native landscapes & nursery
WinterCreek Restoration is a full service landscape and nursery company working exclusively with native plants of the dryland west. We offer services in landscape design and installation, restoration and revegetation, planning, consultation, plant surveys, seed collection, custom growing, and project management.
Applicability
We work with designers, architects, and planning firms from around the country to ensure that plans accurately reflect local conditions. We often modify designs, shifting plant placements or changing individual species to develop a more sustainable project and lower maintenance costs. Our work has been very successful.
Our techniques and processes have been developed and tested in the high desert of central Oregon, but apply anywhere. Plant communities vary by environmental factors (growing season, soils, moisture regimes, etc), but our methods are applicable over a wide range of environments. The plants may change, but the systems are similar.
The need for proper planning cannot be overemphasized. With a reasonable timeline, a complete understanding of the steps involved, and realistic expectations, a truly successful project is generally the case, not the exception. We work to educate our clients in ecological systems as part of the process. If our clients understand what we’re doing and why, they will better understand what needs to be done to allow the project to mature naturally.
Ecology Based Landscaping
Ecology based landscaping is the practice of designing and installing landscapes based on ecological principles. Successful projects are based on knowledge and understanding of local ecology, climate, geology, and other factors that contribute to site specific plant communities. Understanding subtle factors of plant community structure and the cultural requirements of individual species within those communities results in landscapes designed to function as a system, not just as a bunch of plants put together in a garden.
The result of a well designed and installed ecological landscape is a planting adapted to the specific site and able to thrive on minimal inputs. Water use is greatly reduced and maintenance costs are significantly lower. Every element of the local natural environment, from birds and mammals to insects, fungi, and bacteria coexist in an ecologically based landscape.
Our approach to designing and installing landscapes is based on ecology rather than on standards developed for the landscaping industry. Many of our techniques are specific to WinterCreek. We have developed successful methods through the ability to apply knowledge in unique ways, and have had the fortune to work with clients willing to try something different.
Ecological Landscaping with natives also retains the local character. Many of our clients are trying to preserve the feeling and experience of the natural world. They do not want lawns and highly ornamental yards; they want the beauty and serenity of what nature has to offer. Our designs replicate that beauty.
Planning and Experience
The key to a successful project is proper planning. There are a number of landscape companies offering “native” landscapes, but most lack the background to properly plan, design, and install a truly native system. With nearly 30 years of combined experience in natural resources, the owners of WinterCreek Restoration are able to design a successful landscape or restoration project based on your local ecology.
Native landscapes must be based on site specific conditions. Here in central Oregon we have five major ecoregions. Within each of those areas are numerous plant communities, and between many communities are transition zones (ecotones) that include environmental characteristics of both areas. No matter where your project is located, our plans and designs consider the environmental setting of your specific project and the cultural requirements of plants specific to that setting. We use our experience, knowledge, and research to design a project that makes sense.
LCB #7338
PO Box 1543
Bend, Oregon 97709
Landscaping (541)948-0661
Nursery (541)948-0063
Fax (541)382-1227
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