Award-winning design, Merit Award Perennial Plant Association
Oak Street Hotel
Oak Street Hotel is a cozy boutique hotel located in a 1909-era home on the west end of downtown Hood River. It was purchased by Mike and Denise McCravey in 2002 and completely renovated. The Hotel now possesses nine comfortable rooms with old world charm and hand-forged furniture, making for a memorable stay. The large front porch and the west patio invite visitors to enjoy the outdoors and peacefully watch the activities along Oak Street, downtown’s main thoroughfare. A real estate and property management company is located in the same building. The lovely gardens are enjoyed by all. The landscape at the Oak Street Hotel has great street appeal, but also allows for surprisingly intimate and private seating, and garden enjoyment.
Design Intent
The garden makeover began in 2002. At that time the landscape consisted of a steep slope and patches of grass. Together, the owners and landscape designer Marion McNew of Mount Hood Gardens created an inviting, private patio landscape and lush front plantings along Oak Street. The plants were selected to provide year-round interest with compositions and color schemes changing throughout the season. The most westerly patio is sunken, surrounded by a stone sitting wall, and shaded by a large Locust tree. Stone walls and plantings were constructed by Mount Hood Gardens.
For more detailed information about the design and construction of this garden, please refer to linked articles:
Oak Street Hotel”, Gorge Living article, summer 2004
Oak Street Hotel”, Gorge Living article, summer 2008
For further information about the Oak Street Hotel, visit their website.
Marion McNew discusses some project ideas with owner Denise McCravey
Before: View of the future south portion of the landscape, late October 2002
Before: The sloping west side of the future landscape, which was re-graded extensively, July 2002
In the midst of future sunken patio construction, March 2004
Glorious flower bounty, flanking Oak Street, June 2008
The flourishing southwest patio areas, June 2008
Peeking through verdant plantings into the sunken patio, June 2008