Good landscape design in the Pacific Northwest starts with the site, not a plant list. Sun angles that swing hard between summer and winter, glacial till that drains poorly, mature conifers casting deep shade, and a nine-month wet season all shape what will actually flourish. Our landscape design Seattle WA work begins by reading those conditions so the finished garden looks composed year-round instead of peaking for three weeks in spring.
We lean on plants that belong here. Natives and well-adapted ornamentals like sword fern, salal, red-twig dogwood, vine maple, and hardy evergreens give structure and color through the gray months while asking for far less water, spray, and fussing than imported showpieces. The result is a landscape that reads as lush without becoming a maintenance burden.
From a single overgrown front yard to a full property redesign with new beds, pathways, and outdoor living zones, we handle design and installation under one roof. That means the person who drew the plan is accountable for how it goes in the ground across Seattle and the surrounding King and Snohomish county communities.
Signs It's Time to Redesign Your Landscape
- Overgrown, leggy shrubs from the previous owner crowd the house and windows
- Large sections stay bare, muddy, or weedy no matter what you plant
- The yard looks flat and lifeless once spring bloom is over
- Slopes and awkward grade changes go unused and erode over time
- High-water plantings are straining your summer irrigation and budget
- There's no clear flow between the house, patio, and the rest of the yard
What Our Design & Installation Includes
Site Analysis & Concept Design
We map sun, shade, drainage, and grade, then develop a layout that solves problem areas and gives the property clear structure and year-round interest.
PNW-Native & Adapted Plantings
Plant palettes built around natives and climate-adapted ornamentals that handle wet winters and dry summers with minimal irrigation and spraying.
Bed Construction & Soil Prep
New beds shaped, amended with quality compost, and mulched, correcting the compacted, nutrient-poor soils common on Seattle lots before anything goes in.
Pathways & Garden Structure
Gravel paths, stepping stones, and edging that connect spaces and make the garden walkable and usable, not just something viewed from a window.
Rain Gardens & Drainage-Friendly Design
Planting schemes that put PNW rainfall to work, directing and absorbing runoff with the right species in the right low spots.
Establishment Care
Guidance and optional follow-up service through the critical first season so new plantings root in and fill out the way the design intended.
Our Design & Installation Process
- 1
Consultation & Site Assessment
We walk the property with you, listen to how you want to use it, and document the real constraints, sun, drainage, soil, and existing trees, that will govern what succeeds.
- 2
Design Development
You receive a layout and plant plan tailored to your site and goals, with clear choices around beds, pathways, focal plantings, and any outdoor living areas.
- 3
Soil & Bed Preparation
Before planting, we shape beds, remove weeds and poor soil, and amend with compost so roots establish in living soil rather than fighting compacted till.
- 4
Planting & Installation
Plants go in at proper spacing and depth, paths and edging are set, and the whole area is mulched to conserve moisture and suppress weeds from day one.
- 5
Walkthrough & Care Plan
We review watering, pruning, and seasonal expectations with you, and can fold the new landscape into a maintenance schedule so the investment keeps maturing.
Talk to a Florentino Landscaping specialist
Get a free, no-pressure estimate from a licensed, insured Seattle crew. Same-day and 24/7 emergency service available.
Landscape Design Pricing in Seattle
Design and installation costs scale with the size of the area, the amount of soil and grading work, and the plant material selected. As a benchmark, a substantial backyard redesign in the Seattle area commonly ranges from roughly $6,750 to $33,750 depending on scope. We provide a detailed, itemized estimate after the design phase so you can see exactly where the budget goes.
- Total planted area and the number of beds being created or renovated
- Extent of grading, soil amendment, and drainage work required
- Plant sizes and quantities, from small starts to mature specimens
- Hardscape elements like pathways, edging, and stepping stones
- Site access and how easily materials can reach the work area
- Removal and disposal of existing overgrown or dead plantings
- Irrigation additions or adjustments to support new plantings
Since 2016, Florentino Landscaping has designed and installed gardens across the Seattle metro as a family-owned, licensed and insured Washington company. Our advantage is genuine Pacific Northwest expertise: we know which plants sulk in our clay, which shrug off a wet winter, and how to build a landscape that still looks intentional in January.
We stand behind our installations and want you to love the result. Call (323) 606-0255 to schedule a design consultation and start turning an underused yard into a space that works in every season.
Landscape Design & Installation — Frequently Asked Questions
Pacific Northwest natives and adapted ornamentals do best: sword fern, salal, red-twig dogwood, vine maple, huckleberry, and a range of hardy evergreens and perennials. They handle our wet winters and dry summers with far less irrigation and give the garden real structure through the gray months.
Fall and early spring are ideal. The soil is workable, the returning rains help roots establish, and plants settle in before facing any stress. Summer installations are possible but need diligent watering to get through the dry stretch.
Yes. Sloped lots are common here, and we address them with terracing, drainage-conscious planting, and where needed retaining walls or rockeries to stabilize the grade before planting so erosion doesn't undo the design.
We do. Given how much rain the region gets, we design beds and grading to manage water on purpose, including rain gardens and swales, and can bring in French drains or catch basins where the site needs more capacity.
In many wooded and suburban parts of the Seattle area, yes, deer browse heavily, especially on tender new plantings. When a property has deer pressure, we design around it, leaning on plants they tend to leave alone, like ferns, salal, ornamental grasses, and aromatic or tough-leaved shrubs, and placing more vulnerable favorites where they're protected. No plant is truly deer-proof, but a thoughtful palette means you're not replanting the same hostas the deer treat as a buffet every spring.
Related reading
Navigating Seattle Glacial Till & Hardpan Soils: Planting and Drainage Strategies
Seattle's glacial till and hardpan defeat plants and drainage alike. Here are the strategies that let landscaping thrive in our stubborn native soils.
GuidePuget Sound Coastal Bluff Landscaping: Native Plants for Slope Stability and View Preservation
Bluff-top living means balancing a stunning view against a slope that wants to slide. Here is how native plants and smart design hold both together.