Earth Ecology Expands with Landmark Project at Columbia Crossings

A challenge and an opportunity

When Portland-based landscape artist and plantsman Nick Lake founded Earth Ecology in 2016, his vision was clear: to create living sculptures that heal both people and the planet. What began as a personal journey, growing trees to supply material for his own sculptures, has since grown into a thriving business that integrates art, ecology, and restoration.

In 2023, Earth Ecology was invited to join Columbia Crossings and design firm Pistil on a large-scale commercial landscape project along the Columbia River. For Lake, the project represented both a challenge and an opportunity: “It was our first commercial project,” he explained. “We’re excited to take the step to doing a bigger more public space like this.”

Designing with ecology in mind

The Columbia Crossings site presented unique challenges. Built on sandy ground, the restaurant’s expansive outdoor dining area required species that could thrive in harsh, fast-draining soil. Lake and his team selected an extensive palette of native plants, including oaks, manzanitas, and coastal shrubs, drawing from Oregon and California ecosystems.

The design was inspired by meadows, chaparral, and alpine gardens, blending ecological function with artistic form. Lake incorporated rare oak species from his personal collections, transforming the space into what he calls “an ex-situ conservation project,” a living arboretum nestled within a commercial development.

Collaboration played a key role in the project’s success. Pistil provided the initial design framework, while Earth Ecology adapted the planting palette to emphasize western natives. Working alongside Donald Kenney of Pal’s, who welcomed the ecological approach, the team created a landscape that is both restorative and visually striking.

Beyond Aesthetic Beauty

For Lake, landscapes are more than beautiful backdrops; they are ecological lifelines. “Every garden has that opportunity to be supporting the insects and animals,” he said, noting how oak trees serve as keystone species for caterpillars, moths, and migratory birds. By including a wide diversity of species, Earth Ecology ensures resilience against pests and disease while creating habitat for wildlife.

Lake sees each project as a chance to move away from traditional lawns, which he says have “very little habitat value,” and toward landscapes that balance sustainability and artistry. Gardens are “growing living sculptures," he explained. “That change over time, to get bigger and better as they grow in.”

Looking Ahead

The Columbia Crossings project is only the beginning. Earth Ecology will return this fall to expand the meadow plantings and introduce educational signage and plant tags, turning the site into a community resource as well as a dining destination. The team also has plans for coastal prairie restoration and residential gardens across the region.

For Lake, the work is about more than business. It is a way of leaving a positive impact on the planet while offering people places of beauty and refuge. “It’s only going to get better with time,” he said of the Columbia Crossings project. And with Earth Ecology’s vision, so too will the landscapes they touch.