A bit of planning needs to go into a rose garden, but the end result is a garden like no other—with characteristic long seasonal blooms and delightful fragrances that last into late summer and autumn.

David Austin, winner of 25 Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal Awards, has spent 60 years breeding the world’s most lush, fragrant roses.

There’s so many reasons to love spring blooming Ranunculus. The flowers look almost too perfect to be real. Their rose-like blossoms feature layer upon layer of tissue-thin petals in colors that range from cream and pale yellow to apricot, pink, orange, red and burgundy. Long-lasting and versatile, they tuck beautifully into bouquets. Paired here with lively tulips, delicate forget-me-nots, trailing Akrebia vine and “Amber Jubilee“ Ninebark branched — all in a luscious apricot pallette!

The once sterile lawn-centric landscape of this Lake Washington home now boasts a magnificently terraced, environmentally and wildlife friendly landscape by Paul Broadhurst replete with newly-designed guest house left, and an infinity pool - all of which slopes gently down to the water’s edge with meandering paths and a pebble beach secured by logs and boulders handpicked from a quarry in the Cascades.

A recent renovation of a 1990s home built on the Western shores of Mercer Island features a tropical landscape design by Seattle’s Cambium, Inc., done in Mediterranean Villa style – with an abundance of plants bursting with color, unique flower formations and reach-for-the-sky height.

Small space, big dreams. This backyard revamp from Cambium Landscape in Seattle transformed a modestly sized, ho-hum back lawn into a vibrant outdoor living room. Luminous natural materials, clever space-saving tactics, and lush plantings that rely on foliage rather than flowers combine to give this back patio classic contemporary style.

Cambium creates a Seattle landscape with elements that combine the homeowner’s Virginia childhood with native Northwest plants. 

The Williamses’ family garden in Dunthorpe evokes distinctly English impressions. The existing challenges of the site, like the spring-fed brook, are met with naturalistic plantings that embrace its meandering flow. The garden’s mission, however, is not only to serve as a lovely place to be, and a model for Liz Williams’ paintings, but also provides abundant fresh cut flowers for the house.

Portland garden designer Lauren Hall-Behrens transforms her own garden from a disorganized jumble of fruit trees into a serene paradise filled with hardy Asian tropicals and bold sculptural walls.

Landscape architect Larry Cavender transforms a worn down lakeside property in Lake Oswego into old-world elegance with lovely framed views of the lake, inventive plantings and timeless paving.

Floral designer Erin Benzakein’s initial passion to grow sweet peas grew into Floret Flower Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley.

In 2004, Tom and Lisa Brenneke undertook a major renovation of their 1909 Italian style Portland Heights home and gardens, a stately stucco villa within walking distance of their two businesses.

When a Vancouver, Washington family buys an adjacent lot to enlarge their home, their garden expands too and the garden’s original landscape designer, Michael Schultz, returns with a new vision.

Garden designer Tish Treherne shares her sunny, shoreline garden on Bainbridge Island with us. The garden is a lovely four-year work in progress filled with sun-loving color and form.

Portland floral designer Kailla Platt returns to the garden of her childhood to gather aged branches and heirloom blooms for her sumptuous, seasonal arrangements.

Landscape designer Michael Schultz and his partner Will Goodman transform a city lot in Portland’s Mocks Crest neighborhood into a tropical retreat with lush broadleaf evergreens and bold blooms.

Use seasonal edibles and pretty ornamentals to recreate these summer arrangements from Portland floral designer Kailla Platt.

With an opportunity to buy the house behind them, landscape designer Michael Schultz and his partner Will Goodman now have 9,000 square feet of back yard space for their gorgeous tropical oasis.

Portland floral designer Kailla Platt celebrates the arrival of spring with sweetly-colored blooms and botanicals sourced from local flower farms.

Grab your pruners and this stem count from Portland floral designer Kailla Platt to make your own spring arrangement.