When designing for clients, I always ask specific questions about maintenance first. The most beautifully designed and planted gardens can fall apart after a couple years if maintenance isn’t performed correctly or at the right time. I address maintenance for all of the gardens that I design in the following forms:
- Providing maintenance notes for all of the plants that we choose in our designs
- Coaching you or your gardeners / laborers for a season or two about caring for the new plants
- Creating a written maintenance plan that contains specific instructions for what to do and when
- Selecting species and cultivars that fit the required maintenance regime
I also provide garden maintenance coaching in Sacramento and the East Bay. I charge an hourly rate for fine gardening services including, aesthetic / hand pruning of small trees and shrubs, perennial management, invasive species / weed identification and eradication approaches, irrigation audit and adjustment. I pride myself in utilizing practices that are good for the long term health of your plants, your soil and our planet. I stay current on integrated soil and pest management practices. These techniques allow for virtually 0 chemicals to be used in your yard while keeping your gardens in excellent health.
