Portland-grown. Perfectly imperfect. Ask about plants →
Portland · Small batch · Grown with intention

Start awkward.
Grow anyway.

Plants and friendly garden help in the Portland metro area. You don’t need a green thumb or a perfect yard. We’ll figure out your next step together.

A small harvest of imperfect carrots and fresh lettuce on a turquoise plate.
Something you grew. That’s a good start.
Pink and cream flowers arranged in a vase on a garden table.
A little beauty, close to home.
Your next growing adventure

Small batches. A little possibility.

Not sure what to plant, what to keep, or where to start? Bring your questions: even the ones you think you should already know. We can start with one pot, one bed, or one corner of your yard.

Let’s talk plants: and your yard.

Looking for plants, help figuring out your yard, or a garden consultation? Tell me what’s working, what’s frustrating, and what you’d like your space to become. We’ll start with a conversation about what you need.

Serving the Portland metro area. Yard help and consultations are priced by the project, not by the hour. We’ll agree on the scope and price before work begins.

Just looking for plants? Email for current availability, prices, and the next sale date before making a trip.

Room to grow

A yard can become so much more.

Backyard before and after: a dry, sparse lawn above; raised garden beds, a green lawn, stepping stones, and an updated wooden deck below.
Before, above. After, below. A garden can change over time: you don’t have to tackle everything at once.

What would you like your yard to make room for?

Tell me about your yard →
Free tool from Awkward Acres LLC

What the Frond?! 🌿

Meet the mystery plant in your yard. Add up to three photos for a suggested identification, common names, and growing information: with a little personality.

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What the Frond?!

From your windowsill to the woods : houseplants, garden plants, wild plants, identified.

Personalize your results:
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Tap to add a photo
Up to 3 photos · Different seasons or angles welcome

Photo identification can be wrong. Confirm a plant’s identity before eating it or relying on pet or child safety information.

The people behind it

Meet the Team

Cynthia and Erik smiling together outdoors.
Cynthia & Erik
Cynthia : Plants, garden consultations & encouragement
Erik : “Map the Land Guy” & finder of missing garden shears
I’m Cynthia. If you’ve ever stood in your yard and thought, “I don’t even know where to start,” you’re in the right place. We’ll look at your space, talk about what you enjoy and what you can realistically manage, and find a clear next step. No perfect garden required.
Count Beso wearing a turquoise plaid bow tie.
Count Beso
Customer Relations
Morale officer, squirrel monitoring, and quality assurance. He enjoys carrots, peas, zinnia leaves, and naps. He stares at people until they give him what he wants. Excellent strategy. No notes.
Awkward little tomato
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Why we do this

Tending plants tends to people.

A garden doesn’t need to be perfect to be worth tending. We believe in soil under your nails, learning as you go, and making room for whatever kind of gardener you are today.

In plain language, tending plants tends to people. Awkward Acres LLC helps you build steady, livable outdoor spaces that fit your life as well as your plants.
How we see gardening
Organic methods that focus on soil health first
Stability is in the soil : a strong base before the beauty
Working with who you are today, not only your aspirational future self
Turning mistakes into compost : in both the literal and metaphorical sense
Guidance for masked and unmasked brains that is clear, kind, and pressure-free
Growing what you love rather than what a trend or catalog pushes
Clear next steps so overwhelm drops and confidence rises