Garden Coaching

Are you an aspiring gardener, eager to get your hands dirty but not sure where to start? Do you have a green thumb that just needs to be pointed in the right direction? If so, garden coaching is for you!

Garden coaching is a a client-driven consultation-based program; the ultimate goal is to arm you with the information, tips and tricks that you need to get your garden looking its best.

Garden coaching is offered in the following formats:

  • Individual consultations

  • Growing season coaching packages

Individual Consultations

Individual consultations are typically one or two hour-long "garden walk-throughs". They are a great service for individuals who have moved to a new property and who need help identifying the existing plant material (Is it a weed or not a weed? That is the question!). Consultations are also great for homeowners who are not satisfied with the current state of their garden and are looking for some guidance. By the end of a consultation, it will become clear that some plants will require removal while some will require pruning, division, or relocation. Techniques for plant maintenance/care will also be discussed and suggestions for new plant material may be made. The soil and growing conditions on your property will also be assessed and discussed. After a consultation you will be armed with information and pointed in a more focused direction- the next step is to play in the dirt!

Growing Season Coaching Packages

Season-long garden coaching is the perfect way to learn how to care for your garden from the time the snow melts in spring to the time the snow flies in late fall! Coaching throughout the growing season will take you on a journey as you learn the tips and tricks of keeping a tidy, well-maintained and healthy garden. Throughout the seasons you will learn about spring clean-up and pruning techniques, the 'how-tos' for plant selection and installation, soil amendment selection and application, tips for plant relocation/division/removal, the process of seed storage and/or overwintering of sensitive plants as well as design principles for an aesthetically pleasing garden. In addition to learning the 'how-tos' of gardening, coaching sessions will help explain the 'whys' so that you come away with a broader understanding of how plants function and how your garden grows.

What does a Growing Season Package Include?

  • 3 x 3-hour one-on-one sessions with a garden coach (one session per season: Spring, Summer and Fall) OR 6 x 1.5 hour sessions (two sessons per season); each sesson will include a garden walk-though to determine the tasks that need to be completed and the techniques that can be used to complete them. Homework for the upcoming weeks will be provided to give you direction in your gardening tasks. Homework items can range from compiling photos of your 'dream garden', to weeding a certain area of your yard, to starting a compost pile... the possibilities are endless!

  • Pick-up/delivery of one truck-load of materials once per season

  • Bring a friend option: although coaching will focuss on your own property, gardening is often a fun activity to share with friends- make your garden coaching sessions an event! Spend quality time with friends, get outdoors, and learn valuable skills in the process.

  • Access to a "members-only" garden care blog that will help keep you on track with your maintenance tasks; this blog will give important pointers on what tasks should be completed at different points thoughout the growing season. It will also address current pest and environmental issues that are seen in local landscape that you should watch-out for in your garden (and what to do if you spot them).

  • Email/text support- we know that questions come up and we are here to answer!

  • A pair of Canada Blooms tickets

  • We are hoping to bring on more 'perks' in the way of discounts at local retailers- stay tuned as we update this page!

Optional Add-ons:

WINTER SESSION- the garden may be dormant, but a coaching session during the winter months can be a great way to get a head-start on Spring! Winter is a great time for overall garden planning and plant selection.  Designing a new plant bed or pouring over seed and bulb catalogues and ordering plants for the upcoming year can make the warm weather seem not-so-far away!

DECOR SESSIONS- these sessions are great for parties! Get a group of friends together and learn how to put together decorative planters, wreaths and winter arrangements.