Water Retention Landscapes

Shelter and Seeds is on a mission to create abundance for all species through ecological land and water stewardship. We believe that by observing, nurturing, and working alongside natural elements, we can create beautiful and resilient landscapes.

  • Water Retention Earthworks

    We use earthworks to slow, spread, and sink precipitation in the soil. These include swales, berms, terraces, check dams, gutter basins, sunken garden beds, and hugelkultur beds, Earthworks are designed to passively store water in the soil where it can provide more consistent hydration for plant life. This creates more plentiful and consistent water throughout the year, which increases drought and wildfire resilience, creates more food and habitat, decreases irrigation needs, builds topsoil, and replenishes aquifers.

  • Native and Edible Landscapes

    We design, install and maintain landscapes with an emphasis on native and edible plants that balance beauty, function, and ecological well-being. Based on each client’s unique location and goals, we can add to local biodiversity, grow an abundance of food, and reduce irrigation needs. No project is too big or too small, and if you want a single tree planted, we’re happy to do it.

  • Food Forests

    Modeled after patterns observed in natural forest ecosystems, we create polyculture agroforestry landscapes focused on climate-adapted perennial tree crops grown among mutually beneficial understory plants. These “forest gardens” produce food for decades while requiring less maintenance and irrigation every year.

  • Lawns to Wildflower Meadows

    We can turn your irrigated lawn into a beautiful mosaic of wildflowers that grow with natural precipitation alone. Wildlife habitat and beauty galore.

  • Consulting

    If you’re looking for personalized stewardship assistance, we offer on-site and remote consulting to help with observing, analyzing, and caring for your landscape. Our goal is to help you work with the natural elements in your site to have the greatest impact with the least amount of effort. We can work with you to understand the ecology of your site to formulate approachable plans for actualizing your landscape vision.

  • Roundwood Construction

    Using locally harvested small diameter trees from thinning projects, we build roundwood trellises, arbors, shade structures, and more. If you have logs on-site, we can transform into shelters that serve a purpose while blending in with the landscape.

  • Compost Systems

    Turn your abundance back into rich soil by recycling organic matter with composting bays, made for reclaimed or local materials. We can build composting setups that fit your specific aesthetic and usage.

  • Seeds

    Coming Soon…

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Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort Food Forest Leavenworth, WA - 2024

  • "Sean’s knowledge and resources are excellent. His helpful nature and “can do” attitude makes working with him a pleasure. Don’t hesitate to call him!"

    Betsy M.

  • “Sean is a wealth of information when it comes to regenerative landscaping. He has worked beside many regenerative farmers. My goal is to heal my old orchard land, create more nutrient rich soil, and grow as much food and herbs as possible. Sean was very kind. He walked our property and gave us ideas, a helpful packet of local plants (how to grow and where to buy them), and some freshly foraged serviceberries! He even showed me some of my flowers were actually edible! It’s so important we work with Mother Nature, steward the earth better, and grow more of our own food!”

    Kristen J.

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