Who provides landscaping in Oak Harbor, WA?
Creative Gardens, Inc. provides Oak Harbor landscaping, from design and installation to stone patios, rockeries, water features and year-round maintenance. Founded on Whidbey Island in 1994 by Robert Rochholz, we are licensed in Washington ( License #: CREATGI015O8 ), bonded and insured, and based on Zylstra Road just south of Oak Harbor.
Oak Harbor gardens grow in different conditions than most of Western Washington. The city sits in the Olympic rain shadow and averages about 21.5 inches of rain a year, with less than an inch in each of July and August. Add steady wind off the water, glacial soils that range from dense till to loose sand, hungry deer, and the native Garry oaks the city is named for and protects by ordinance. Every Oak Harbor landscape we plan starts with those facts.
Projects here run from a fresh front entry in Old Town to a full yard for a family stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, or a bluff-top patio facing Crescent Harbor. One crew carries the job from the first site walk to the final cleanup, and we can keep caring for the yard afterward.
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Our Landscaping Services in Oak Harbor
Each service is adjusted for North Whidbey sites, from windy lots near the water to wooded parcels along Ault Field Road.
- Landscape design that accounts for wind direction, sun, drainage and how fast deer find new shrubs
- Flagstone, bluestone and paver patios set on a compacted base so they stay level through wet winters
- Rockeries and boulder walls that turn sloped lots into level yard and planting terraces
- Pondless waterfalls and streams suited to a dry-summer climate
- Lawn and garden care, including fall and spring cleanups, careful pruning and storm cleanup
- Deer fencing, arbors, garden enclosures and low-voltage lighting built to stand up to winter wind
Landscaping Built for Oak Harbor Conditions
Oak Harbor's mild, dry-summer climate is closer to a Mediterranean pattern than to the rainy Seattle stereotype. Here is how we plan for it.
- Garry oaks. Oak Harbor's code protects Garry oaks. Pruning or removal needs the city's approval, and work near one needs a fenced root zone of one foot for every inch of trunk diameter. We lay out patios, paths and planting to stay clear of that zone.
- Wind and salt air. Lots near Crescent Harbor, Oak Harbor bay and Polnell Shores take the brunt of winter storms, so we use layered windbreak plantings, salt-tolerant shrubs and well-anchored fences and arbors.
- Dry July and August. Drip irrigation, mulched beds and drought-tolerant natives keep gardens healthy without heavy watering.
- Glacial soils and drainage. Dense till holds water in winter while sandy pockets drain fast. We amend beds and set every patio and wall on a compacted base with drainage where it is needed.
- Deer. We favor plants deer usually skip, such as kinnikinnick, salal, lavender and ornamental grasses, and fence vegetable beds and roses.
- Bluffs and shorelines. On waterfront lots we keep native vegetation on the slope, direct runoff away from the bluff edge and flag work that may need an Island County permit.
Landscaping Photo Gallery
See more in our bluestone patio and walkway, pavers and hardscape and landscape makeover galleries.
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How an Oak Harbor Project Works
- Consultation. We walk the property with you and talk through how you want to use it.
- Design and price. You get a detailed plan with a clear price before any work begins.
- Installation. Our crews and trusted local trades build it and clean up as they go.
- Ongoing care. Seasonal maintenance keeps the landscape healthy year after year.
What Our Clients Say
“Thank you so much for making everything beautiful. I appreciate your taking charge and doing the extra pruning and trimming to my landscape.”—Dorris V., Oak Harbor, WA
“He and his crew showed up on time, worked with speed and efficiency did a great job… When they left, it did not take days to clean up after them. I had expected a 90% job satisfaction, but got 110% of what I paid for!”—Whidbey Island homeowner
“In the case of CG, we found the pricing to be fair and accurate and not once did we ever doubt our decision to contract Robert.”—Greg/Darlene Davis, Coupeville, WA
Why Oak Harbor Homeowners Choose Creative Gardens
Founder Robert Rochholz learned the trade on family crews in Southern California and ran his own landscaping company from 1988. Since starting Creative Gardens, Inc. on Whidbey in 1994, he has spent more than three decades working with island soil, wind and deer. Our shop on Zylstra Road sits between Coupeville and Oak Harbor, so North Whidbey jobs are close to home.
Clients choose Creative Gardens for:
- Landscaping since 1988, and on Whidbey Island since 1994
- Experience working around protected Garry oaks and on windy waterfront lots
- The same crew from site walk to final cleanup
- Organic soil care, including compost tea applications
- A written plan and price before any work begins
Landscaping Throughout Oak Harbor and North Whidbey
Our crews work in every Oak Harbor neighborhood, including Old Town, Midtown, Crescent Harbor, Scenic Heights, Swantown, Fort Nugent, Ault Forest, Silverspot Valley, Broad View and Fair Winds, and in the North Whidbey areas around the city, such as Polnell Shores, Strawberry Point, Dugualla Bay and West Beach.
We also serve Coupeville, Greenbank, Freeland, Langley and Clinton. Our landscape design, hardscaping, rockeries and water features pages have more on each service, and our testimonials and team pages tell you more about us.
Frequently Asked Questions about Oak Harbor Landscaping
Who provides landscaping in Oak Harbor, WA?
Creative Gardens, Inc. provides landscape design, installation and maintenance in Oak Harbor and across Whidbey Island. The company was founded in 1994 by Robert Rochholz, is based on Zylstra Road near Coupeville, and is licensed, bonded and insured.
What landscaping services do you offer?
Landscape design and installation, flagstone and paver patios, walkways, rockeries and boulder work, ponds and water features, fences and garden structures, outdoor lighting and audio, and lawn and garden maintenance, including seasonal cleanups and specialty pruning.
What plants hold up to wind and deer here?
On exposed North Whidbey lots we lean on tough, deer-resistant choices such as kinnikinnick, salal, evergreen huckleberry, Pacific wax myrtle, lavender, rosemary and ornamental grasses. Windbreak plantings on the weather side, plus drip irrigation through the dry summer, help everything establish.
When is the best time to start a landscaping project?
October through March is the best planting window. Most of the year’s roughly 21.5 inches of rain falls then, so new plants root in before the dry July and August stretch. Patios, walkways and rockeries can be built most of the year, and booking design work in winter puts you in line for spring installation.
Do I need a permit to work near a Garry oak?
Usually, yes. Oak Harbor’s municipal code (Chapter 20.16) protects Garry oaks. Removing, topping or trimming one requires the city’s approval, and construction nearby needs a fenced critical root zone of one foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter. We plan around these rules and can help you contact the city before work starts.
Can you design a low-maintenance yard?
Yes. The area has many Navy households and rental homes, and a yard that needs little care is easier to keep up between moves or to rent out. We use gravel paths, stone patios, mulched beds, drip irrigation and deer-resistant natives, and we offer ongoing maintenance for owners who are away.
How much does a landscaping project cost?
Cost depends on the size of the property, site access, slope and drainage, and the materials chosen. After a site consultation, Creative Gardens prepares a detailed plan and price so you know the scope before work begins.