Plant palettes for the Pacific Northwest

For the past six months I worked as a landscape designer for single family residential projects around the U.S. This was an enriching experience that exposed me to different regions/ climates/ plants, especially for the Pacific Northwest.

The Pacific Northwest is home to the Woodland Garden landscape style. This planting style can be achieved in different ways, depending on your personal tastes. A traditional style woodland garden includes go-to plants like Hostas, fern varieties, colorful flowering plants, hydrangeas and green hedges. A more contemporary style woodland garden may include plants like Juncus, other grasses, notes of yellow and blue, but a mostly green palette with a few accent colors. Examples of both are shown below.

Note, these are specifically for Zone 8, in Oregon and Washington. Always confirm plant choices with your local nursery, who are familiar with your microclimate before selecting plants.

Traditional/ Colorful Woodland Garden Palette

Contemporary Woodland Garden Palette