River House

Terrace, BC · 2026

The River House project in Terrace, British Columbia, became one of Wesley’s favourite landscape builds of his professional career.

Before and after

We shot the property using a drone before we started and after we finished. Here are the results.

Before: an overhead view of the house and a bare, overgrown lawn running down to the riverbank — Before

After: an overhead view of the new lawn, paths, fire pit and planted border along the riverbank — After

Where it started

Beginning in March 2026, the vision took shape through hand-drawn concepts before being developed in design software. Working alongside an accomplished and well-known Terrace interior designer, Wesley helped bring their shared vision to life through thoughtful planting and carefully shaped spaces.

The red house above a bare, winter-worn lawn by the river before work began

A bare back yard with fresh footings set out near the fence

The planting plan

The landscape embraced the yard’s varied light and moisture conditions. Drier, sunnier sections drew inspiration from the desert landscapes of Osoyoos, while shaded areas reflected the lush beauty of a coastal rainforest. Every plant was carefully selected for its exact place, considering both its growing needs and its contribution to the overall design.

Building it

Bringing these elements together involved many subcontractors, close coordination, and design changes throughout the process. Countless hours went into refining angles, shaping curves, and considering how each part of the landscape would connect with the next.

The greenhouse framed and wrapped on a curved gravel pad with steel edging and rebar

A granite boulder being set beside the new concrete pad with an excavator

From the air

The finished garden

It was a beautiful undertaking, made meaningful by the creativity, patience, and care invested along the way.

A green lawn and planted borders running down to the river, with yellow autumn trees on the far bank

A long steel-edged border of lavender and grasses between the lawn and the river

Granite slabs set in moss leading up to the cedar greenhouse, with lavender and blue fescue on both sides

A gravel sitting area with boulders, a weeping spruce and a fire pit beside the river

Lavender and grasses along a boulder-edged bed, with the river glowing behind

Inside the greenhouse, a chair and raised bed facing a tall grid window onto the river

A salmon artwork on the cedar wall inside the greenhouse, above a raised bed

A weeping blue spruce and boulders at the river edge in autumn

A fire burning in the stone ring by the river at dusk