The Haller House landscape report documents the existing conditions of the landscape surrounding the historic Haller House property in Coupeville, Washington. The landscape consists of layered plantings including trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs, though it has become overgrown with invasive plants and volunteer trees threatening the intended design. The report maps and catalogs the existing vegetation, identifies issues like structural damage from nearby trees, and provides prioritized recommendations for maintenance and restoration of the landscape to preserve the historic character of the site.

1. HALLER HOUSE
LANDSCAPE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT
February 2016
Prepared for Historic Whidbey
by Kate Hartman
with assistance from Hailey Mackay
Special Thanks to:
Susan A. Dolan, National Park Service
and
Nancy Rottle, University of Washington
Photo: K. Hartman

2. INTRODUCTION
SITE CONDITIONS
The home of Col. Granville O. Haller is an unrecognized treasure in the heart of
Coupeville and Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.
The surrounding landscaping is a perfect complement to the house. The gardens are
composed of a blend of native and non-native plants, both edible and ornamental,
with several layers of plantings from bulbs and herbaceous perennials to shrubs and
trees. All of the species found are typical of yards of the Pacific Northwest in the late
19th and early 20th centuries. The landscape is as unique and well-preserved as the
house itself.
Due to lack of maintenance, invasive plants and volunteer trees are now threatening
to overwhelm the plantings, which have been allowed to become overgrown.
Intentionally planted ornamentals, which do not match the historic character of the site,
have also been added over the years.
Historic Whidbey has commissioned this report to define the existing conditions of
the Haller House landscape. The existing plants and site conditions were cataloged
in spring of 2015, and the mapping and recommendations made in summer of that
year. The goal of this work is to begin and support a larger effort of historic preservation
research and design at Haller House, which will eventually lead to the site being open to
the public for educational use.
The Haller House is located on the corner of Front
and Main streets, Coupeville, WA. (FIG 1) The
property is divided into 4 parcels, including a
shoreline parcel across Front St from the house.
The property is bordered to the east by a private
residence, and to the south by a vacant lot that
was once a building site. To the south of that
is Cooks Corner public park. The vacant lot is
owned by the City, and there is potential to
incorporate it into the park.
The property generally slopes gently to the north.
In the northwest corner there is a grotto-like
depression with steep slopes, the remnant of a
foundation excavation. The southern grotto slope
has been reinforced with broken concrete, and
there are makeshift steps of the same material. A
broken concrete path leads from a gate in the
northwest of the property to the front door. A
concrete retaining wall on the southern edge
of the property separates it from the vacant lot.
(FIG 2)
FIG 1: HALLER HOUSE SITE & PARCELS
Front St
Vacant Lot
Park
MainSt
Photo: Google Maps

3. HALLER HOUSE
BRUNN HOUSE
RETAINING WALL
SHED
RUBBLE SLOPE
STABILIZATION
RUBBLE STEPS
STUMP
Wire Fence
SIDEWALK
Plastic
Corrugated Drain
Pipe
Steep Slope
Concrete
Landscape Bed
Lawn
LEGEND
SHED
0 5 10 20 40 FT
MAIN
STREET
FRONT STREET
FIG 2: SITE FEATURES MAP

4. The landscape consists of planting beds arranged to surround the house and property
edges, and act as islands in the lawn. The plantings are layered, with a tree canopy,
a shrub understory, and groundcover of bulbs and herbaceous perennial flowers. (FIG
3) A great diversity of trees exists, probably due to a previous owner’s membership
in a “Tree of the Month” club. Some of them are unusual species for this area such
as winged elm (Ulmus thomasii), and others are natives like Douglas fir (Psuedotsuga
menziesii). Similarly, the shrubs are a mix of natives such as red flowering currant
(Ribes sanguineum) and old-fashioned ornamental shrubs such as forsythia (Forsythia
intermedia). Most of the shrubs are overgrown and will require attention by someone
trained in rehabilitation pruning techniques.
Volunteer ornamental plum and cherry trees are highly prevalent throughout the
entire site. They are growing very thickly in many parts of the yard, out-competing and
shading out more desirable plants and placing the house at risk for accelerated decay.
Several species of invasive plants are growing on site. (FIG 4) Efforts are being made
to control English ivy (Hedera helix) using the method described in“Haller House
Landscape Maintenance Plan, Phase 1” (Moss and Dolan).
In order to map the vegetation on site, trees and shrubs were identified to the species
level wherever possible. A few shrubs were only identified to genus level, and one
tree could not be identified at all, as it’s canopy is quite tall, and the site visits were
conducted before leaf bud break. Locations of the woody plants were mapped as
accurately as possible, with the exception of the volunteer plums and cherries, as their
ubiquity and lack of landscape value made the effort not worthwhile. (FIGS 5 & 6)
VEGETATION
Several trees are marked
on the tree map as
candidates to consider
retaining. This is based on
a cursory examination of
their health and perceived
appropriateness to the
historic character of the
site. Herbaceous perennials
and bulbs are listed in
Table 1. A few notable
perennials are noted in
Figure 4. These are species
which are one-of-a-kind
on site, like the peonies, or
have sentimental value,
like the roses which were
planted by the previous
owner.FIG 3: TYPICAL LAYERED PLANTINGS IN THE GROTTO
Photo: K. Hartman

5. FIG 4: INVASIVE SPECIES AND NOTABLE PLANTS MAP
Hedera helix
English Ivy
Fallopia japonica
Japanese knotweed
Ilex aquifolium
English Holly
Daphne laureola
Spurge laurel
Vinca major
Periwinkle
Paeonia sp.
Peony
Rose sp.
Rose
OTHER INVASIVES PRESENT
Geranium robertii
Stinking Robert
Convuvula arvensis
Field Bindweed
Ranunculus repens
Creeping Buttercup
Rumex sp.
Dock
LEGEND
INVASIVES
NOTABLE PLANTS
0 5 10 20 40 FT
MAIN
STREET
FRONT STREET
Wire Fence
SIDEWALK
HALLER HOUSE
BRUNN HOUSE
SHED
SHED

6. FIG 5: TREE MAP
0 5 10 20 40 FT
MAIN
STREET
FRONT STREET
Acer macrophyllum (AM)
Big Leaf Maple
Picea sitchensis (PS)
Sitka Spruce
Alnus rubra (AR)
Red Alder
Crataegus montegina (CM)
Hawthorne
Junglans regia (JR)
English Walnut
Populus nigra (PN)
Lombardy Poplar
Salix matsudana (SM)
Corkscrew Willow
Laburnum anagyroides (LA)
Golden Rain Tree
Unknown deciduous
(UNk)
Prunus sp. (PSp)
Plum varieties
Pyrus communis (PC)
Pear
Ulmus thomasii (UT)
Winged Elm
Star indicates tree to
consider retaining
Pseudotsuga menziesii (PM)
Douglas Fir
LEGEND
Wire Fence
AM (1)
UT (4)
AR (1)PS (2)PM (2)
CM (1)
JR (1)
PC (1)
PC (1)
PSp (1)
CM (2)
JR (1)
PSp (1)
PN (1)
LA (1)
SM (1)
UNk (1)
PM (6)
SIDEWALK
HALLER HOUSE
BRUNN HOUSE
SHED
SHED

7. FIG 6: SHRUB MAP
0 5 10 20 40 FT
MAIN
STREET
FRONT STREET
Syringa vulgaris
Lilac
Symphocarpus alba
Snowberry
Wire Fence
Berberis aquifolium
Tall Oregon Grape
Holodiscus discolor
Oceanspray
Forsythia intermedia
Forsythia
Viburnum tinus
Spring Bouquet Viburnum
Polystichum munitum
Sword Fern
Lonicera nitida
Box Honeysuckle
Corylus avellana
Hazelnut
Corylus avellana
Hazelnut (purple leaves)
Juniper sp.
Juniper
Chaenomoles japonica
Japnese Quince
Oemleria cerasiformis
Osoberry
Ficus carica
Fig
Ribes sanguineum
Red Flowering Currant
Ligustrum sp.
Privet
Rubus parviflorus
Thimbleberry
LEGEND
LEGEND
SIDEWALK
HALLER HOUSE
BRUNN HOUSE
SHED
SHED

8. TABLE 1: PERENNIALS AND BULBS
LATIN NAME COMMON NAME LOCATION
Allium sp. Ornamental Onion Grotto
Crocosmia sp. Crocosmia Grotto
Crocus sp. Crocus Bed between front path and
lawn
Dicentra formosa Bleeding Heart Backyard
Erisymum sp. Wallflower Spread throughout
Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell Spread throughout
Iris sp. Iris Bed between front path and
lawn
Leucanthemum x superbum Shasta Daisy By front porch/Near driveway
Lunaria annua Money Plant Backyard
Maianthemum sp. False Solomon’s Seal Northeast corner of house
Melissa officinalis Lemon Balm Grotto
Muscari sp. Grape Hyacinth Bed between front path and
lawn
Narcissus sp. Daffodil Spread throughout
Oxalis sp. Oxalis West sideyard
Papaver orientale Oriental Poppy Front yard
Paeonia sp. Peony Front yard
Rheum rhabarbarum Rhubarb Grotto
Tellmia grandiflora Fringecup East sideyard
Tulipa sp. Tulip Bed between front path and
lawn
Unknown umbel flower Southeast corner of house
Urtica diocia Nettle West sideyard
Viola sp. White Flowered Violets Spread throughout

9. The following landscape maintenance recommendations will slow or halt the
deterioration of the house and garden while also maintaining the screening the
vegetation has provided to the site, protecting it from vandalism. They are arranged
in order of priority, based on consideration of cost, ease of implementation, and
effectiveness at preserving the historic resources.
Moss, Saylor. Susan Dolan. No date. Haller House Landscape Maintenance Phase 1.
US National Park Service.
RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
1. Remove the volunteer plum and cherry trees growing within 10’ of the house
that can be safely removed with hand tools. This will help preserve the house
and foundation. Smaller volunteer trees further from the house should continue
to be removed as time allows, as the longer they are allowed to grow, the more
difficult and potentially expensive they will be to remove.
2. Prune shrubs and all other vegetation to leave 1.5’ (minimum) of space
between their canopy and the house. This will help preserve the house and
foundation.
3. Continue ivy removal, as per Moss and Dolan’s method. It is
especially important to remove ivy from trees. It damages and can kill trees,
can kill limbs creating a safety hazard, makes visual health and safety inspection
impossible, and will increase the cost and difficulty of pruning or removing trees.
In areas where thick ivy has been removed, consider sheet mulching with a
double layer of cardboard and 3” woodchips to reduce regrowth and build soil.
4. Remove the other invasive species on site, especially the knotweed (Fallopia
japonica) which right now is isolated into a few small patches, but can become
a serious problem if left unchecked. Dig out the roots, disposing of all plant
material in the garbage, not the yard waste or compost. Knotweed spreads
by rhizome, so check for roots 20’ from the main plant. Monitor patches and
remove regrowth.
5. Remove the large plum tree at the southwest corner of the house. It is highly
decayed, growing out of the foundation and over the roof of the house, and
is known to be a pathway for vermin. Consider taking cuttings for sentimental
value, as this was an important tree to the previous owners.
6. Begin evaluating trees and shrubs for removal or retention and rehabilitation
pruning. Historic Whidbey should work with a Certified Arborist in this process.
Consideration should be taken for tree health, safety, and appropriateness
to the landscape design. Inappropriate trees can be removed in stages to
manage for screening if desired.
7. Prune the retained shrubs and trees to rehabilitate their form, enhance their
health and protect public safety.