Backyard lighting helps Seattle landscapes feel warm, usable, and connected after sunset. From pathway and accent lights to uplighting, the right fixtures improve safety, highlight key features, and extend the way outdoor spaces are enjoyed.

Seattle’s shady gardens offer an opportunity to create calm, layered landscapes filled with texture, fragrance, and ecological value. Here are some of our favorite shade-loving plants for Pacific Northwest gardens.

Some plants look great in the nursery — and then take over the garden, the greenbelt, and the neighbor’s yard. In Seattle, a handful of popular species spread aggressively and crowd out the native plants that local wildlife depends on. Here’s what we’ve learned to leave out of our designs.

Ground cover plants do some of the quietest, most valuable work in a garden — holding soil, feeding pollinators, and filling in the spaces that would otherwise become weeds. In Seattle, the right choices thrive through wet winters and dry summers with very little help from you.

Many outdoor projects begin with inspiration and grow through thoughtful design. A successful backyard transformation takes shape when ideas meet the realities of your home, property, and how you want to live outside in Seattle.