We believe that everyone should be able to live immersed in an authentic, local landscape that tells the true, place-based story of their home. Whether you wish to refresh an existing space or renovate an entire yard, we are ready to help you transform your garden with native plants and ecological practices that support all species sustainably.
Since 2000, GGN has designed landscapes for clients around the world, and we have discovered some common threads and ingredients that make a garden feel immersive and inspiring. Our projects are diverse, from museum courtyards to public gardens, but all our clients sought to have the unique history and nature of their site artfully expressed.
We formed Meadowshop to make our site-specific design approach more accessible to people who live in our home region of the Pacific Northwest.
We have been particularly “out in front” in using our platform as international designers to exemplify an urgent commitment to restoring habitat and cultural connection to place. We bring native plants into our projects for the incredible life and healthy activity they bring into even the smallest, urban landscapes. Beautiful insects that have graced our region for thousands of years often appear in the first year of installation when the right plants and densities are used.
We believe from personal experiences that being around native plants makes people feel happier and healthier. We also see the singular native garden as being connected to a larger system. Individual, habitat friendly gardens create a compounding effect, providing a collective benefit. Each garden strengthens the others, building habitat zones and connecting corridors within our neighborhoods. We invite you to join us in creating a joyful approach to daily living that brings the complexity of nature to your front door.
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Following an initial consultation, all projects include:
1) Site, program, and client goals assessment
2) Garden design (planting and hardscape)
3) Landscape contractor identification and partnerships
4) Garden management oversight for a minimum of two years after installation
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How do I know if Meadowshop is right for me?
Meadowshop is ideal for homeowners who are looking to live in a thoughtfully designed native garden, but don't know how or where to start. There are many confusing “pollinator” plant products and notions that are not native to this bioregion and therefore do not measurably assist in producing native insects and supporting native birds, both of which are in steep decline. GGN’s Meadowshop initiative combines ecological knowledge with design expertise.
GGN’s Meadowshop team will help you figure out how you want to live outdoors, design your garden spaces, and guide you through the construction process. We will pair you with a qualified and trusted landscape contractor to install your garden. After install, we will continue overseeing your garden’s progress, working with a horticultural team to manage your garden for a minimum of two years post installation.
What type and size of projects do you take on?
Our Meadowshop team designs home gardens in Seattle's neighborhoods or within a few hours drive of Seattle. These gardens typically range in scale from small urban lots to larger gardens.
How much does a Meadowshop garden cost?
When you choose to create a Meadowshop garden, you are making a commitment to fully support the establishment of a native habitat garden. We offer a bundle of services including design, installation, and garden care.
You can expect the first year to include design and installation. Costs will depend on the size of the project, complexity of the site, and whether paving and site walls are included. Projects typically start at $25,000 and can range up to $300,000 for both design and installation.
Nurturing newly installed gardens is important to their success. After installation, it will take two years to care for and establish your garden. Garden care costs can range from $400/month to $900/month during the first two years, and then drop off substantially.
Please contact us directly if you wish for more detailed information specific to your project.
What happens after installation?
Throughout the first two years following installation, the horticultural team will make regular visits to monitor plant health, manage invasives, and tidy plant beds.
Our design approach minimizes maintenance by using native plants that thrive in the garden. We plant densely and over-seed with annuals to suppress weeds. We select and combine species whose natural forms integrate beautifully, which reduces pruning.
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Shannon Nichol, FASLA, PLA, LEED AP
2024 Washington Native Plant Society Koma Kulshan Chapter, Guest Speaker.
2024 New York Botanical Garden Landscape Design Portfolios Lecture Series, Guest Speaker.
2024 Bellevue Botanical Garden Heronswood Joint Symposium Guest Speaker.
2024 Planting Forward: Conversations on New Naturalism, Webinar Guest.
2024 Northwest Horticultural Society Webinar, Lecturer.
"30 Trees: And Why Landscape Architects Love Them," Ron Henderson, Birkhäuser, December 22, 2023.
2023 University of British Columbia's Friends of the Botanical Garden & BC Recreation and Parks Association, Lecturer.
Tess Schiavone, RA, LEED AP
2024 Edgewater Garden Club of Samish Island, Lecturer.
2024 Pacific Horticulture Design Futurist Award Competition, Juror.
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For inquiries about your home garden project, please contact:
Tess Schiavone at tesss@ggnltd.com