Design & Planning

Landscape Plans from King County

A great selection planting plans for a wide variety of Northwest conditions. Common themes in each plan include layering, clustering of like-species, creating diversity, limited species, and constructed environments

Twenty layout ideas from the Old Farmer’s Almanac

The venerable guide, now online (with advertisements) provides ideas and many links to other topics.

Draw Your Own Garden Plan Without Expensive Garden Design Software

Outlines how to create your own layout system with an Excel spreadsheet and its auto-shape tools.

Layout and design

Detailed instructions on how to map and develop a landscape/hardscape plan from the North Central Texas Council of Governments

Common Sense Guide to Pressure Treated Wood

Printable pdf from Thurston County. Learn about, and how to identify, arsenic-treated wood.

Plan before you plant

A Common Sense guide overview of lawn and garden planning.

Vegetable garden layout spec

Use the size of your garden, types of veggies, growing seasons and spacing between rows to determine layout, in this document from the University of Illinois Extension.

Vegetable Garden Layout Basics from Veggiegardener.com

Based on location, using either raised bed and/or rows. A comments section on the bottom provides some Q&A as well.

12 Key Principles for Garden Design

Raised beds

Many vegetable gardeners use raised beds, but other gardeners successfully grow fruit and vegetables directly in native soil. Learn which system is best for you with this free guide from Washington State University.

Hardscapes for Sustainable Landscapes

A materials guide from Oregon State University Extension.

Hardscaping 101 from Gardenista.com

Ideas, diagrams, and more. (Site contains advertisements.)

Grow Your Own Native Landscape

Get tons of useful information from our own book (Washington State University Extension Press)

Naturescaping tips

Basic tips, do’s and don’ts from the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District that will help you set up a naturescaped yard while saving water, energy, and time maintaining your yard.

Hugelkultur: What is it, and should it be used in home gardens?

Hügelkultur is an increasingly popular way of using organic material to create mounded home gardens and landscapes. Learn about this method that is often taught to gardeners in permaculture and biodynamics

Using Cereal Straw Bales in Home Gardens

Straw bale gardening is experiencing a resurgence with home gardeners—find out more about the science-based, evidence-based pros and cons. (Washington State University Extension Home Garden Series)

King County’s Northwest Natural Yard and Garden page

Provides many links to great native plant resources, including a Northwest native plant guide with detailed information and pictures to help create your plan, and a plant search tool that provides suggestions for plants based on specific search criteria.

The Ladybird Johnson Center at University of Texas at Austin

Offers excellent how-to articles on a number of topics, including how-to articles, recommended plants lists, and a free online ask an expert service.

Layout

"How the Suburbs Could Help Save Biodiversity"

Scientific American article discussing the need to "redefine our concept of what a garden should be."

Common Sense Gardening

Encourages gardeners to conserve water, use alternatives to pesticides, and choose less-toxic pesticides when necessary. This system of gardening highlights the importance of preventing pests and weeds through proper plant spacing, appropriate watering, mulch, compost, and slow-release fertilizers. When pest and weed control is necessary, the least-toxic method is employed. Chemical pesticides are used as a last resort. Scientific American article discussing the need to "redefine our concept of what a garden should be."

Horticultural Myth Busting

Professor Linda Chalker-Scott dispels common myths with science-based information about fertilizers, compost, and mulching

How to compost in your apartment

An illustrated guide that helps you get started on creating your own worm bin.

Apartment Gardening for Beginners

Apartment List provides tips and tricks for starting your apartment gardening journey. This link contains advertisements.

How to grow vegetables in your apartment

Whether you’ve just got an indoor area, a small balcony, or if you’re lucky enough to have a rooftop, you’ll find there are a number of vegetable gardening ideas that will suit your apartment. Site contains ads.

Apartment Gardening for Beginners

How to grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables in a small space. Site contains ads.

Smart Watering Workshop website

Includes resource links to publications, a Mulch Matters poster, an Improving Soil Health tips poster, and more.

Learn about watering and irrigation and how to program your irrigation controller

Tips and steps from Saveourwater.com.

Snohomish Conservation District rain barrel/cisterns program

Learn why you should install a rain barrel, how to buy (Snohomish County sells them), and how to do more with your rain barrel.

Potential Contaminants in Residential Rain Barrel Water

Home gardeners often collect rainwater to supplement summer irrigation, but rooftop runoff can be contaminated. This publication examines the research behind residential rain barrel water safety and more. (Washington State University Extension Home Garden Series)

WSU: Drip irrigation

WSU: Watering Home Gardens and Landscape Plants

WSU: Basic Watering

WSU: Saving water: lawns and other turf

WSU: How to water your lawn

WSU: How often & how much to water landscape plants

WSU: Protecting Water Resources: Planting and Caring for Home Wetlands

This publication explains to homeowners the benefits of healthy wetlands and other riparian areas on their private property. It details how to choose, plant, and care for appropriate plant species and more. (Washington State University Extension Home Garden Series)