Samuel H. Williamson Associates

Scroll to the end of this article to see one of our designs, a beautiful Georgetown back garden:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/4851838/list/New-Garden-Styles-Reveal-Roots-in-Arts-and-Crafts-Design

New Garden Styles Reveal Roots in Arts and Crafts Design Landscape design from a century ago is still influencing gardens today — see if any of its features have sprung up in yours

One of our favorite projects was featured on Houzz.com, a contemporary garden up in Seattle:
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1995151/list/Sunken-and-Raised-Areas-Take-Gardens-Up-a-Notch

Sunken and Raised Areas Take Gardens Up a Notch Altering a landscape's grade can create energy and excitement, offering different vantage points and moods depending on the level

Another Houzz.com feature, this time our outdoor shower in an article about coastal gardens:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1868186/list/Lay-of-the-Landscape--Coastal-Garden-Style

Lay of the Landscape: Coastal Garden Style Seaside gardens can be the ultimate in soothing landscapes if you know how to work with the elements and choose the right plants

Another houzz.com feature today: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2115232/list/How-to-Work-With-a-Landscape-Pro

Lush lawns and gardens don't create themselves. Here's how to work with a landscaping professional f Even if you can decorate a living area or bedeck a bedroom with the best of them, landscape design has a unique set of challenges that may leave you stumped. Not only does it require a totally different...

Here's another use of the rill, this time several carved from stone, spilling into each other: http://www.houzz.com/photos/50431/shwa--landscape-portland

shwa - - landscape - portland - by Samuel H. Williamson Associates shwa

Another houzz.com feature, this one on rills, highlighting our simple but elegant water feature at the center of a Georgetown back garden: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1962802/list/Gardens-Tap-Into-Rill-Water-Features

Rooted in ancient design, this water feature is popular again as a way to help contemporary landscap Of all the water features we use in our gardens, the rill perhaps has the most interesting history. The rill is a man-made garden canal that creates garden ambience through the pleasant sound of moving...

We've been featured on Houzz again! This time it's for our outdoor shower with shimmering glass tile and exposed, salvaged plumbing:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1965806/list/Soak-Up-Nature-With-Outdoor-Baths

Luxurious and downright sexy, outdoor baths are the ultimate back-to-nature indulgence for modern ho Why do we love outdoor showers so much? Is it the little exhibitionist in us all that gets a thrill out of being naked outside? Is it the warm (or cold) air on our skin? Is it the romance? Whatever it...

We've been featured on Houzz! Check it out: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1741788/list/Feast-Your-Eyes-on-Edible-Gardens

Gorgeous vegetables, solo or paired with ornamental flowers and grasses, make landscapes easy to swa As more and more people look to grow their own vegetables and herbs, a question arises: Where to grow them? While a corner of the backyard has been the traditional spot, what do you do if your only sunny...

You don't need a big piece of property to create something spectacular. This back yard was transformed into a courtyard garden featuring an elliptical pool at its center, framed by braziers on raised pedestals, a spa and fountain, and terraces in stone and brick. The form is very traditional, but the details are playful.

See our latest blog post. Joel talks about a project currently in construction that features a nice brick detail.

SHWA: A blog about landscape architecture in Portland Oregon a blog about design, plants, gardening, and architecture