what is sustainable garden guidance and ecology education?
Good garden guidance makes a happy, healthy space for both the owner and ecosystem. By creating a space that serves the needs of both human and wildlife interactions, resilience and sustainability is built into the foundation of every project. We are not landscapers and cannot install your garden for you, but we can advise, collaborate and guide your project to success.
We suggest native plants wherever possible, always use organic practices (free of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers), build habitat and learn along the way. These methods make maintenance simpler, lowers the demand on resources and gives you the tools to master your garden goals.
Dig even deeper with workshops on winter seed sowing or plant propagation for adult learners; butterfly lifecycle or food systems curriculum for students K-5 or native plants at home for every gardener.
consult
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Let's start with the basics of your space with an on-site consultation.
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
This will include:
Site visit - we’ll assess your light, water, and soil conditions as well as overall garden goals
Plant IDs - figure out what you have and what to keep, toss or move
List - create a customized plant list ideal for your space
Virtual Consultation
Send photos of the space you'd like help with and you'll receive:
Plant IDs - figure out what you have and what to keep, toss or move.
List - a customized plant list ideal for your space
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In-person Consultations begin at $100 per hour
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
Virtual Consultation = $50 per garden
Additional charges may apply if additional services are added on, such as additional meetings to discuss your plan or a maintenance guide for your design.
design
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All garden design work is custom to your space. We can’t plant it for you, but we can guide installation for DIY gardeners or your preferred landscapers.
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
Your garden design will include:
On site consultation of your space
Custom design plan with plant list
Recommended vendors and supply list
Virtual Design
Send photos of the space you'd like help with and you'll receive:
Written description of your garden goals and site conditions
Custom design plan with plant list
Recommendations for online vendors for your project
Types of gardens include, but are not limited to:
Native Garden
Rain Garden
Hummingbird or Song Bird Garden
Organic Herb or Vegetable Garden
Native Container Garden
Meadow Restoration
Lawn Alternative Conversion
Miyawaki Forest (tiny forest)
Coastal Shoreline
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In-person design work begins at $250 and is subject to the size and scope of each project
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
Virtual Design = $150 per garden
Additional charges may apply if additional services are added on, such as additional meetings to discuss your plan or a maintenance guide for your design.
guide
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Garden Guide
Learn how to nurture your garden as we work together side-by-side in the garden to attend to your most pressing needs. Whether it’s planting, pruning, weeding or identifying friends and foes, you’ll be a garden guru in no time!
Houseplant Helper
Indoor garden help is here! From orchids to herbs, your houseplants can thrive with care and guidance. Specialties include repotting, seasonal fertilization schedules and proper watering technique.
Maintenance Guide
Seasonal maintenance guide for every plant in your garden takes the guesswork out of gardening and gives you more time to enjoy your outdoor oasis.
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
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Garden Guide = $100/hour
Houseplant Helper = $100/hour
Maintenance Guide - begins at $100 and is subject to the size and scope of your project
advise
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Installation Advisor
While I can’t plant your garden for you, I can help manage installation day as your advisor. Expert boots on the ground offer assurance that everything will get planted exactly how and where it should be! I will serve as your personal garden installation manager for your DIY or landscaper-assisted planting.
Personal Shopper
Book a personal shopping session to visit local growers and learn all the tricks to becoming a savvy plant buyer. I’ll take you to my favorite independent growers who nurture the healthiest and happiest plants in our area. If you’re tackling a bigger project, I can coordinate a direct delivery order at wholesale prices to get you going without the sticker shock.
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
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Installation Advisor = $100/hour
Personal Shopper = $100/hour
learn
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Can’t make it to a workshop or prefer a 1-to-1 intensive? Let’s go through the steps together in the garden, classroom or natural world. Current topics include:
Planting for Pollinators - what and how to plant a pollinator garden
Winter Sowing - winter is for sowing seeds of native plants and edibles for the vegetable garden
Plant ID Woods Walk - become a plant eagle-eye as we walk and identify
Native Plant Gardening - the basics of native plant gardening, design ideas and maintenance principles
Monarch Butterfly Lifecycle - stages of the life cycle, milkweed and Monarchs, the five generations, the great migration, the evolution of ecosystems and culture
Sustainable Produce - covers raised bed types, suppliers, inputs, maintenance, irrigation, pest control, soil structure and timelines
Invasive Plant ID and Removal - confidently learn to identify and remove invasive species in your space
DIY Miyawaki Forest - the why, what and how of Miyawaki Forests and how to get started on your own
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1-to-1 Intensive = $150/topic
In-person services are available on Boston’s North Shore
certify
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Interested in getting your garden certified?
We can help certification for:
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Fees begin at $25 and depend on type of certification and signage choice.