, they make their way down there on many evenings in the summer to enjoy the space from ground level.

The second phase was a shared hillside between our clients and their neighbors. We extended the layered planting style of the back up the hillside, and built a basalt stairway that allows children and grandchildren to run between the properties.

Although thickly planted, this shady garden is very low-maintenance, with most plants requiring attention only once or twice a year.

Publications featuring the Fairmount Garden:

Sunset 'Northwest Garden Checklist' (June 2015)