Vegetation: The Wall & Company Difference

Why can planting proposals vary so much in price when everything else appears to be the same?

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Two contractors can propose similar trees, shrubs and plants for the same landscape, yet the proposals can vary considerably.

So why can the proposals be so different?

Successful planting involves much more than purchasing plants, digging holes and putting them in the ground.

Plant quality, species selection, soil preparation, planting depth, spacing, irrigation and even where individual plants are positioned can affect how the landscape looks and performs over time.

At Wall & Company, we don’t simply consider what the landscape will look like when we’re finished.

We consider what it should look like several years from now.
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Wall & Company vs. Common Shortcuts

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What You’ll Never See

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When the landscaping is complete, you’ll see trees, shrubs, flowers and finished planting beds.

You probably won’t see:

• Soil preparation around the root systems
• The condition of the roots when the plants were installed
• Proper planting depth below the finished surface
• Underground irrigation lines
• Adjustments made for individual planting locations
• The planning that went into mature plant spacing
• Much of the work responsible for helping the plants establish

Those details may not make a dramatic difference on installation day.

They can make a very significant difference several growing seasons later.
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The Right Plant Needs to Be in the Right Place

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A healthy plant at the nursery isn’t automatically the right plant for every location.

The Inland Northwest gives plants a wide range of conditions to deal with: hot summers, cold winters, periods of limited rainfall and substantial seasonal temperature swings.

Conditions can also vary dramatically within a single property.

Wall & Company considers factors such as:

• Sun and shade exposure
• Cold hardiness
• Heat tolerance
• Soil conditions
• Water requirements
• Wind exposure
• Mature plant size
• Growth habits
• Seasonal appearance

A plant that’s successful on one side of the house may struggle on another.

Good planting design starts with matching the plant to the location.
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Plant Quality Matters

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Two plants with the same name on the tag aren’t necessarily equal.

Plant health, root development, shape and overall quality can vary considerably.

Wall & Company uses quality plant material and considers the condition of individual plants before they’re incorporated into the landscape.

Choosing primarily around the lowest plant cost can reduce the initial proposal.

But the objective isn’t simply to fill every location on the landscape plan.

It’s to install healthy plants with a good opportunity to establish and become part of the long-term landscape.
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Healthy Plants Start Below Ground

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The part of the plant you see gets most of the attention.

The roots determine whether it survives.

Wall & Company prepares planting areas according to the needs of the plants and existing site conditions.

We also pay attention to planting depth and root conditions during installation.

These aren’t visually dramatic steps.

Once the planting bed is finished, you can’t see most of them.

But a beautiful tree or shrub planted incorrectly is still an incorrectly planted tree or shrub.
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Planting Depth Matters

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Planting deeper isn’t necessarily better.

Trees, shrubs and other plants need to be installed at an appropriate depth so their root systems can function properly.

Wall & Company pays attention to the relationship between the root system and the surrounding finished grade rather than simply digging a hole and covering the root ball.

It’s a small installation detail that becomes completely invisible once the planting is finished.

That doesn’t make it unimportant.
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Today’s Small Plants Become Tomorrow’s Large Plants

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New landscapes can look sparse.

That’s often because quality landscape design considers what plants will become as they mature.

Wall & Company considers mature height, width and growth habits when positioning plants.

That helps reduce problems such as:

• Shrubs crowding walkways
• Plants growing into one another
• Trees planted too close to structures
• Vegetation blocking windows
• Plants overwhelming smaller landscape features
• Excessive pruning simply to keep plants within their spaces

Installing more plants closer together can create an instantly fuller landscape.

But today’s empty space may be exactly what the plants need several years from now.
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Irrigation Should Match the Plants

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New plants need dependable water while they’re becoming established.

Different plants can also have very different watering requirements.

Wall & Company considers irrigation as part of the planting plan rather than assuming whatever watering already exists will be appropriate.

Depending on the landscape, that can include:

• Drip irrigation
• Adjusted irrigation zones
• Appropriate emitter placement
• Watering based on plant needs
• Planning for establishment watering

The objective isn’t simply to deliver more water.

It’s to deliver the appropriate amount of water where the plants need it.
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Plant Groupings Should Look Intentional

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Good planting design isn’t simply a collection of individually attractive plants.

The plants need to work together.

Wall & Company considers:

• Height
• Texture
• Color
• Seasonal interest
• Plant form
• Mature size
• Repetition
• Layering
• Relationship to surrounding hardscape

That helps create a landscape that feels cohesive rather than a collection of unrelated plants.

It also allows the landscape to change throughout the seasons while maintaining an intentional overall appearance.
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The Details You Do See Matter, Too

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Proper planting practices still need thoughtful design and finish work.

Wall & Company pays attention to:

• Plant groupings
• Bed shapes and lines
• Tree placement
• Shrub spacing
• Color and texture
• Boulder integration
• Decorative rock or mulch
• Transitions to lawn and hardscape
• Views from the home and outdoor living areas

Plants soften the hardscape and bring the landscape to life.

They shouldn’t feel like something added after everything else was finished.
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Where the Wall & Company Difference Shows Up

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Planting is one of the areas where shortcuts can be particularly difficult to recognize when a project is new.

Fresh nursery plants usually look good.

The planting beds are clean. The soil or decorative material is fresh. Everything has just been watered.

The differences often become more apparent over time.

Plants establish—or struggle. Roots grow into the surrounding soil. Irrigation gets tested during Spokane’s hot summers. Small shrubs become large shrubs. Trees begin filling the spaces around them.

Plant selection, soil preparation, planting depth, spacing and irrigation all affect what happens next.

Wall & Company’s approach is to think beyond installation day: quality plants, appropriate species selection, proper soil preparation and installation, thoughtful mature spacing, appropriate irrigation and careful integration with the complete landscape.

The objective isn’t to install the cheapest or the most expensive vegetation and planting. Our objective is to create a landscape that will grow and mature beautifully over time.

At Wall & Company, we aim to create planting areas that you can enjoy for years to come.