M3 Ranch and Garden

About

This garden ranch is about 30 years in the making, slowly established from an original 2-acre Scotch broom meadow to a planted area developed using low-cost plant starts, cuttings, rare finds and friends’ gifts.

The main focus was to frame a view of Mt. Hood, using a natural, low impact lawn, vegetable garden, perennial and flowering shrub beds, and dry land forest garden areas.

A low-cost and natural approach flows through the many plant beds, using organic based and low toxicity practice. An open natural garden brings many challenges, but it turned into a sanctuary for many critters, not only the gardener! Birds, rabbits, coyotes, deer, bugs, and our horses live here.

Our approach is “plant enough for all” and practice control where needed. My big passion is soil building by using materials at hand: manure, compost, wood clippings. Plant collections include hellebore species, easy care perennials, growing along a natural, low intensity lawn, with pathways into the wooded garden in the front and to show off the open space to the mountain view side.

This garden's estimated size is 1.8 acres.

This Garden Host reports the following Terrain Notes about the garden: There is a paved driveway. Parking is on grass and gravel with easy access. The pathways to the garden are concrete or gravel and lawn.

2026 Open Day Date: Saturday, July 25

Open Day Hours: 10am–4pm