If you are planning landscape design in Woodland, WA, start with where the water goes in January, not with a plant list. A yard that sends winter runoff toward the foundation, or puts lawn under Douglas firs, needs rework within a few seasons.
Bogar Landscaping handles both halves of the job. We draw the plan with you on site, and our crew builds it: grading, drains, walls and pavers, irrigation, planting beds, sod and bark dust. We work out of Woodland and cover Clark and Cowlitz County, from new subdivisions in Ridgefield and La Center to acreage off SR-503.
Landscape Design: What the Plan Covers
A design is only useful if a crew can build from it and you can afford to finish it. Ours usually covers:
- Site walk. Slopes, low spots, downspouts, sun and shade, trees worth keeping, and where utility, septic or well lines run.
- Drainage plan. Where roof and yard water goes now and where it should go. This decides whether lawn and plants survive the winter.
- Layout. Patio, paths, lawn, beds, dog areas and storage, drawn to scale so the pieces fit.
- Materials. Pavers, block, gravel, river rock, steel edging and bark dust that hold up in wet winters.
- Plant list. Matched to each spot's sun, moisture and mature size. Our native plant and rain garden page covers the low-water side.
- Phasing. Stages you can build over time without undoing earlier work.
Landscape Installation: What Our Crew Builds
Installation follows the plan in an order that protects finished work:
- Clearing and grading. Old turf, overgrowth and roots come out, often with our mini excavator, and the ground is shaped to move water away from the house.
- Drainage. French drains and catch basins go in before anything covers them.
- Hardscape. Paver patios and walkways with curves cut on site, and block retaining walls backed with drain rock and filter fabric.
- Irrigation, beds and lawn. Sprinkler and drip lines first, then amended beds with steel edging and bark dust, then new soil and sod.
- Cleanup. Debris hauled off and a walk-through with you.
Signs Your Yard Needs a Plan, Not Another Patch
- The same spot stays wet every winter. Moss or a muddy path means the grade is wrong, and new sod will not change that.
- The yard was never finished. Plenty of new homes come with a front lawn and a backyard of bare, compacted fill.
- Nothing fits how you live. No flat spot for a table, no path to the shed, dogs wearing trails through the beds.
- A big piece is coming. A patio or wall is the moment to plan the rest, so trenching only happens once.
Our Landscape Design and Installation Process
- Walk the yard with you. Drainage, sun, soil, what you want, and budget, early.
- Request a utility locate. Washington's dig law requires one before excavation, so we call 811 first.
- Draw and revise. A scaled layout, plant list and materials, adjusted with you, then a written estimate broken out by phase.
- Grade and drain. Earthwork and drain lines go in while the site is open.
- Build hardscape. Walls, patios and paths come before planting so equipment never crosses finished beds.
- Run irrigation. Valves, heads and drip lines are installed and tested.
- Plant, edge and bark. Compost worked into beds, then plants, steel edging and bark dust.
- Sod and walk-through. Lawn goes down last, and we show you how the system runs.
Full Install, Phased Install or We Build and You Plant
| Approach | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full design and install | One plan, one crew, one season | New builds, full renovations, HOA deadlines | Larger single investment |
| Phased install | Same plan, built in stages | Big yards and acreage, spreading out cost | Each stage must leave drainage working |
| We build, you plant | We grade, drain and build hardscape; you plant | Gardeners who enjoy planting | Buried work still has to come first |
Landscape Design in Woodland, WA: Wet Winters, Dry Summers
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals put Longview, the closest long-term station to Woodland, at 48.12 inches of rain a year, yet July and August each average under an inch. Good landscape design in Woodland handles both seasons: winter water moves off the lawn and away from the house, and summer water goes only where it is needed.
- Hardiness. Woodland falls in USDA hardiness zone 8b. Soggy winter soil is a bigger threat to new plants here than cold.
- Clay and fill. Washington's stormwater manual sets an 8-inch minimum depth of amended topsoil on disturbed development ground, a useful benchmark for any rebuilt yard.
- Conifer shade. Lawn struggles under big Douglas firs and cedars, so we plan shade beds and ferns there.
- Summer water. EPA WaterSense says most landscapes need about an inch of water a week, rain included, so we group plants by water need and zone the irrigation to match.
- Slopes and river ground. Hillside lots need walls or terraces, and low ground near the Lewis River can stay wet all winter.
What Affects the Cost of Landscape Design and Installation
- Size and access. Square footage, plus whether equipment can reach the backyard.
- Grading and drainage. Often the largest line item on a wet lot.
- Hardscape share. Patios, walls and steps cost more per square foot than beds or lawn.
- Soil condition. Construction fill or heavy clay needs more compost or imported topsoil.
- Plant sizes. Larger stock costs more and looks finished sooner.
- Irrigation. A sprinkler and drip system adds cost up front and protects the plants you paid for.
Your written estimate lists each phase and line item, so you can decide what to build first.
