Jasmine Wibbens
Landscape & Habitat Designer
“You can have as much earth as you want,” he said. “You remind me of some one else who loved the earth and things that grow. When you see a bit of earth you want,” with something like a smile, “take it, child, and make it come alive.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
After earning a degree in Studio Art from Middlebury College in Vermont, I returned to the West Coast and spent 10 years living in the San Francisco Bay area. While working a regular 9-to-5 job, I dabbled in illustration and gardening, and I escaped to nature as often as possible. Traveling with my husband, David, to countries like South Africa, Madagascar, and Ecuador fostered my interest in wildlife - particularly birds - and natural ecosystems.
It wasn’t until moving to Portland with my young daughter and husband in June of 2020 that my passion for native plants was ignited. This was our first real home with a large garden space. Having already left my regular job to stay at home with my daughter, I had ample time to dive into landscaping projects and learn about natives. For the first 6 months, we simply lived in our space - a jumbled mix of grass, weeds, and a few old fruit trees and ornamentals - to observe and plan.
Growing up in Monterey, CA, I fell in love with nature at an early age. The varied habitats of the place - coastal, woodland, grassland, riparian, mountain - made a lasting impression. I had a curiosity and passion for nature from the start, as the kind of kid who brought home pockets full of insects and took notice of the small details of the natural world. My love for plants, and for growing things to eat, began with early gardening projects with my mom. I also inherited her creativity and do-it-yourself inclinations; whether through traditional art or when diving into a home-improvement project, I learned not to be afraid to get my hands dirty.
That Winter, I started carving our space into areas that made sense for us: edibles focused in the sunnier areas, play spaces for my daughter, paths that flowed throughout and made everything accessible, drought-tolerant plants in the hard-to-reach places, and outdoor living areas that allowed us to enjoy what we had created. I signed up for Backyard Habitat and began to learn all I could about PNW natives. Finally, in February of 2021, my husband and I literally “dug in”, doing all the work ourselves; this allowed us to learn from experience, save money, and craft the spaces to be just the way we wanted them. I began experimenting with natives and useful, non-invasive ornamentals, using my space as a testing ground for plant combinations and seeing what natives worked in smaller urban garden settings. I also observed natural areas and other yards around me for ideas.
After 2 years of hard work and research, we received our Gold Certification from Backyard Habitat in April 2022. I was invited to be a host for Backyard Habitat’s Open Gardens program and held my first tours in 2022. Walking people through my space - as well as visiting other Backyard Habitats - has been an invaluable experience. Through these Open Gardens, I have met many people looking for help with their own spaces; this niche in the world of landscaping has given me the opportunity to create a business with the goal of helping people achieve spaces that make them happy, and that also better serve wildlife.
Questions & Inquiries
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