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ethics

 

above: using low water plants like these Mimulus and permeable paving such as gravel are two ways to reduce rain run-off


my mission

Provide solutions to my customers, using my knowledge, creativity and love of nature as my guides. I believe everyone can benefit from a well tended garden, regardless of past experience, space limitations, or lack of confidence.

Work with nature instead of against nature. Choose plants appropriate for your site according to climate and available light and water.

Pesticides, fertilizers... no thanks. Chemicals leak into the ground, eventually finding groundwater, and also work their way up the food chain. Strive for organic.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Incorporate plants that attract beneficial insects or deter pests. Mulch with compost to feed your garden, cut down on weeds and reduce water evaporation.

Clean and green. One of the best preventative measures you can take against pests and diseases is to maintain a clean garden that permits good air circulation and sunlight.

Keep your garden flowing by opening up vistas, adding points of interest, providing variations in texture, color, shape, and smell.

Soft edges are natural edges. No poodle cuts- dogs tolerate them, plants hate 'em.

Controlled wildness is my basic theme. This means keeping a basic framework and containing plants within, not too strict, not too permissive. How 'wild' you want to get is up to you.

Controlled care Keeping your plants happy also means not going overboard in feeding and watering them, because over-stimulation will stress out a plant and make it attractive to pests.

One person operation I work by myself, I don't contract out or hire 'day labor' to work for me. This keeps everything simple, equitable and above board. It also keeps costs lower than similar services where you're paying not only the person doing the work but their off-site boss as well.