CASE STUDY
LANDSCAPE LIGHTING
VASHON ISLAND, WASHINGTON
A Shady Forest with West Side Light
A completely native landscape under tall trees, with stone steps and a walkway you can follow after dark.
THE PROJECT
The house stands on a slope in a shady forest. The goal was a landscape that is completely native, with stone steps and a walkway through it. Light was part of the plan, so the path and the planting stay in view after dark.
PLACE
Vashon Island
SCOPE
Landscape design and installation
YEAR
2025
01
THE PLANTING
Every plant here is native. Ferns, shrubs and groundcover grow in layers under the trees, and bark mulch covers the ground between them.
FIG. 2. Stone entry wall with a lit cap.
03
THE STONE
Stone steps climb the slope, with a boulder wall on one side and a handrail on the other. A walkway of broad, flat stones winds through the planting.
FIG. 3. The steps, with ferns on both sides and a path light beside them.
FIG. 6. The lawn and shoreline from above.
03
THE LIGHT
The last sun of the day comes in from the west and breaks up in the trees. When it goes, low lights take over along the walkway and the steps. Each one puts a small pool of warm light on the stone and the plants beside it.
FIG. 6. Path lights along the stone walkway at dusk.
FIG. 5. Sun low in the trees, with a roofline showing through the leaves.
IN THEIR WORDS
“[Client quote, optional. One or two sentences.]”
[Homeowner name], Vashon Island
