Parting Clouds

unexpected

Set into a slope in one of Seattle’s lakeside neighborhoods, this garden embraces its dramatic change in grade to create a sequence of distinct outdoor spaces. On the main entry side, three terraces overlook Lake Washington, offering sweeping views of the water. A collection of planters filled with Japanese maples, jasmine, and layered plantings creates a garden canopy that softens the home’s verticality and its presence above the street.

The back garden offers a more intimate experience. Stone pavers set within dwarf mondo grass lead to the main outdoor living terrace, where a unique overhead metal arbor defines the dining area and provides welcome afternoon shade. A coordinating metal screen and integrated water feature transform an existing retaining wall into an elegant garden backdrop. Separate gathering areas, including an intimate raised deck and custom fire feature, create a variety of places for relaxing and entertaining.

Monolithic Valdez stone steps ascend through the hillside garden beneath a canopy of multi-trunk crape myrtles and Japanese stewartias, gradually revealing a secluded vegetable garden at the top of the property. Weathering-steel raised beds, a central herb planter, garden shed, and tucked-away seating circle make this productive garden a destination of its own.

Together, the terraces, pathways, and layered plantings transform a challenging hillside into a journey through the garden—moving between expansive views and sheltered spaces, from places for gathering to increasingly intimate and unexpected moments.