A West Seattle couple turns a lackluster yard into a lush living space

When they moved into their modest West Seattle home six years ago, Laura and Carl LaPlante could sit on their living-room couch and wave at neighbors walking by on the sidewalk.

Dominated by a chain-link fence, the yard had a large expanse of grass, a row of junipers and a few isolated rhododendrons in a narrow planting bed.

No trees — and no privacy.

Many new homeowners face not only remodeling their houses but overhauling gardens that are either too sparse or overgrown.

So if you're neither a gardener nor someone who spends much time doing yard work, how do you know where to start?

"It's a very common scenario," said Cass Turnbull, founder of the Seattle-based PlantAmnesty (206-783-9813). "A couple put in a garden 20 years ago and then sells their house. New people move in and don't know what to do with it."

Laura LaPlante, a landscape designer (206-919-0260), immediately planted vines — akebia, honeysuckle, grape and passion vine — to cover up the fence.

Resources


PlantAmnesty

• Experienced gardeners and arborists will lead a hands-on garden-renovation workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 29. Cost is $75; registration required.

• Founder Cass Turnbull will give a slide show on "How to Prune and Renovate the Overgrown Garden" from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 13 at Sand Point Magnuson Park. Cost is $10; no registration required.

• PlantAmnesty also provides referrals for professional gardeners, arborists, diagnosticians, consultants and designers in the King County.

• PlantAmnesty also sells a 50-cent pamphlet on "Renovating an Overgrown Foundation Planting." www.plantamnesty.com or 206-783-9813.

Books

• "Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning: What, When, Where & How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden," Cass Turnbull (Sasquatch Books, 2004)

• "The Landscape Makeover Book: How to Bring New Life to an Old Yard," Sara Jane von Trapp (Taunton Press, 2000)

• "Garden Makeovers: The Complete Guide to Renovating Your Garden," Liz Dobbs and Sarah Wood (Time Life Books, 2000).

Over the years, she enlarged the flower and garden beds, removed sod, added compost (at one point she had 15 yards delivered for her streetside planting strip) and moved around existing plants.

In went redbud, mimosa, magnolia, Japanese maple and Chinese empress trees, plus hundreds of perennials.

Though it can seem overwhelming, homeowners with overgrown yards can save money and end up with better gardens by transplanting and preserving as many of the plants already in their yards as possible.

"Some people believe renovation means taking everything out and starting over," said Lisa Pfeiffer, president of Pfeiffer Landscaping (206-781-7113).

Instead, she works with homeowners to improve gardens without decimating them.

"Renovation should not cost you as much as starting from scratch," she said.

It does take planning, Turnbull said, and the first step is to evaluate each plant and decide: Prune it, move it or kill it?

Once beds are cleared out and expanded, then comes the fun part.

"People always want to start planting," Turnbull said. "But new planting is really the last thing you do."

Stephanie Dunnewind: 206-464-2091 or sdunnewind@seattletimes.com