Best Landscaping Plants for Olympia WA Climate

Choosing the right plants for your landscape in Olympia, WA, is one of the most important decisions you can make when designing or updating your yard. Our region sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, which means mild winters with temperatures rarely dipping below 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, paired with wet falls and winters and relatively dry summers. Understanding this climate is the key to selecting plants that will thrive year after year with minimal effort in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and throughout Thurston County.

Native Plants: The Foundation of a PNW Landscape

Native plants are the backbone of any well-designed Pacific Northwest landscape. These species have evolved over thousands of years to flourish in our specific soil conditions, rainfall patterns, and temperature ranges. They require less water, less fertilizer, and less maintenance than non-native alternatives, making them an environmentally responsible and cost-effective choice for Thurston County homeowners.

Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)

The sword fern is perhaps the most iconic plant of the Pacific Northwest understory. Its arching, deep green fronds can reach three to four feet in length, creating a lush, tropical look in shaded areas. Sword ferns are evergreen, providing year-round structure and color in your landscape. They thrive in the shade beneath large trees and are perfect for filling in areas where grass struggles to grow. Once established, they are drought-tolerant during our dry summers and require almost no maintenance beyond removing the occasional brown frond.

Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

Oregon grape is the state flower of Oregon and grows abundantly throughout western Washington. This evergreen shrub produces clusters of bright yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dusty blue berries that attract birds. The holly-like leaves turn bronze or reddish-purple in the colder months, providing multi-season interest. Oregon grape grows well in both sun and partial shade and is extremely adaptable to different soil types found across Thurston County. It makes an excellent foundation planting, hedge, or woodland garden addition.

Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Salal is another versatile Pacific Northwest native that deserves a place in every Olympia landscape. This broadleaf evergreen shrub grows anywhere from one to five feet tall depending on light conditions. In full shade, it stays low and spreading, making it an excellent ground cover. In more light, it grows taller and more upright. Salal produces small pink bell-shaped flowers in late spring and dark purple berries in summer. It is incredibly tough, tolerating poor soils, drought, and deep shade. Many landscapers in Lacey and Tumwater use salal as a low-maintenance alternative to traditional foundation shrubs.

Flowering Shrubs That Thrive in Zone 8b

Flowering shrubs bring color, fragrance, and seasonal interest to your landscape. The Olympia area's mild climate supports an impressive range of flowering shrubs that would struggle in harsher environments.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas

No Pacific Northwest garden is complete without rhododendrons. Thurston County's acidic soils and mild, moist climate create near-perfect growing conditions for these spectacular flowering shrubs. Rhododendrons come in an enormous range of sizes, from compact varieties suitable for small gardens to large specimens that can reach 15 feet or more. They bloom prolifically in spring, with flower colors spanning white, pink, red, purple, orange, and yellow. Plant them in partial shade with well-drained, acidic soil for the best results. Azaleas, which are part of the rhododendron family, offer similar beauty in a typically smaller package and include both evergreen and deciduous varieties.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are superstars in Olympia-area landscapes. These deciduous shrubs produce massive flower clusters from mid-summer through fall, providing color when many other shrubs have finished blooming. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) are particularly popular here because our naturally acidic soil tends to produce blue flowers, though you can adjust the color by amending the soil pH. Lacecap and mophead varieties both perform well in Thurston County. Plant them where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade, and they will reward you with stunning blooms year after year.

Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

This native deciduous shrub is one of the earliest plants to bloom in spring, producing dangling clusters of pink to red flowers that hummingbirds love. Red flowering currant grows six to ten feet tall and wide, making it a beautiful specimen plant or informal hedge. It is tough, drought-tolerant once established, and requires minimal care. You can find it growing wild along roadsides and forest edges throughout Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater.

Trees for Thurston County Landscapes

Selecting the right trees for your property is a long-term investment. The trees you plant today will define your landscape for decades to come.

• Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum): A favorite in Pacific Northwest gardens, Japanese maples offer incredible fall color and come in hundreds of varieties with different leaf shapes, sizes, and colors. They thrive in the filtered light beneath larger trees and add elegance to any landscape. Dwarf varieties work well in small Olympia yards.
• Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata): This native evergreen is a PNW classic. It grows tall and columnar, making it perfect for privacy screens and windbreaks. Western red cedar thrives in moist soil and tolerates shade, making it well-suited to many Thurston County properties.
• Dogwood (Cornus): Both native Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) and hybrid varieties like Cornus x rutgersensis offer spectacular spring flowers, attractive fall foliage, and ornamental berries. They work beautifully as understory trees in residential landscapes throughout Lacey and Tumwater.
• Vine Maple (Acer circinatum): This native small tree is perfect for woodland gardens and naturalistic landscapes. It produces brilliant orange and red fall color and grows well in shade. Its multi-stemmed, graceful form adds a natural, artistic quality to any yard.

Ground Covers for PNW Gardens

Ground covers are essential for filling in spaces between larger plants, controlling erosion, and reducing maintenance. In the Olympia area, these ground covers perform exceptionally well:

• Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): A native evergreen ground cover with small, leathery leaves and red berries. It stays low, spreads nicely, and tolerates poor, sandy soils. Excellent for slopes and bank plantings throughout Thurston County.
• Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum): A native woodland ground cover with large, heart-shaped leaves that create a beautiful carpet in shaded areas. It pairs perfectly with sword ferns and other shade-loving natives.
• Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia): While not native, this ground cover thrives in our wet Pacific Northwest conditions where other plants might struggle. Its lime-green foliage brightens up shady spots and damp areas along paths and water features.
• Irish Moss (Sagina subulata): Ideal for planting between stepping stones and pavers, Irish moss creates a soft, emerald green carpet that tolerates light foot traffic. It loves the cool, moist conditions found across our region.

Tips for Successful Planting in Olympia

No matter which plants you choose, following a few best practices will help them establish quickly and thrive in the long term:

• Plant in fall or early spring: The mild, wet conditions during these seasons allow roots to establish before the stress of summer heat and dryness.
• Amend your soil: Many Thurston County soils are heavy clay. Adding compost at planting time improves drainage, adds nutrients, and encourages healthy root development.
• Mulch generously: A two to three inch layer of bark mulch around new plantings conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature. Keep mulch a few inches away from plant stems to prevent rot.
• Water wisely: Even drought-tolerant plants need regular watering during their first two growing seasons. Once established, many of these plants will thrive on natural rainfall alone through our wet winters and only need occasional supplemental watering during July and August.

Let the Experts Help You Choose

Selecting and installing the right plants for your specific property conditions, including sun exposure, soil type, drainage, and aesthetic goals, can be challenging. The team at Fabian Ramirez Landscaping has deep experience designing and installing beautiful, sustainable landscapes throughout Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and all of Thurston County. We can help you choose plants that will look stunning from day one and improve with age.