Worldwide Directory of Garden Coaches
Get Listed! Send me 150 words or fewer about yourself in a format similar to these. It's free.
United States - alphabetically by state
PHOENIX METRO AREA, AZ – Doreen Pollack, aka the Garden Goddess – Let me help you create beauty in the desert at your home.
- Not sure how to get started or what to do? Just need someone to answer your question in the garden or at your new home? Want a new garden that fits your lifestyle? Call me! I will walk through your yard with you. I can design, teach, and help you have a yard that is exactly what YOU want.
- Teach at the downtown Phoenix Public Market monthly. See the schedule www.down2earthgardens.com
- Master Gardener Certified, Desert Botanical Garden Volunteer, educator and a Certified Life Coach. I have the tools necessary to create a garden that inspires you!
- I can teach you how to garden ‘Green” – Responsible water use, composting, organic pest management, remove your lawn and put in a garden – veggies, herbs, flower, plants, cactus – you name it!
Down 2 Earth Gardens - Garden Consultations and classes. Creating beauty in the desert one garden at a time. www.Down2EarthGardens.com 623-217-6038.
ARCATA/EUREKA, CA: Genevieve Schmidt. With over ten years of hands-on garden maintenance and landscape design experience, Genevieve combines practical skills with a designer's eye to help clients understand their garden's unique gifts and challenges.
- New to the area and wondering what to do with all the overgrown Rhodies, bare spots, and struggling perennials in your garden (or just wondering what they all are and what they need in order to do well here)? Would you like to feel that special connection that comes from caring for your garden, but don't yet know the techniques that would allow you to do a really nice job of it? Or are you an experienced gardener who needs a fresh set of eyes or a new set of solutions for your garden?
- Depending on your needs, during a single consultation Genevieve can answer questions, give suggestions and tips, establish a basic plant palette, or help you figure out how to get started on a gardening project. Or, in a series of coaching sessions, she can work alongside you on seasonal maintenance tasks and pruning, develop a conceptual landscape design with you, or work with you to improve a number of areas in the garden.
- Check her out online at GenevieveSchmidtDesign.com.
BERKELEY, CA: Wallace Gorell I’m a gardening coach, designer and consulting horticulturist. I studied at Merritt College and at the University of California Botanic Garden, Berkeley, where I propagated a wide variety of plants from around the world and cared for the Garden’s orchid collection. Among my wide-ranging interests are fragrant plants, Mediterranean-climate plants (including California natives, Australian and South African plants), tropical-look plants, and Japanese garden aesthetics. I enjoy seeing clients increase the pleasure they take in their gardens as I help them to improve their garden’s beauty and utility. deWally@Lmi.net or (510) 841-7272.
LOS ANGELES, CA: Christy Wilhelmi is owner of Gardenerd.com the ultimate resource for garden nerds. She has been a board member of Ocean View Farms Organic Community Garden in Mar Vista, California since 1989.
Need some one-on-one consulting for your next gardening project? Let Christy Wilhelmi (that’s Will-help-me without the P) help you out. Specializing in Organic gardening methods, and heirloom and open pollinated vegetables, Christy offers a plethora of gardening know-how for beginner and veteran Gardenerds alike.
Her companion website, www.Gardenerd.com , is designed for people who have a healthy sense of humor about their obsession with gardening, and who have a thirst for knowledge. It’s all about fun, passion and living life to its fullest.
OAKLAND, CA: Claudia Vieira Landscape Design, with 14 years of experience designing and maintaining beautiful, healthy gardens, is now offering garden coaching. Want to design and/or maintain your own garden but find that you’re wasting time and money on things that don’t work out? Would you like to have a more beautiful garden with less work? Want to have a garden that is more friendly to the environment, and more inviting to birds and other wildlife? Learn while we work together!
Claudia Vieira Landscape Design cvgardendesign@gmail.com 510-653-6535
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Jack McKinnon is the owner of The Garden Coach, www.jackthegardencoach.com a garden consulting business. He has been a gardener for over 35 years and worked in the Sunset Magazine gardens for 12 years. He has made numerous media appearances including Real Estate Weekly TV, Mountain View Public TV. He has a regular monthly column in the Palo Alto Weekly, Coast Views Magazine and the Mountain View Voice. Jack gives a pruning demonstration to a packed room at the San Francisco Garden show each year. He was a board member of the San Mateo Arboretum Society and has been a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, California Native Plant Society and Santa Cruz Arboretum. He sends out a monthly e-mail newsletter with 10 timely gardening tips to over 200 subscribers. He can be reached at jack@jackthegardencoach.com.
SANTA BARBARA, CA: Billy Goodnick, Landscape Architect, Garden Design Coach.
Have you been asking yourself…What are those plants in my yard?
How can I manage my garden and be environmentally responsible?
What can I do to give my tired garden a face-lift? Can I create a garden like the ones I see in magazines and books? Perhaps having a coach on your team would help...
bgdc provides a range of services that will enhance your landscape.
Whether you are new to gardening, new to Santa Barbara, or just need a fresh set of eyes to shake things up, bgdc has the right service.
Visit Billy Goodnick.com or call 805 687-1690
SAN DIEGO, CA: Stephen Lynch
I have over 25 years experience as a gardener and garden designer, with a B.S. degree in Forest Science from Penn State. I am a high school teacher who completed a three year city park project with middle school students. Participants created and implemented a design including stone walls, patios, perennial gardens, and walkways incorporating math, science, and written language standards. I currently teach a Discover class in Garden Design/Project Based in San Diego City Schools, and a landscaping class at my high school. I can assist you in planning your garden, along with the skills and materials necessary to complete it (including scale drawings). Fee is $35.00/hour. Please contact me at Breakinggrounddesign@gmail.com or 619-477-3694.
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CA: Shirley Bovslow, Landscape Designer, Television Garden Spokesperson :
- Wanted: "Green thumb wannabe's with dreams of creating and maintaining their own gardens, or growing their own organic veggies but don't know how or where to start. Must have a desire to be coached and inspired by a nationally-recognized garden designer, Shirley Bovshow, known for her down-to-earth manner and energetic and fun approach to gardening." See Shirley's work on her web site.
- Shirley's garden coaching is tailored to your needs and gardening goals. From gardening 101 to identifying plants already in your yard and teaching you how to maintain them ,to coaching you through your own design and installation, Shirley will share her resources and extensive knowledge with you. Please email her for rates and special offers. Email Shirley.
SANTA CLARITA AND SAN FERNANDO VALLEYS, CA: Jane C. Gates.
With over 25 years as a garden coach and columnist,
landscape designer and licensed contractor, horticulturist, and fine artist
(painter & illustrator), Jane's focus is on helping you grow the perfect
garden for your location, taste and lifestyle.
I'm here to help you create sustainable beauty in your garden with plants,
edibles, trees, water features, permanent structures and/or decor. Believe
it or not, by having fun in your garden you can actually save money, heal
stress, make your home a better and more beautiful place to live, and do
good things for the planet! Whether you need some do-it-yourself advice,
sketches or creative ideas, fully drawn professional plans or any other help
with your garden, please give us a call!
You can find lots more information on Jane and her company, Gates & Croft
Horticultural Design, at www.gardengates.info or call Jane at 661 299-5383.
LAKE TAHOE and NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS, CA/NV: Phylise Walker of Sierra Landscape Solutions: Offering landscape design, garden coaching, project management and BMP evaluations.
Your garden should be a reflection of who you are and your lifestyle. My goal is to help you create and develop that garden. My specialty is spatial design and sustainable gardens. I also work with Best Management Practices for soil erosion (BMPs), required in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Working from the west slope of the Sierras to the Lake Tahoe basin, I have more than 25 years of design and gardening experience.
So if you need:
- An hour consultation to help you get started
- A landscape plan that you develop within your timeframe and budget
- A second opinion or a fresh perspective, or
- A BMP evaluation - I can help.
Rates are $40 an hour, discounted rate for more than 4 hours or more. An email gardengirl19@sbcglobal.net or a call to 530.318.7505 will get you started.
CONIFER/MORRISON, CO: William R. Probeck. I specialize in high-altitude (7,000 to 8,400 ft and western suburbs) perennials, annuals and container gardens/landscapes for residential customers using only plants that will survive the unpredictable mountain climate. Contact the high-altitude expert for one-hour consultations to garden coaching and garden photography. As a garden coach I'll shop with you at local nurseries, help plan to planting and maintaining your gardens.
I have 17 years' experience successfully gardening with an attitude at 8400 feet and was recently featured on 9News for my outstanding gardens. Please feel free to contact me at 303-697.3439 or wrprobeck@msn.com. Visit my blog, The High Garden Professor or my site.
DENVER, CO: Marilynn Banks and Michelle Leslie are 2 Garden Gurus, a garden coaching team that specializes in creating edible landscapes that are both beautiful and functional, combining colorful fruits and vegetables with gorgeous flowers and foliage that thrive in Colorado's semi-arid climate.
We collaborate with our clients to design and implement their own organic kitchen garden, then create a customized maintenance plan to ensure productivity for many seasons to come. Designs incorporate the homeowners’ ideas and preferences, maximize water efficiency, and minimize time spent on maintenance. During the coaching process, hands-on instruction is offered every step of the way, from soil preparation and plant selection to water conservation and chemical-free pest control methods. Sessions in composting, cooking and preserving the garden harvest are also available.
2 Garden Gurus offers a free initial consultation and affordable hourly rates. For more information, please call 303.777.8154 or visit our website at www.2gardengurus.com.
DURANGO, S.W. COLORADO: Eve Gilmore, Gardens by Eve, Horticultural Consulting and Landscape Design.
- Eve offers knowledge in a wide range of plant related topics gained from formal education and 15 years of experience. She loves working with plants and people, helping both to optimize their experience together.
- Eve's specialty is beautiful Xeriscapes (NOT zero-scapes!) and low maintenance gardens using native plants as well as unique, well-adapted selections. Having worked at nurseries and as a gardener, Eve understands the importance of recommending locally available plants.
- New homeowners benefit from Eve's services by learning how to care for existing plants; learning which are invasive better off removed; how to make minimal changes for maximum impact; and designing an aesthetically pleasing and functional landscape from scratch. Any homeowner will benefit from knowing when to cut back what, and how to prune small trees and shrubs. Let Eve show you how! Call 970/769-3319.
GRAND JUNCTION, CO: Kathy Kimbrough
- Kathy has been gardening on the Western Slope of Colorado for many years and uses her experience as an Advanced Master Gardener as well as garden designer to help clients create the best garden for their home.
- Because so many beautiful plants, trees and shrubs grow well in her high desert climate, Kathy focuses on Western Cottage gardens which can be very xeric and the classic xeric garden styles.
- Kathy re-designs gardens for clients with existing landscapes that want to bring it up to a higher level as well as designing gardens for clients who have just purchased a brand new house.
- Coaching clients with information like plant identification, proper watering and fertilizing, correct pruning techniques, and helping them choose plants which do best in their own gardens is another facet of Kathy’s services.
- Contact Kathy Kimbrough at (970)255-1312 or email jkknkak@bresnan.net
DENVER, CO: Jocelyn Chilvers. I work in the Denver area with a focus on residential landscape and garden design. I offer several different design services ranging from one-hour consultations to full landscape plans to garden coaching. I strive to create beautiful outdoor spaces that fit your lifestyle and are Colorado green. Garden coaching activities include: shopping guide, plan realization, planting and maintenance techniques. I have a bachelor’s degree in landscape horticulture with a design concentration from Colorado State University (1980) and over 25 years of experience in the landscape profession.
My work territory includes the city of Denver and the western suburbs (Broomfield south into Littleton). Please feel free to contact me at 303-425-7102 or jhcstudios@yahoo.com. You may also wish to visit my blog, The Art Garden.
MONUMENT, CO: Kathy Green. Garden Designer and owner of All Things In Nature, LLC, a garden design and planting services company. I have been "High Altitude" gardening here in Colorado for over 10 years, and have had a "green thumb" for more than 30. I am a Master Gardener in Colorado and know what grows and thrives in our semi-arid high desert and mountain areas. A "semi-retired" Software Engineer and User Interface Designer, I now focus all of my design energy creating eco-friendly, WaterWise gardening spaces. I love to create gardens that are in tune with the natural surroundings of the client's property. Butterfly Gardens, Rock Gardens, and Perennial Gardens are my specialties.
I love to teach people about gardening, nature, and what to do with their plants. Getting your hands dirty is what it's all about! I can help you purchase your plants, give you a new view of your garden, and teach you how to garden with less water, less fertilizer, and no chemicals. I believe that in helping you learn about gardening, plants, and your environment you will in turn pass your knowledge on to others.
I also offer garden planning, garden renovations, plant consultations, weekly/monthly garden maintenance, garden planting, and educational services. Please call me at (719) 481-5659 or by email with your questions, ideas, or gardening requests.
RIDGEFIELD, CT: Victoria Secunda is the gardening editor of Ridgefield Magazine and has been a passionate gardener for 15 years. Like most gardeners, in the beginning she made serial, costly mistakes. That's why, in 2004, she started her own business, called the Gardening Tutor to save other novice gardeners from themselves by giving private, hands-on lessons to help clients know where to begin, and how to maintain their own gardens.
Clients are given an initial two-hour consultation and property evaluation, followed by a detailed memorandum of design ideas tailored to the client's lifestyle and budget. Subsequent services include teaching basic techniques of gardening; how to select and cultivate healthy specimens; and how to create four seasons of color, texture, and joy in one's own back yard.
WILMINGTON, DE: Wayne Zoski, licensed landscape architect in the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware. With over 35 years experience in landscape architectural design and construction, I am available to assist those seeking to improve the appearance and/or function of their property. Whether it be a townhouse or a single family home or an estate, I can provide the professional guidance necessary to customize the space to your unique and individual lifestyle.
My services can provide as little as an hour or two of suggestions which may be used to compliment the client’s own ideas or as much as a rendered workable master plan which can be implemented immediately in its entirety or over a period of time as the client’s budget and schedule allows. Of course, there are many other options available to the client which can be tailored to fit his/her budget and landscaping interests.
My fee for basic services which may include oral or written suggestions, reports, sketches, planting instructions, plant selection, paving choices, cost estimates is $55.00/hr. Site visit fees include time of travel from Wilmington, DE. The fee for larger and more involved projects and estate planning can be negotiated. Serious requests for additional information may be directed to: zosway@aol.com.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FL: Sherry Friend has been gardening and studying plants for 40 years. Do you need help with your garden? Need to make the transition from another climate to Florida? Not having much luck with your plants? Not sure what your plants are?
Yes, things are different here in Florida. And I offer advice and counseling from the muddy hand of experience.
- Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture, Bachelors Degree in Environmental Horticulture (soon, August, 2007).
- 17 years of gardening experience in Florida, experienced in organic gardening and xeriscaping, experienced with seaside vegetation and hurricane resistant vegetation
- Successfully grow flowers, fruits, herbs, vines, spices, and vegetables in my yard, have propagated 100s of different types of plants including palms, gingers, bananas, and bamboos.
Let me spend an hour or two with you to answer questions, identify plants, discuss maintenance, or suggest new ideas. We can meet for discussion of a specific issue or for a regular chat. Fees are $50 per hour with a two hour minimum and a 1 hour discount for 4 hour prepaid sessions. Email me for an appointment and see how green things can really be.
TALLAHASSEE, FL: Kay Wade
- I've been in this biz since 1983, first working at a retail garden center (where all those nice ladies came in and mentored me), then did lawn maintenance, which led to weeding and gardening chores, at which point I said Whoa! I'd better learn a little about what I'm doing.
- So I've been studying and learning ever since. I've been through Master Gardener training four times. I'm not that slow a learner, but I pick up something new with each new place I'm in.
- Now I'm certified (or certifiable?) as a landscape designer (I know, I know) and as a horticulturist. For whatever that is worth.. Email Kay.
STUART, FL (Martin County): Sharon's Garden Coaching.
New to Florida .....or just have a yard or garden with "unidentified green stuff" that you're not sure what to do with..... maybe the tighter water restrictions have you worried? I know what grows! With my help, you can have a low-maintenance, 'Florida Friendly' garden and still have lots of color and beauty year-round! I am a Landscape Designer/Consultant and Master Gardener with a Horticulture Certification through the FNGLA, and 20+ years of hands-on gardening experience. From my experience working at plant nurseries and garden centers here in 'Paradise', I can answer all of your gardening questions....from what to plant where, insect or disease concerns, to watering and pruning issues.
My special package ($150) will include an on-site consultation and property evaluation (up to 2 hours), followed by detailed design ideas tailored to your lifestyle and budget. My written report to you will include what is working, what isn't and what could be improved. I am also available at an hourly rate of $50 to show you basic gardening techniques; how to select and cultivate healthy plants, how to create color, texture and lasting beauty in your yard. I can even accompany you for shopping for that "special" plant or particular spot in your yard. The possibilities will amaze you! Let's talk! Contact Sharon at sspeargas@comcast.net or call 772-219-9049
NORTH ATLANTA SUBURBS, GA: Kate and Debbie are both Certified Master Gardeners and knowledgeable about what grow well in northern Georgia. Home visits across the northern suburbs of Atlanta. Reasonable fee. $50 per visit (up to 1 hour). We know who to call for lawn care, where to shop for the best shrubs and certified arborists in the area. We can give help on what is killing your plant, or what to plant to screen your neighbor. Email us.
NORTH ATLANTA, GA: Steve Guiness has a degree in floriculture from the University of Massachusetts and has been a Roswell resident for 28 years He also has a growing and research faciltiy located in Canton, GA, donates plants to Atlanta's botanical gardens, and is president of Plant Adventures. Steve is a garden coach for planning, designing, pruning, propagating, ponds, houseplants, butterfly/wildlife gardens and environmental growing techniques. Fantastic references are available on request. Call 678/575-3334 or email.
DES MOINES, IOWA: Eileen Robb. Give someone a homegrown tomato and they'll be satisfied for an hour, teach them to grow tomatoes, and they'll be satisfied for life!
I've been gardening for more than 35 years: in Europe, on both US coasts, and in the Midwest
since 1987. I'd be very glad to help you learn to enjoy gardening in
our Iowa climate. No question is too simple & no question will go unanswered.
Perhaps you simply want to learn to:
grow plants from seed?
learn how to transplant?
plant a dynamic container?
have your own compost bin?
create a vegetable garden?
design your own personal home landscape?
plant a special tree?
plant a raingarden, or a garden of native plants?
attract birds & butterflies?
I'd really like to help folks who have a yen for a personal space, and
want to be involved with a healthy landscape around their home. The fee is $50/hr, one hour minimum, in the Des Moines metro area.
I host a local radio program "Gardening Today" and can also be reached at via email or 515 276-6503.
BARRINGTON, IL: Dicie Hansen. I provide garden coaching and "hands on"
learning services to my clients. Each coaching session is tailored to meet
your interests, budget and experience level.
My clients are people who enjoy gardening (or think they might!) and want
to learn more. Some do their own gardening work while others use a
landscaping firm. Some are experienced gardeners and others are just
beginning their adventure with plants.
In addition to a lifetime of gardening experience, my formal training
includes certificates in Landscape Design and Plant Propagation from
Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. I also have attended many classes
offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden as well as the classroom portion of the Master Gardener program.
My passion for gardening was instilled in me by my mother and, in turn, by
her maternal grandmother (for whom I am named). Please call 847-513-4700
or visit my website to discover more.
FLOSSMOOR, IL: Linda Tyson. Growing up in a farming, gardening family, I was bitten by the bug early and have been gardening since I was a child. For years I've been an informal garden coach to friends, co-workers, and family. It's been my life-long dream to incorporate my passion for plants and gardening into my career someday.
Thanks to an 18-year stint in corporate America, I've learned a lot about business management. I combine my passion for plants and organic gardening with my business background as I grow my environmentally-responsible garden consulting and coaching business. Although not directly business related, you can learn a bit about me where I blog at http://gardengirl-lintys.blogspot.com/.
In addition to coaching I offer hands-on gardening services including planting, watering, fertilizing, weeding, deadheading, pruning, dividing, transplanting, plant shopping, and vacation care. Email me at lintys2057@gmail.com.
LISLE, IL: Lynda Sarb is a Garden Coach and the owner of Gardening Angels, a landscape design and consultation service whose mission is to keep gardening simple and fun. Lynda is a horticulturist, an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional, and a member of the Landscape Design Association.
A gardener for over 30 years, Lynda has been coaching homeowners through her business and at local garden centers for the last 10 years. Lynda instills the joy of gardening to all her clients with passion and energy, providing professional advice for the right plant in the right location along with seasonal pruning tips.
Every garden challenge should be a team effort. Low maintenance, hands on garden, vegetable, raised garden, clay soil or rabbit/deer problems, Gardening Angels will work closely with its clients to design or improve a sustainable garden.
Email Lynda at gardencoach@hotmail.com or call #630-819-8180.
ROMEOVILLE, IL: Lisa Hegel - 8 yrs hands-on
experience with native and wildlife-friendly plants, drought-resistant designs, and shade gardens.
Services include: personalized advice on planting, pruning, & deadheading; accompany & advise during
plant shopping trips; ideas to attract birds and butterflies; landscape-sitting, including watering and
deadheading. Wildlife gardens my specialty.
Does this sound familiar? You are confused about what
to buy when you go to area garden centers. You've
tried a few plants and they died, or didn't look the
way you hoped. Your garden lacks color in one or more
seasons. You think gardening is too difficult or that
you don't have the time. I can help turn those
negatives into positives! http://www.geocities.com/lisa_hegel@sbcglobal.net/
If you want a garden that looks good in all four
seasons, but don't know where to begin, send an email or give me a call. Rates from $25/hr. 815-254-9796 or lisa_hegel@sbcglobal.net
WILMINGTON, IL: Angie Issert, owner of Natives by Angie, www.nativesbyangie.com, specializes in using native plants in the landscape, has recently added the "Garden Coach" as an exciting new service. We teach people how to do it themselves and save money by working with nature not against it.
Have you ever walked out into your yard with all the latest garden magazines in hand, pages tabbed with the things you like, take a look around & then get that feeling of "where do I start?" You turn around and go back into the house throw down the magazines and decide to plant the same old flat of annuals that you plant every year. Or have you just bought or are selling a house & want to give it more curb appeal? Or you could be an old green thumb from way back, but need some new ideas.
We customize our visits to include a walk around your yard with you, go over those garden magazine pages, layout ideas, where to shop, who to call for tree removal or a certified arborist. We can find unique garden items to add that personal touch to your garden. We offer hands on training in planting, mulching, watering, deadheading, and dividing. You can do as little or as much as you want, or you can hire us to do it for you.
Call Angie at 815-476-9230 or email angieissert@hotmail.com
ST. CHARLES, IL (CHICAGO AREA): Debbie Notaro, Master Gardener, owner of My Secret Garden.
With a lifelong passion for gardening I offer my services as a garden coach for anyone with a desire to learn about the art of gardening. Being a Master Gardener is one of the pleasures of my life teaching and coaching about gardening is a natural fit. I can help you with gardening challenges such as idng your plants, amending soil, plant selection and garden planning.
I earned my certification from the Univ. of Calif. and while there chaired the first Contra Costa Countywide Garden Walk. During my stay in CA I was honored to have published 3 papers on, Growing Lavender, Herbs and Salvias. Please visit the website at www.ccmg.ucdavis.edu. Upon my return to IL I have been designing gardens in the Fox Valley and for the 2007 Chgo Luxury Home Show.
Please contact me at bnotaro@aol.com or at 630-742-1217. My fee is $50 per hour.
MARION, IN: Sheri Ann Richerson is the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry Region III
representative, as well as a Purdue University Silver Level Master Gardener. Sheri's a garden consultant who specializes in herb gardening as well as
tropical, rare and unusual plants. Sheri's specialty topic is Theobroma cacao commonly known as chocolate. Sheri is currently working on a book with
Tom Ogren titled 'A Chocolate Lovers' Garden.'
Sheri's farm, Exotic Gardening Farms, is a
certified wildlife habitat. She is a Global Warming Ambassador for the
National Wildlife Federation.
For more information, please visit her gardening website Exotic Gardening or email her.
PITTSFIELD, MA: Pat Pritchard. Gardener with over 40 years of home garden and landscape experience willing to help new home owners and gardeners get off to a successful start with their gardens and home landscaping projects. Graduate of Berkshire Botanical Garden's Horticultural Certification Program. Please call 413-442-4343, or email bnppritch@msn.com.
BANGOR, ME: Margaret Clark's In Da Gahden
I'm the garden coach for the common folk who are looking for answers to their gardening questions. My coaching is tailored to your needs and gardening goals, from composting to inproving your soil to identifying plants and weeds already in your yard. For a reasonable fee of $25 per hour I can tailor my sessions to your abilities and help you with your questions, regardless of your gardening experience. I am a Certified Master Gardener working toward a horticulture degree and have been gardening for over 30 years. I have a passion for sharing my knowledge and resources with others and garden coaching provides that opportunity. Call 207/990-2210.
COLUMBIA/HOWARD COUNTY, MD: Aurora Kief, Divine Gardens.
Need help with your garden? New Gardener? New to the area? Not sure what is in your newly acquired garden? Need some suggestions for
plant material for sun/shade/wet/dry? Want someone to go to the Garden Center and help you select plants? Interested in Feng Shui or New Age-type gardens and need help? I would love to be your garden coach!
I have been assisting people with their gardens for over 15 years. I have a B.S. in Botany from
Towson University and am a certified Master Gardener. My specialty
is spiritual gardening - helping you create a sacred space in your yard.
Rates are $70 per hour including travel time. Please contact me by e-
mail or at 443-797-7408.
TAKOMA PARK, MD: Susan Harris
That's me and you're on my site. The coaching services I perform in the Washington, D.C. area are described here.
MASSACHUSETTS: Ellen Sousa, Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist
Not happy with your New England garden but not sure how to change it? As your garden mentor, I'll advise you on what to move or remove, and what plants will thrive on your property. Services include site visits, plant recommendations and custom digital photo designs (email or printed) to help you visualize how your garden could look! My specialty is designing natural-style gardens that attract birds, butterflies and other winged wonders that will help you and your kids reconnect with nature. More details can be found on my website at THBFarm.com.
BOSTON AND SUBURBS, MA: Seija Hälvä, PhD - Garden Coach SM
Coaching – Consulting – Design Services
- Functional and environmentally sound landscapes
- Rock gardens, shade gardens, city gardens
- Herbs, fruits and berries
- Natural landscapes with native New England plants
- Asian inspired gardens
Make your garden appointment at seijahalva@gardenconsult.com
More information at Gardenconsult.com.
HAMILTON, MA: Forget-Me-Not Garden Services. We've added coaching to our regular garden services because, let's face it, the most satisfying garden is always the one you create (and slave over) yourself. If you're not ousided digging, sniffing, learning, and generally reaping the physical, creative, and spiritual benefits of gardening, then you are missing one of life's great pleasures. We will draw on our nearly twenty years of experience in design, installation, and maintenance to help you get started, and will continue to work with you through the season as needed.
Our initial consultation includes a walk-through to identify existing plants, discuss ideas, and establish priorities. Follow-up visits are hands-on and cover any and everything from spring cleanups to putting the garden to bed in the fall. We also work with small groups on projects such as garden rehabs or planting containers. Our backup crew is available to help with larger projects or regular maintenance while you're away.
We use organic products, and encourage sustainable gardening practices. We love native plants (recognizing there is more than one way to define that term!) but also use non-invasive "exotics" where appropriate. Peggy Calkins calkins1@verizon.net Susie Talbot talbot78@earthlink.net
WESTERN MASSASCHUSETTS: Beth Bandy
Through Pianta Landscape Design LLC, I help clients in the Amherst, Northampton, and Greenfield areas of western Massachusetts get more enjoyment from their outdoor spaces. I offer both landscape design and garden coaching services.
In January 2008, I became a NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional. I have additional professional training from the New York Botanical Garden's landscape design program and belong to the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. My garden writing has appeared in Horticulture magazine. A former pesticide-free flower farmer, I currently garden on five acres in the foothills of the Berkshires.
I share my enthusiasm for landscape design and western Massachusetts gardening through a blog and a monthly newsletter. I can be reached by e-mail or phone (413-658-7095).
ANN ARBOR, MI: Emily Moorefield has been gardening and studying plants for 10 years.
- Coordinator of a large community garden at Princeton University for 3 years, experienced growing a wide range of plants, everything from common, garden-center-variety annuals and perennials (flowers, fruits and vegetables) to fairly rare & unusual ornamentals, shrubs, small trees, herbs, grasses, etc.
- Proficient at growing from seeds, cuttings and bareroots, too. Can help clients improve their soil, start composting, re-site existing plants, plant or replant garden areas, plan new gardens, and/or maintain plantings.
- As a longtime yoga practitioner, Emily is an organic and water-conscious gardener, interested in helping to create serene, unique, welcoming (to birds, worms, insects, frogs, humans, etc.), beautiful, environmentally-friendly outdoor areas.
- Has extensive knowledge of roses, having collected as many as 100+ different plants, many of them rare and unusual varieties. Emily uses no chemicals and very little fertilizer, in addition to being water-conscious!
- Email her or phone 734-474-4430. And check out her new blog, Michigan Garden.
RICHMOND, MI: Pam Gors has been gardening for 20+ years and has found a passion for sharing her knowledge with others. Whether you are a beginner or have some knowledge of gardening, Pam tailors her sessions to your abilities and will assist you on your way to having the beautiful garden you’ve always wanted.
- An Advanced Master Gardener since 1999, I spent the majority of my volunteer hours on the MSU Horticulture Hotline answering a wide variety of gardening questions. I’ve also assisted many friends and family members to better understand the plants in their established beds and helped them evolve into greater gardeners.
- I designed a garden on Belle Isle using native wildflowers and maintained it for three years.
- I grow all of my flowers and vegetables from seed every year. Last spring I had over 1400 seedlings in my greenhouse.
- I can help you master basic propagation methods: seed starting, dividing and cuttings. Learn when, why and how to prune trees and shrubs. Build a compost pile and use the compost to fertilize and prevent diseases organically. Discover how to make your yard more eco friendly for butterflies, frogs and toads. Understand the insects in your garden and whether they are good guys or bad guys. Find out more about lawn care – when to fertilize, reseed or sod and how to get rid of those weeds! Gain an understanding of the plants’ characteristics so you can plant the right plant in the right spot for it to thrive.
- Consultation rate is $40 per hour, discounted rate when you pre-pay for 3 or more hours.
- Serving Macomb, St. Clair, Lapeer, Oakland and eastern Wayne counties.
Call me at 313-550-2177 or email me at pam.gors@yahoo.com to get started on the path to creating a garden you can be proud to show your friends and family.
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN: Norma Gladden in Farmington Hills.
Are you a new gardener or already a gardener, but would like to upgrade your gardening skills? Are you frustrated by past mistakes or confused by all of the gardening information shown in the media and on the internet? Do you need another set of eyes to assist you in your garden design and help with plant selections? What about someone to show you how dividing your plants can be healthy for them and economic for you? Want someone with knowledge to go plant shopping with you? As a Garden Coach, I can assist you in all of these areas.
On August 3, 2007 The Detroit Free Press (www.freep.com) ran an article “Help Me Make My Garden Grow” by Marty Hair that featured me as a Garden Coach. While this is a new concept to some it makes sense to have a garden mentor help in the design, planting and maintenance of our outdoor living areas. I have been gardening at my home for over 20 years and am a former Master Gardener. I help friends, family members and now clients with their gardens and would like to share my gardening skills with you as a Garden Coach. Tackling a gardening project can be a very enjoyable and satisfying experience when you have the necessary tools and knowledge.
My design techniques will take into consideration your existing trees and shrubs, how much time you can devote to your garden, where the garden will be viewed, what the individual plant requirements are, when you should perform maintenance and why gardening is good for the "soul". My gardening goal is “Four Seasons of Interest”. Do you have a gardening goal that you can accomplish with assistance?
If you are willing to put in the effort, but need coaching to reach your goal, call or email me to discuss your needs. I consult by the hour and rates are based upon the number of hours you would like to have. Rates start at $50 per hour and are payable at the end of the coaching session. Discounts are available with a pre-paid purchase of 5 hours or more.
First one hour visit is free when you pre-pay for 3 hours of coaching time.
Norma Gladden - The Garden Coach, LLC, Email: thegardencoach@sbcglobal.net, (248) 474-3832 or (248) 790-0644 cell
BAY CITY, MI: Kaye Batschke Williams
- Experience: worked in family garden center business, owned/operated her own flower Shop for over 30 years., currently retired.
- Michigan Master Gardener, past President Bay City Garden Club, Bay City in Bloom judge.
- Purchased an established perennial garden & home in 1994 and have educated myself about each and every plant (& weed), along with redesigning to make it my own garden.
- Have given talks to local groups, clubs and organizations on varied flower subjects from gardening to flower arranging.Phone: 989-892-5021 or email me.
LIVONIA, MI: Ellen Leigh has been gardening and studying plants for her whole life, began gardening as a child, and has continued learning something new every year.
- Advanced Master Gardener since 1995 experienced in growing a wide range of plants, from easy care perennials to old fashioned annuals, frequently starting from seed. Edible landscaping, fruit trees and vegetables combined with annuals, herbs and perennials with organic practices used as much as possible. Formerly Garden Volunteer Coordinator at Greenmead histoical Park in Livonia for 4 years , Director for the Junior Master Gardening program with the Wayne County Master Gardener Association for 3 years.
- Ellen is an organic gardener and a professional artist.
- Very knowledgeable and experienced at growing from seeds, cuttings and planting bare-roots, too. Can help clients improve their soil, start composting, re-site existing plants, plant or restore garden areas, plan new gardens, and/or maintain plantings. Learn to prune, divide plants, and keep your garden looking it's best, and not spend all your time sweating over it. Can draw up plans for gardens that are easily accomplished by the DIY group and easily understood.
- Consultation rate is $40.00 per hour on an as needed basis, or a block of hours can be purchased at a discounted rate. Gift certificates are available and make a great 'Garden Warming' gift for the new homeowner.
- Ellen blogs about her own garden and garden design at: http://ellensgarden.blogspot.com great ideas, photographs and links. And her new website is on line - check it out. Or e-mail her at eleigh.creates@gmail.Com or phone 734-522-6229.
FERNDALE, MI: Cathy Graca has been gardening and studying plants and shrubs for over 10 years. Offering advice to neighbors, family and friends as well as being hired for my services. My passion for gardening has inspired me to invest in design software and start my own gardening consulting company, "Creative Garden Makeovers". Those who would best benefit from my services would be the ambitious do-it your-selfer who wants a beautiful landscape at a fraction of the cost, but needs advice in what to do.
I offer... Before and after photo-realistic custom designs of your yard or garden before you get started! Step by step advice and instructions, including planting the right plant in the right place. Advice on dividing, pruning, maintaining, fertilizing, soil testing, whatever your garden needs I will coach you through from start to finish. Low rates! Custom designs only $199.00! For an on-site consultation or more information e-mail Cathy at jocgraca@yahoo.com or call Cathy at 248.761.2539.
ST. JOSEPH, MI: Peg McCann Contact me by email.
I’m a long-time gardener and botanist who offers plant identification and garden advice locally for $25 an hour. An hour is enough time to get you going in your yard.
Identification -- There are probably some good garden plants among the weeds in your neglected gardens. I'll tell you about them and tag them, too. I can also take you on a wildflower walk to educate you (kids too) about nearby natural areas. It's fun to know the names and habits of the trees and wildflowers, and smart to know poison ivy.
Garden advice -- Learn to work with what you have, improve it, and add a few things without breaking your budget. I'll help you plan garden areas for reduced maintenance and increased pleasure. I'll give you ideas, share techniques and plants, and help get you started with planning, planting, and pruning.
ROSEVILLE, MN: Ed Flicek. I have over 26 yrs. gardening and lawn care experience, with a degree in Horticulture, and Forestry. I have knowledge about both fruit and vegetables, plus flowering plants that are grown in Minnesota. I can guide you in the pruning of trees, and roses, and suggest what varieties are best to plant for this area, taking in consideration the soil type, the amount of sun or shade, and water drainage. I have all the necessary hand tools, including chainsaws, that I can show you how to use. My rates are $35/hr, along with mileage of $.30/mile, anything over ten mile radius. You can either email me at: alternenergy@hotmail.com, or call me at: 651-647-1380.
GREAT FALLS, MT: Jasmine Krotkov of Buffalo Girl Farms: Landscape design, installation and consultation.
I’ve been gardening for most of my adult lifetime, with 15 of those years spent here in the Chinook zone. I’ve learned an immense amount about growing all sorts of plants in this difficult climate that you just can’t get from books. I also learned a lot from books, having earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural ecology and continuing education credits in horticulture. I’ve been a certified Master Gardener in three states, and have been operating Buffalo Girl Farms for the last ten years. In this business I had the opportunity to design and install many private gardens and a number of public gardens in the Great Falls area, including the Milwaukee Depot, the Paris Gibson Square Museum and the Central Montana Surgery Center. Let me help you with any of your gardening needs from design, plant selection (I’ll even take you shopping!), soil evaluation and improvement, insect and disease diagnosis and least-toxic control, irrigation design, and most importantly; setting realistic garden goals. I will travel anywhere in central Montana to see your garden and help you with whatever you need. Call me at (406) 236-5480 or email me at buffalogirlfarms@hotmail.com
CHAPEL HILL, NC: Janice A. Farringer
Do you want someone with years and years of gardening experience to help you identify what will grow where and when in your yard? I can help. I come from a long line of practical gardeners who love to grow beautiful plants. Let me pass along my knowledge and help you build your own garden from the ground up or just spruce up a few beds. E-mail me at jafarringer@yahoo.com.
HOOKSETT, NH: Marion Jacobi.
Do you have a yard or garden with lots of stuff that you can't identify and don't know how to care for? Do you think you have a black thumb instead of a green one? Are you interested in going "organic" but aren't sure how to or why you should ? Do you want some one to hold your hand through the process? Then The Divine Gardener is the garden coach to help you get on the right path.
Marion Jacobi, The Divine Gardener, has been working with homeowners since 1999, Beautifying NH one yard at a time. Marion works with homeowners to help them determine what works and does not work in their yard. From identifying perennial trees and shrubs, to identifying invasive plants and providing guidance on their removal, to creating habitats for birds and butterflies or counseling homeowners on how to avoid contaminating the environment around them with toxic chemicals, The Divine Gardener can help the southern NH homeowner make peace with their landscape.
A garden or Landscape Evaluation starts at $75 an hour, followed up by a written summarization of the items discussed. Gardening classes are offered on a variety of topics in Hooksett. Individual instruction at your home is also available at a rate of $45 per hour.
The Divine Gardener also provides garden and landscape design and Installation services. More information can be found at www.divinegardener.com or by calling Marion at 603-626-7729.
SANTA FE, NM: Samuel Lunt
My business, Gardensong, which specializes in landscape maintenance and design, has been in business for 7 years. I have seen it all. New installations, redoing gardens, bad irrigation systems that need help, gardens neglected, weeds run rampant, dogs tearing up the yard, invasive plants, and beautiful sites that just needed a little TLC. I have a lifetime of gardening experience and a great eye. I am also a musician and composer that has composed music for the garden. The garden is the space that frees your mind and makes you smile. Let me help you help your garden. You make it happen. I have ideas. I charge $65.00 hr. for a two hour minimum. Please call me at 505-920-8816 or e-mail me.
BROOKLYN, NY: Jim Freeman.
Urban gardening doesn't have to be tedious, painful or confusing! A few hours coaching will take the mysteries out of setting up and maintaining your space in a way that makes you happy, without the cost and complexity of having it all designed for you. If you've been meaning to clear out an overgrown yard, install a roof or deck garden, or want a new look indoors, I can help you design, plan, and install so you save time and avoid headaches and backaches.
20+ years as an indoor and outdoor urban gardener. Member, Metro Hort Group and Garden Writers Association; Trustee, Manhattan Orchid Society (see my orchid blog). I specialize in exotic tropicals and fragrance gardens. Inexpensive rates: initial consultation is $60 for up to two hours, further hours can be discounted if paid for in blocks.
I will help you assess your indoor and/or outdoor conditions, discuss what plants you have, and explain what plants and designs will work and what won't. I'll also help you select, plant, and arrange new plants, and give you tips on how to care for your garden so it stays looking good without heroic efforts. I stress native species and organic gardening, but don't insist on them. Let my experience be at your disposal!
Email me - yojimboj@gmail.com - or call me at 718-813-4903 (cell).
CHITTENANGO, NY: Tom Becker.
I have a lifetime of gardening mistakes to show you what NOT to do, plus an Associates Degree from Morrisville State College that will help me help you in your quest for the perfect yard or garden. I also can direct you to some local suppliers for all of your plant and /or hardscape needs. Weather you are looking for some general information on a specific problem or just need some direction to get started on your own, I am full of ideas that either I have tried or that someone else has told me about.
If your property is overgrown or you have a brand new home and want to save a small fortune and do it yourself, all you need to do is drop me an e-mail or call me and I will come to your home at your convenience and we can walk around your lawn and discuss what you are looking for and I can assist you in choosing what to do 1st. Of course, like all good things in life, my services are not free, I do charge $25 per hour, with a 1 hour minimum, but I promise you, you won't regret it. I have a library of books that I will bring along with me that you can browse through that can help in your decision making.
Don't be afraid to take the 1st step and call me. Landscaping your own yard is both rewarding and fun, and it will also save you a pile of money. Contact me by email or by phone: home--315-687-7461 or my cell-- 315-399-8274 I hope to hear from you soon.
CORTLANDT MANOR, NY: Barbara Puszcz, “Imagine Gardens”. Garden Design Coach with 21 years of hands-on gardening experience. Past owner/operator of nursery.
Do you have an untapped passion for gardening but are overwhelmed with choices? Are you new to the area and not familiar with the challenges? Are you a do-it-yourself kind of person, but need direction?
- I can help you design new gardens and implement new ideas into existing gardens.
- Location, location, location – This is not only important in real estate; it is also of the utmost importance in planning your garden. You may love a plant, but placing it in the wrong location is a waste of your money. Place it in the correct area for the plant, and it will thrive.
- Whatever conditions are in your yard: Dense shade or a rocky hillside; I can help you design a garden for any area. Are deer a problem? I can help you choose trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and annuals that the deer will stay away from.
- Services include design, material selection according to your wants & needs, (including accompanying you to the nursery), and directions for maintaining your gardens.
- Rates are $30.00/hour & up. I can be reached at: e-mail: Imaginegardens@aol.com Phone: 914-980-7350
GARRISON, NY: Barbara Hobens Feldt
As a gardening coach, author of Garden Your City, and garden and forestscape designer, I’ll work with you to analyze garden placement and potential for optimum use and beauty. Successful gardens will be achieved through site visit and interview to formulate plans and plant selections to avoid costly time and money errors. Coaching focuses dreams, hones your skills, pinpoints maintenance needs, and demystifies horticulture with practical, organic methods.
Barbara has appeared on episodes of HGTV's “Gardening by the Yard,” serves on Manitoga’s Woodland Landscape Council, and will be speaking at the prestigious Philadelphia Flower Show in March, for the third consecutive year.
LONG ISLAND, NY:
Betsy Davidson
With over sixteen years of horticultural experience, I am well versed in just about every aspect of gardening on Long Island. Vegetable (home-grown are best) and herb gardens, annuals and perennials, wildlife gardens (butterflies, birds, bees...bats, too), roses, tropicals, and so on. Are you ready to turn your landscape into your own Shangri-la? I can help. No job too small, too large, too simple or too complicated. Betsy Davidson, (631) 807-0265 or email me.
LAKE KATRINE, NY: Marie Iannotti has several decades of gardening experience, most of it in the mid-Hudson Valley. As a Garden Coach, her specialties are working with new home owners and frustrated gardeners. Consultations are generally customized, but a basic consultation would include a garden walk-through, plant id, soil and overall plant health, pest problems and solutions, pruning, removal/replacement recommendations, ideas for maximizing curb appeal and how-to instruction.
Marie is a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. She is a 15 Year Master Gardener and a Garden Writer and Consultant for Magazines and Newspapers, as well as the Gardening Guide for About.com, a New York Times Co. Marie has grown thousands of plants and killed her share along the way. She teaches from experience. Contact Marie at: 845-382-6967 or email: miannotti@hvc.rr.com.
CLEVELAND, OH: Patrick N. Beam, ASLA, owner of 9th Avenue Designs, LLC.
Sometimes you just need a little direction, you may have an idea of what you would like to accomplish but just need a bit of professional advice. Our landscape consultation service is designed to address your landscape questions and design concerns that may not require a custom landscape design. Generally lasting 1 or 2 hours, consultations may cover such topics as plant types and placements, hardscape construction, water gardening, lighting, existing landscape conditions, landscape design and home reviews (designed for people buying or selling a home).
With over 22 years of field experience and a degree in Landscape Architecture, we pride ourselves on giving you honest, fair and practical solutions to your questions.
Serving Cleveland and all Northern Ohio, consultations outside the Cleveland area are welcomed; please contact us for more information and a fee schedule. Phone: 216-548-9971, or email us.
Visit 9th Avenue Designs on line.
MASON, OH: Natorp's Garden Centers 513-398-2550 or FLORENCE, KY 859-384-3350 Hire one of our experienced garden pros to meet with you at your home for an 'at home' horticultural visit, to discuss just about any garden topic. Our Garden Store Coaches can do a site walk-thru with you and help advise on things like plant identification, proper pruning, plant health care, plant suggestions/design, timely gardening tips and whatever we can suggest to help make you a successful gardener.
PORTLAND, OR: Lucinda Packard, My Garden Coach
I mentor and coach new and experienced gardeners who need plant ID, redesign, plant maintenance instruction and more seasonal interest. The first step is always build better soil. I also encourage container gardening that is big, bold and WOW!
With a background in floral design, my work focuses on plant combinations, right location and seasonal flow. My education includes OSU Master Gardener, college courses, ongoing learning and a passion for horticulture.
My goal is to help my clients get excited and turn them into gardeners who evolve, spend time in their gardens and continue to learn.
My fees are $65. hr. plus travel time. Contact me by email.
PORTLAND, OR: Marsh & Fear Garden Solutions is dedicated to helping people more fully enjoy their gardens. It was founded by Anne Marsh and Gary Fear in 2002. We offer a full range of garden coaching and design services but really love to help client’s become the gardener they’ve always aspired to be.
Both Anne and Gary provide garden coaching regarding plant or hardscape solutions that may not involve a garden design drawing. Anne’s coaching visits can help you renew your garden with new plants, but also include numerous handouts and plant lists that aid you in becoming a better gardener. Gary’s coaching visits focus on hardscape issues that include many hands on solutions for the ‘do-it-yourself’ home gardener.
Our philosophy toward our business, and our approach to helping people create their personal gardens grew from the experience of improving our own garden environment over time. You may learn more about us and contact us through our website www.marshfear.com
HILLSBORO, OR ( Portland area): Caroline Goodall
As a long time Master Gardener and botanist, and forty years experience
with organic gardening, I specialize in urban gardens with a
difference. How about eliminating the lawn, flowers blooming 365 days a
year, low water use gardens (xeriscaping), using hardscape to enhance
plantings, gardens for all the senses (sight, smell, feel, sound,
taste), decorative gardens incorporating edible plants, color-tailored
plantings (e.g. all flowers in blue and yellow, or red and white),
vegetable and fruit gardens, the possibilities are endless.
I much prefer to teach you how to manage your own garden than manage it
for you. During the first year to two, (whatever you want), I will
help you restore your garden, design a new garden to the level of
maintenance you want, accompany you to garden centers and nurseries to
look at plants and choose suitable ones for your site, help you plant,
teach you to prune and maintain, and be on call for emergencies.
I charge $40 per hour for the initial consultation and work setting up
the garden, and then depending on what you want, either an hourly
charge or an annual retainer for consultation, problem solving, etc.
Find out what you like, what you want, and design your own garden with
expert help. Come and visit my garden. Call to talk about your plans. Email carowood@teleport.com
or call 503-648-0740.
SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OR: Edith Moro. I have 10 years experience with what grows well in the southern Willamette Valley. My services include drawing up landscape plans for new homes, redoing older gardens to reflect new owners or fresh ideas, and consultation on an hourly basis ($40/hr) helping people with their garden design problems. I like to design low maintenance landscapes that reflect the personality and tastes of the owners - from formal to casual. My special interests are edible plants, herbs, and animal-friendly (pets &/or wildlife) gardens. You can reach me at ediesweetie@gmail.com or call Decker Nursery in Alvadore, OR, at 541-688-8307, where I also work, and where I'm proud to say, all the staff are garden coaches.
TENNESSEE's Rutherford and Wilson Counties: a Mystery Coach (the site reveals no name!)
- A seasoned gardener with over twenty years of hands-on landscaping and gardening experience with both new and existing landscapes.
- Managing editor (since 2001) for Dave's Garden, the world's largest garden website, where I field hundreds of gardening questions each month, help build and edit a plant database of more than 125,000 plants, helped design and now maintain the award-winning Garden Watchdog directory of mailorder garden companies; and keep a personal garden diary and converse with gardeners from around the world.
- A fellow gardener who has learned by trial and error - someone who's made most of the typical mistakes, and learned what NOT to do!
- A mostly-organic gardener, who will give you practical recommendations (with both organic and chemical solutions) for your garden problems.
- Contact by email .
AUSTIN, TX: Pam Penick, Austin landscape designer, garden coach, and award-winning garden blogger, can help you identify your plants, make design suggestions, and coach you on gardening practices like planting, pruning, and dividing. She specializes in using native, drought-tolerant perennials, shrubs, and trees, which can reduce your water bill while giving your garden an attractive, native-Texas look. Hourly rates; one-hour minimum. Contact her at (512) 431-6165 or by email.
DALLAS/FT. WORTH, TX: Justin W. Allison Landscape Design and Consulting
I help my Clients create a minimum maintenance, minimum water use landscape. These goals along with developing a long term maximum aesthetic and production experience, on their property, is the intent of my work. I have 18 years experience working with the Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest. I employ Xeric, Organic and Sustainable techniques in all projects.
Xeriscape does not mean rocks and cacti only. Xeric means having the ability to survive in dry conditions. By using the native plants adapted to the climate in this region of North America it is easy to have a xeriscaped property.
Services I offer are:
- Environmental and botanical property assessment and consulting
- Land management for wildlife and agriculture
- Landscape design and construction
- Edible garden design and construction
- Wildlife garden design and construction
- Vineyard design and construction.
Justin W. Allison Landscape Design and Consulting, 817-521-5952, justdesign@hotmail.com
DALLAS/FT. WORTH, TX: Cathy Stein Landscape Designs, csteindwg@yahoo.com
I specialize in Earth friendly, waterwise choices, from patio makeovers to multi-acre wildscapes. My services include:·
- Identification of existing plants along with care/pruning tips
- Discussion of land use patterns, current and future.
- New or redesign of your landscape, including hardscape.
- 2D and 3D walk-through design plans to help you implement your project.
- Shopping assistance
- Maintenance suggestions, including low-maintenance design recommendations.
For jobs large or small, an on site, initial consultation is $50.00 per hour with a one hour minimum charge. A mileage charge will be included depending on your distance from zip code 76015.
DALLAS, TX: Nancy Payne
I love gardening and would like to show you how you can too. Do you want a courtyard garden, to grow herbs, to attract birds and butterflies, to rest in shady comfort, to enjoy roses and flowers galore, to be eco-friendly with Texas natives, or relax in a low-fuss garden? Do you want to learn the organic approach or how to compost? I can help you design, shop, plant or teach you how to maintain your dream garden. It's fun!
I started gardening with my father as a child. I became a Dallas County Master Gardener in 2005. I enjoy giving gardening talks and writing a monthly gardening column for a local newspaper. I also work part-time helping gardeners at a great nursery in town. The rest of the time I devote to my landscape design company, Organica Garden Design. My rate is $50 per hour. 214-417-6472 or email me.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA: Tracey Crehan Gerlach is a certified horticulturist with a concentration in organic practices. Gardening doesn’t have to be daunting or stuffy. We’ll take small steps to get you on your way to growing your own food, flowers or herbs.
- Areas of expertise include plant identification and care recommendations for new house owners.
- Assessing your existing or expected garden for what suits you at the moment.
- Establishing organic vegetable gardens.
- Creative container gardening.
- I encourage and foster the new or curious do-it-yourself gardener
regarding the cultivation and maintenance of herbs, annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees and native plants. - Email me or visit my blog.
FAUQUIER COUNTY, VA: Fabienne Laveau, owner and designer, Garden Muse/Ideascapes.
Ten years ago, I turned my love of gardening into a small business and it has been fabulous! Although I enjoy the nuts and bolts of designing and installation, it is certainly the icing on the cake when you inspire someone else to become a competent and knowledgable gardener. This can mean a small bed with a few herbs and perennials or much, much more. As far as coaching, I think that a thoughtful landscaper will always try to impart some of the yen and zen of gardening to their clientele.The garden basics are a benefit to anyone with even the tiniest garden spot, and the rest is an endless source of learning and pleasure.
It is never, ever too late to develop this new love. If you are interested in doing that, please contact me at thegardenmuse@aol.com, through my website, or at 703-203-3525.
My rates begin at $75.00 an hour for coaching and/or design work ( minimum two hour sessions ) and $35.00 for other services. Sometimes a combination is suitable for getting things started!
RICHMOND, VA: Kevin Cutlip is the owner of Kevinthegarden and has been serving the public for 7 years helping increase the gardening confidence of those who did not know they had it in them already. He is a certified Garden Specialist through the University of Ga. and has extensive knowledge of water gardens as well. He can:
- Help you upgrade your "curb appeal" without a mind numbing crew of 50 or so tearing up your property in 2 days.
- Give tips and ideas on propagating from plants, shrubs, trees, using air layering, seed, and cuttings. (find a Weeping Willow and you can do a lot).
- Get your hand out of your wallet when it comes to a weed-free, green lawn just by getting you on a plan to fit your lawns needs.
- Help with pruning, feeding, planting, watering, hardscape and water garden installation, edible containers and vegetable gardening, equipment maintenance, and yes, even grilling how-to's are all part of the whole experience and more. There is so much more.
- Show you irrigation installation and maintenance, drip, misters, and root watering ideas. Neighborhood, Homeowner Assoc, Clubs, Schools, Work friends, are included in the pricing packages.
Rates are $45.00 per hr. for homeowner, $110.00 per hr. for groups. Gift certificates available. Realtors welcome. Certain rates will apply for different situations. Most consultations are to be held on Tues, Wed, Thur, all day, and Sat,Sun, after 4 pm. 804/690-6817 or e-mail Kevinthegarden@verizon.net
There are no rules in gardening. If you are following rules, then you are only landscaping.
YORKTOWN/WILLIAMSBURG, VA: Kathy Van Mullekom
Kathy Van Mullekom is a lifelong gardener, experienced in sun, shade, wet or dry soils. Her waterfront garden endure Hurricane Isabel and now she's established another waterfront garden that's thriving in drought and full sun. Kathy studied landscape design, pest and disease problems and other plant-related subjects at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. She's taken master gardener training and is a professional journalist who writes a weekly gardening column for the local newspaper. She also works extensively with local Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and local garden centers. She knows what plants will work and what plants won't work for any gardening situation.
Her gardening philosophies: Keep it simple, keep it manageable so you can sit back and enjoy the results of your work.
She tells plants and their owners: "You grow or you go" because there are too many nice plants out there to struggle with stubborn specimens.
Hourly rates, gift certificates available. Free literature and monthly gardening tips provided.
Email her: kvanmullekom@aol.com.
BELLEVUE, WA: Catherine Allan, horticulturist and landscape designer, Down to Earth Garden Designs.
Two years ago, Catherine received a scholarship to intern at a Royal Horticulture Society Garden, in England after finishing her horticulture/ landscape degree at South Seattle Community College. Keeping these unique experiences close at hand, she makes an effort to educate the home-owner about his/her own garden as a primary goal, to promote more enjoyment for each home gardener.
Minimizing maintenance jobs is a high priority for most gardeners. No one wants to be a slave to the weeds and pruning jobs each year. If proper care is given at the start with good soil and the right plants in the right place, more gardens will avoid the need for ‘total renovation’, but rather ‘total appreciation’ for successful results. Her business license includes purchasing plants at wholesale nurseries. Ultimately, this allows her to be able to choose the best plants for her clients.
Cell #: 425-985-1748. Website: www.gardensroyal.com, or email Catherine.
NORTH BEND, WA: Paula Alati, The Slug Whisperer garden coaching www.slugwhisperer.com
What is garden coaching?
- Those new to a home need to know what they're looking at in the first place (yep, it's a weed) and what to do with their yard to improve it to fit their lifestyle.
- Others use a garden coach to help them assess their site, determine a design plan for their garden, suggest plants and tools, and provide tips for buying, planting, and growing specific to their site and needs.
- Experienced gardeners want a new pair of eyes on their garden, to see what they have stopped seeing.
I will take before and after pictures; provide tips, tricks, and resources for our micro climates; help prioritize your gardening projects and break it down into small chunks of work; and cheer you on as your garden becomes the one you've been dreaming of! Email me.
RENTON, WA: Christina Salwitz is THE PERSONAL GARDEN COACH. With her experience in world-class nurseries for the more than fifteen years, Christina has heard nearly every question that can come up. Specializing in teaching adult gardeners, experienced or not, in how to become a confident gardener and a special focus on saving each client money, time and labor, she has been foremost in gardening education locally for many years.
THE PERSONAL GARDEN COACH is your home garden training specialist. Providing every level of gardener with a fresh and objective perspective on their special needs, focusing on mostly organic methods, improving soil quality and correct pruning technique, your garden can become a place you can be proud to show off. Christina has a fun and enthusiastic approach to teaching. Her style was crafted through leading numerous Technical College Courses, Seminars for Garden Clubs and many articles that she has written for various gardening publications.
Coaching is offered on an hourly basis, which is helpful to the vast majority of clients. A large amount of information is covered and then sent back to you in the form of a checklist until the next session. Call today for session details: (425) 736-3491 or e-mail to Csalwitz@comcast.net
SEATTLE, WA: Robin Haglund has spent a lifetime in hands-on gardening work in various regions of the United States.
- She has farmed in the red clay of Virginia, has designed thriving gardens in the sandy, polluted Los Angeles region, and has studied the parched Manzanita-covered mountains and cool, fogged Redwood regions of Northern California.
- Recently, she has settled into designing award winning residential gardens in the greater Seattle, Washington area. Most at home in her garden mentoring element, Robin finds her greatest passion realized as she works hand-in-hand with her clients, providing them with the knowledge, encouragement & empowerment necessary to enable them in finding their own joy & success in their personal garden spaces.
- Robin is dedicated to help improve the health, sustainability and vigor of every project she takes on. Clients and peers alike continually compliment Robin's meticulous attention to detail, strong customer service skills, and her vast knowledge of gardening. Check out Robin's website, GardenMentors.com, or email her.
SEATTLE, WA: Cameron Scott and the gang at Exteriorscapes.
Exteriorscapes has excelled in creating some of the most talked about gardens of the Pacific Northwest since 1994. Winning numerous awards at the NW flower and garden show, Exteriorscapes has become a leader in the Seattle community teaching sustainable landscaping, rainwater catchment and several other classes and talks. We work with clients at all levels, first introducing them to the joys of gardening to providing them detailed instruction and training on how to install and renovate whole properties. We bring a wealth of information and knowledge backed by years of actual in the field experience.” Email them.
SEATTLE/BELLEVUE, WA: Mary Bennett/ Dirt Therapy Garden Coach
marybennett8@comcast.net 206.719.1730
My passion for gardening began when I first moved into my house without any landscaping except a patch of grass. I spent many hours in the yard with my toddlers and began to imagine the possibilities. I read every book I could get my hands on, attended classes, toured many gardens and began to get my hands dirty. Within no time my garden began to flourish. My garden was featured in a tour of local gardens and my friends and neighbors began to ask if I could help with their gardens and soon I started Dirty Therapy.
My coaching includes:
- Consultation to determine garden needs and customers vision.
- Determine soil needs.
- Identifying existing plants and suggest which to keep, move, prune or “compost”.
- Help with plant selection and placement.
- General maintenance coaching: -Watering, feeding, pruning, seasonal needs
- Seasonal “to-do” list.
- Teach my “15 minute Gardening” technique.
SEATTLE, WA: Plant Amnesty.
Looking for a gardener? Let PlantAmnesty’s Referral Service Coordinator match you to the professionals who best fit your needs. Our Referral Service members work to enhance the long term health, beauty and structural integrity of individual plants and the landscape as a whole.
In addition to maintenance, pruning plant pathology diagnosis and garden installation, our gardeners also offer consultations in design, renovation, instruction, tree maintenance and protection, and garden maintenance. In other words, coaching.
For more information call PlantAmnesty at 206.783.9813 x3 or email us.
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON AREA: Charisse Ross, Owner of Ross Design. I am a gardening coach, landscape designer, president of the Horticulture Club of Clark College and assist in propagation in the greenhouse at the college. My focus is on organic vegetable gardening and sustainable gardens with native plants. I encourage DIY gardening. So many homeowners just need a guide “down the garden path” so to speak. My garden coaching fee is $35 hr. I apply my knowledge to a wide range of coaching:
- I can come for a consultation for a minimum of 2 hours (flat $95 fee), walking through your property giving horticultural advice and design tips. At the end of the session I will hand you a sketched design that you can use as a general guide.
- Design and draft a set of working plans with a plant list. ($100 hr) We can all be successful gardeners in this beautiful Pacific Northwest since we have one of the best growing climates in the U.S. 360-687-7077 or email me.
WALWORTH COUNTY, WI: Christine Migala is a Freelance Gardener helping people with their gardens and landscape. She combines her visual arts background with the science of horticulture to provide services including landscape garden design, DIY garden coach, garden maintenance, pruning, weeding, and more.
Christine has a degree in Visual Communications and has been working in desktop publishing for many years. Encouraged by her love of gardening and being outdoors, she decided to put purpose to her passion and ventured into college life once again to pursue an education in Horticulture.
The website is underconstruction: www.theFreelanceGardener.com. Or email Christine.
Canada
VICTORIA, BC: Christine Becher is a registered horticulturist. She received her training in 1996/1997 at the Pacific Horticulture Centre. She has been an avid gardener for over 25 years, and has loved plants since she was a small child, picking bluebells in the woods in England, her native country.
- Christine is experienced at garden design and renovations with the theme being to create gardens in harmony with nature. Recently she established "Garden Inspirations", a garden consultation business with particular emphasis on helping people love their gardens.
- Christine calls her coaching "consultations": A garden consultation is a time for you to discuss your garden’s needs with an “expert” on site in your garden. It is an opportunity for you to seek out some expert advice regarding anything associated with your garden, whether it is relating to design, layout, plant problems, soil enhancement, suitable plants and/or pruning.
- Garden consultations usually last one and a half hours and cost only $75(plus GST). Call today to book an appointment .Phone: 250-598-7623, or email Christine.
VICTORIA, BC: Caren Dymond, Your Gardening Coach
I've been gardening my whole life. Learning from my
family at first, I soon developed a keen interest in
how things work in the natural world. Bachelors and
masters degrees in plant ecology soon followed.
Classes in botany and the interaction between plants
and their environment made for interesting discussions
with my mom, whether in the garden or hiking.
The past nine years I've been developing my own
gardens in Edmonton and Victoria. Numerous magazines,
books, courses and garden club meetings have consumed
much of my spare time. As my passion for gardening has
grown, I've found I enjoy talking gardening with
friends, sketching designs and helping them solve
different problems. I found out it's called
gardening coaching from a Globe and Mail article in
2007, and business cards soon followed.
Visit Your Garden Coach on the web. Email me or phone: 250-686-7300.
VICTORIA, BC: Sandra Nelson
Are you stumped by your garden, don’t know how to maintain it, what to plant, how to plant, what will look good? Perhaps you are new to the area, facing an overgrown garden, a new lot, or have a project you would love to begin but not sure how to proceed.
- Do you have weeds, or rare specimens, are you short on time, or knowledge, do you want to enjoy your yard, not be a slave to it?
- Simple advice, planning, and organizing can make your garden a pleasure instead of a burden. Don’t be overwhelmed, a garden coach can help you stop and smell the flowers.
- Enjoy your garden, talk to Sandra Nelson at Urban Oasis Gardening, where gardeners bloom.
There are as many reasons to hire a garden coach as there are gardens, but if you are in Victoria there is no reason to hire just any coach. Sandra has been helping gardeners in Victoria for 20 years. Get help by dropping by Urban Oasis Garden Centre, at 4085 Quadra, or book a one-on-one coaching session @ 250 479 6868 or sandra@urbanoasisgardening.net.
LONDON, ONTARIO: Denise Hodgins, ODH, Landscape Designer and Horticulture Consultant.
Denise has provided garden coaching and landscape design consulting for private clients in Southwestern Ontario for over 15 years, sharing her knowledge and experiences. She is a former educator at the college level and still looks forward to lecturing to local gardeners. Her passion for the horticulture profession has taken her on many trips to Europe where she has visited many formal and informal gardens. Denise has also worked as the Head Gardener at Rosebank in Lambeth, Ontario.
She is a graduate of the Landscape Design program at Fanshawe College, and has her Ontario Diploma in Horticulture from the University of Guelph. She also holds a Certificate of Achievement in Horticulture and Certificate of Achievement in Greenhouse Flower Production.
For more information or to set up an appointment Denise can be reach through her webpage or email her.
ANCASTER, ONTARIO (Hamilton area): Donna Parker is the owner of a new business called "The Garden Coach can". A gardener and educator for over 30 years with a background in Environmental Science, Donna studied horticulture and design at the University of Guelph and is a Master Gardener. She has designed new gardens and renovated hopelessly neglected, overgrown properties transforming these spaces into a variety of lush and relaxing spaces. Creating gardens that are low maintenance, incorporate eco-friendly and water-wise practices are at the heart of her approach to gardening.
The Garden Coach provides a relaxed, on-site consultation to help the garden "do-it-yourselfer" find the potential in their gardens. A 1 to 11/2 hour visit can include: -planting suggestions for new and for mature gardens -help with identifying what you have and where to start and how to plan your garden projects over time. -tips for lower maintenance and water-wise gardening -pruning and plant care instructions -a sketch planting plan Additional services include complete scale design plans and assistance with plant selection and planting.
The process starts with a simple e-mail to: thegardencoachcan@yahoo.ca or a call to (905) 304-6110 and is available within a 1hour drive from Hamilton, Ont. Check my web site: www.thegardencoachcan.com
United Kingdom
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: Robin Burley combines enthusiasm for and knowledge of gardening with her coaching experience. Her approach is the antithesis of the “garden makeover”. She tells clients: You are in control – with the support of coaching and horticultural skills. Learn more here, or email Robin.
OXFORD, ENGLAND:John Shortland is a classically trained Head Gardener and owner of The Glyme Garden & Landscape Company.
- John has worked together with the owners of some very prestigious, private gardens in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. This has given him knowledge of practical and time efficient methods in all aspects of horticulture - from tiny patio gardens right through to creating new parklands. You can take advantage of this.
- John is an elected member of the Institute of Horticulture and of The Professional Gardener’s Guild, The Royal Horticultural Society and Henry Doubleday Research Association. He also serves on the Committee of the Oxfordshire Gardens Trust, a charity devoted to the promotion and welfare of gardens and parks within the county.
- Contact John to discuss your requirements. All sessions are individually tailored to suit your own needs and level of knowledge. Bookings can be made singly or, block booked for the whole or part year - giving you a wide range of skills needed for a beautiful garden. After each session, which can be for individual gardeners or groups, worksheets giving specific information for your garden can be used as aide-memoires and kept for future reference.
- See The Garden Coach for more information, email here, or call 01608-678145
Australia
WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S Southwest Region: Stuart Robinson, author of the helpful Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas blog and a fervent gardener. With more than 10 years hands-on experience, both in his own gardens and serving other local gardening projects, Stuart can coach you in becoming a better gardener and offer alternative ideas to make your garden work. He can be reached by email.










