Posts by Paul DeCelle
Fire Pits, Water Features, & Rock Gardens: How to Add Year-Round Interest to Your Backyard
Designing for Four Seasons in the PNW Year-round landscape design comes down to layering features that catch your attention at different times: Something with structure to add interest during the winter Something that pulls you outside on cool evenings, and Something that moves and makes sound when the garden is still. Stone, fire, and water…
Read MoreHardscape Ideas and Inspiration: Patios, Walkways, & More
Search “backyard patio” and you’ll scroll through a million gorgeous photos. Most were shot somewhere sunny and dry, which is why a lot of those ideas don’t survive their first Whatcom County winter. Your hardscape can look every bit as good as anything you’ve saved, as long as it’s designed for our soil, our slopes,…
Read MoreRetaining Walls vs. French Drains: How to Tell Which One Your Yard Needs
When you’re standing in your backyard after a heavy rain, watching water collect against the back of the house, or noticing a slope that shifts after every wet winter, you’re probably wondering how to solve it.
Read MoreLow-Voltage Landscape Lighting: A Homeowner’s Guide to Planning Your System
For homeowners weighing how to light a yard, low-voltage systems are the most common path. They’re safe to install, flexible to design around, and well-suited to the conditions in Whatcom County and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This guide walks through how the systems work, how they compare to alternatives, what drives the cost,…
Read MoreDo I Need a Permit for My Hardscaping Project in Whatcom County?
Yes, you do. Local authorities increasingly require permits in our region, regardless of how big your project is. Even if you’re only putting in a small walkway, it’s better to get that construction permit than to be faced with a stop-work order from your city. At North County Landscape Co., we handle the permit process…
Read MoreWinter to Early Spring Is the Best Time to Plan Your Paver Project: Here’s Why
A paver patio is one of the most rewarding outdoor upgrades you can make in Western Washington. It creates usable space, adds structure to your landscape, and holds up well against our long rainy seasons. But timing matters more here than it does in drier parts of the country. If you’re wondering about the best…
Read MoreWhy Winter Is the Perfect Time to Plan Your Landscape Projects in Whatcom County
When most homeowners think about landscaping, they think about spring. Warmer weather, longer days, and the excitement of getting outside again naturally put outdoor projects top of mind. What many homeowners in Bellingham and across Whatcom County don’t realize is that winter is actually the best time to plan a landscape project, especially if you…
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