Landscape design & build
One team takes your garden from first sketch to final planting, so nothing gets lost between designer and builder.
- Scaled plans and 3D concepts
- Patios, paths and retaining walls
- Lighting and irrigation
Landscape design, build & care in Portland.
We design, build and look after gardens across the Willamette Valley — one team, from the first sketch to the hundredth season.
- Years in business
- 16
- Gardens built
- 640+
- Rating from 210 reviews
- 4.9
Who we are
Outdoor spaces you’ll actually use.
Groundwork is a small design-build studio in southeast Portland. Our landscape architect, builders and gardeners work as one team, so the people who draw your garden are the ones who build it and look after it.
- Landscape architect and builders on one team
- Fixed-price proposals before anything is dug
- Every plant guaranteed for 12 months
Our services
Design, build and care, from one team.
Planting & gardens
Layered borders, native meadows, trees and kitchen gardens, chosen for your soil, light and the Oregon rain.
- Perennial and native borders
- Trees and hedging
- Raised vegetable beds
Lawn care & renovation
Soil testing, grading, drainage and seed or sod, followed by regular mowing and feeding to keep it thick and green.
- Aeration and overseeding
- New sod installation
- Weekly mowing plans
Before & after
Same house. Different garden.
Drag the handle, or use your arrow keys, to see what changed.
BeforeAfterEastmoreland backyard — 3 weeks, completed 2025
Core aeration and topdressing · Re-graded low spots · Fescue blend overseed · Smart irrigation zones
Garden care
A garden is never finished. That’s the good part.
Our care plans start at $180 a month. The same crew visits on a regular schedule, so they get to know your garden and catch problems early.
This autumn (Sep – Nov), our crews are busy with:
- Tree and shrub planting
- Bulb planting
- Lawn renovation
- Leaf clearance
Featured projects
Landscapes that settle in.
A few recent gardens around Portland, photographed after their first year of growth.
How we work
A clear process, start to finish.
Four stages, a fixed price before we dig, and one person you can always call.
01Free · 60 min
Walk the site
We spend an unhurried hour in your garden — looking at light, soil, drainage and how you actually use the space. You leave with honest numbers.
022–4 weeks
Draw it properly
A scaled plan, planting schedule and fixed-price proposal. Two rounds of revisions are included, and nothing is built until you sign off.
031–8 weeks
Build with care
One crew lead stays on your project from first stake to final mulch. Neighbours get a heads-up, and the street gets swept daily.
0412-month warranty
Help it settle in
Plants are guaranteed for a full year. Most clients keep us on for seasonal visits so the garden grows the way it was drawn.
What clients say
“They talked us out of the patio we thought we wanted and into a gravel garden we actually use every evening. Three summers in, it still looks like the drawing.”
4.9 from 210 reviews
How much does a typical garden project cost?
Most of our front-garden projects land between $12,000 and $35,000, and full backyards between $30,000 and $90,000. Design-only packages start at $1,800. After the site walk we give you a range, and the final proposal is fixed-price.
When is the best time to plant?
In the Pacific Northwest, autumn is ideal: warm soil and reliable rain help roots establish before summer. We plant from October through May and book hardscape builds in the drier months.
Do you only work on large projects?
No. We regularly take on single borders, a new path or a small lawn renovation. If a job is too small for a full crew, we’ll say so and point you to someone we trust.
Are your plants guaranteed?
Yes. Everything we plant is guaranteed for 12 months. If something fails, we replace it — unless it was clearly caused by something outside our control, like a burst pipe or a hungry deer.
Do you use native plants?
Wherever it makes sense. Most of our planting plans are at least 50% native or regionally adapted species, which cuts watering and brings in pollinators.
Get in touch
Start with a consultation.
Tell us about your project and we’ll reply within one working day. Here’s what happens next:
- 1A short call to understand your goals, site and budget
- 2A free site walk with our designer
- 3A clear next step: design proposal, quote or schedule
Prefer to talk? Call (503) 555-0148
We serve Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Milwaukie, West Linn, Vancouver, WA.