Bringing Beauty to the Sidewalk: Adria Sparhawk’s Vision for Native Plant Gardens in Downtown White Salmon

A new kind of garden is taking root in downtown White Salmon—thanks to the generosity, creativity, and community spirit of local landscape designer Adria Sparhawk, owner of Sparhawk Garden Design. With her deep knowledge of native plants and a love for the natural world, Adria has donated her professional design services to create the first native plant sidewalk garden on East Jewett Boulevard.

This exciting beautification project is funded through the White Salmon Wine Walks, an ongoing community initiative that has already raised over $60,000 for downtown enhancements such as sculptures, murals, native plant gardens, and public seating. “What a great community we have,” Adria said. “Working together and supporting one another—what a blessing.”

Adria brings a lifetime of connection to the outdoors and a career rich in experience. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she’s spent years learning about our local ecology through outdoor recreation, floral design, art education, and her garden shop, Thicket, in Portland. She and her family settled in White Salmon in 2017, drawn by the region’s rivers, wild spaces, great food, and a community that—while diverse in viewpoints—is deeply rooted in helping each other out. “This might be one of the best places on earth,” she said.

Her vision for the sidewalk garden is simple and powerful: a beautiful, low-maintenance space full of native blooms that draw people in to appreciate, learn, and connect. “I just thought it was such a great opportunity to show how native plants can be such a gorgeous addition to a landscaped area,” Adria explained. “Natives require less water and chemical inputs, are adapted to our climate, and help to support wildlife.” The garden will also feature educational signage and, eventually, a bench for people to pause and enjoy the view of Mt. Hood.

This effort wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of other community leaders. Julie Burgmeier, founder of the Wine Walks and a champion for downtown beautification, had the vision and helped secure the funding. Dale Grinstead, owner of Goodfellows and co-leader of the Green Space Collective, is fostering broader efforts to connect locals interested in sustainable community gardening. Hardscaping has been generously provided at a discounted rate by Serapio Cortez of SYS Landscape, and native plants are sourced from the outstanding local nursery, Humble Roots.

Adria hopes this project sparks more than just flowers. “I hope people stop to smell the flowers, learn a little about native plants, and feel grateful that we get to live in such a beautiful part of the world.” She imagines a couple sitting on a future bench enjoying the view— it’s about fostering connection—to nature, to each other, and to the community we all call home.

Want to get involved? Follow @explorewhitesalmon and the new @greenspacecollective on Instagram and sign up for volunteer opportunities—because building a resilient, vibrant town is something we all get to grow together.