RAVENNA GARDEN
RESIDENTIAL
2022
Landscape Construction by Jonathan Hallet, the owners, Dirt Corps, and Gaudencio Rodriguez
This garden had spectacular plant moments before we did anything. The client has the only snowbrush Ceanothus I’ve seen in Seattle. One of the clients has restored habitat in Ravenna Park for decades before that was a hip thing to do. Her garden has been a repository for unusual native plants and native plant stock for transplanting to Ravenna Park.
Through this restoration-style garden renovation, we sought to go all the way with turning this city lot into
a full-on wildlife refuge. Aggressively gardeny vestiges of laurel hedge, boxwoods, and lawn are extricated and traded for a diverse and largely native tapestry. The old apple tree shelters a fern garden and the
back opens up to a micro-aspen grove and meadow.
We tried to keep out the bunnies. But they kept appearing on the game cam, along with cats and skunks. Now we let them roam and ask them not
to eat the winter irises until after they bloom.
The clients say the bird life they watch from their breakfast nook is better than ever. The garden
only got water twice last summer. Weeds haven’t been bad and the minimal garden maintenance needed keeps the owner free to be on-task with
her Ravenna park restoration work.
Photos by Jonathan Hallet, Saxon Holt, and nieces Isla and Margot.