Our Work
We design, build and maintain beautiful, environmentally conscious landscapes for homes, businesses and public places in Portland, Oregon.
We take an artisan’s approach to our work, creating and maintaining spaces with meaning that will stand the test of time.
Our Ethos
By integrating our core values into our work, we aim to become active stewards of the Earth and create a healthier, more vibrant planet for future generations.
We are committed to sustainable practices that enhance the natural environment, creating vibrant and healthy landscapes in harmony with nature.
We design and build beautiful, functional and sustainable outdoor spaces that reflect our clients’ vision and enhance their quality of life.
We deliver exceptional service and workmanship with skilled professionals dedicated to excellence and thorough project completion.
We prioritize open, honest dialogue with clients, partners and employees, fostering teamwork and collaboration to ensure project success.
Our Approach
Collaboration and systems thinking are the core pillars of our approach.
At Blossom, we work as an integrated team, from design through construction and maintenance.
We understand the spaces we work in as holistic, interconnected systems… the entirety of the environment being more than the simple sum of its parts. The Twelve Principles of Permaculture inform all the work we do.
Our collaborative process and broad ecological perspective creates an environment that fosters openness to new ideas, creative thinking and thoughtful solutions. This in turn supports us in delivering the highest quality and best value to our clients by developing site-specific solutions like proper soil preparation, efficient on-site water management and ideal material selection and construction techniques.
Timelessness and durability are foundational to our sustainable approach, providing our clients with spaces they will enjoy for years to come.
Observe.
Each element performs multiple functions.
Use small scale, intensive sytems.
Use biological and renewable resources.
Connect.
Each function is supported by multiple elements.
Optimize Edge.
Turn problems into solutions.
Catch and store energy and materials.
Make the least change for the greatest effect.
Get a yield.
Collaborate with Succession.
Gardens as Systems
We prioritize ecological principles in every project, considering the impact on local ecosystems, water resources, and biodiversity. This includes utilizing native plants, minimizing water usage, and promoting healthy soil.
Building Healthy Soil
A landscape's health starts with the soil. When we support the soil with proper nutrients and structure, we allow the plants to grow healthy and strong. A plant needs different nutrients throughout the seasons and points of growth. Whether the plant is dormant, growing new roots, putting out leaves or flowers, we are here to give the plant what it needs at that time.
Plant the water first
We take the time to understand how water naturally moves over your site and plant with the waterflow in mind. We utilize rain gardens and swales to divert stormwater away from your home, and encourage it to settle into the groundwater to be used again rather than runoff to storm sewers and ultimately our riverways.
Using Native and Climate Adapted Plants
Adapted to local conditions, native plants are naturally resilient and require less watering over time. Native plants and wildlife have a symbiotic relationship so supporting one supports the other. With a changing climate extending our dry seasons, climate adapted plants from other Mediterranean regions like Northern California help extend our bloom seasons. Both natives and climate adapted plants invite birds and pollinators into your garden helping our local ecosystems flourish.
Inviting Pollinators
Let us know your favorite plants and we will design a pollinator friendly garden that invites native birds, bumble bees and butterflies to visit. A diverse range of endemic plants will provide an oasis for threatened native species. We consider all aspects of habitat, from multiple canopy layers, developing healthy soil, incorporating a water feature for birds and pollinators to drink on hot days, to nesting boxes for mason bees.
