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Why use a garden coach?

The term ‘garden coach’ is relatively new. A garden coach is someone who comes out to your home and gives you on-site ‘coaching’ – advice – on your garden. It may concern design, making changes, getting feedback about where and how to place structures in your landscape. Or you may need some gardening information on which plants to place where, how to prune, divide or address problem areas.

Different coaches have expertise in different areas, so talk with whomever you are considering hiring to make sure you feel comfortable with his or her talents and experience. Some garden coaches, for example are not artistic so they may not give you the best advice for creative work. Choose a designer with coaching skills for a more creative job.  Or if you are interested in uncommon plants, you might want to select your coach for horticultural knowledge.

You can always ask a question to your local nursery or garden center, but most employees are not going to come out to your home. And most landscapers know about building, not gardening. Beware asking ‘mower-blower’ services about gardening since very few of these people really know much about true gardening.

To find a good garden coach, check your local advertisements or look on the internet. There are even organizations of garden coaches listed by geographic area like the Garden Coach Directory. On the whole you are likely to save more money than you spend on a good garden coach by doing the job right the first time! And with some proper gardening coaching, your garden is likely to turn out to be considerably more attractive and successful than it would without expert advice.

So whether you want advice on a new landscape, a renovation, instructions on how to handle problems or even your own personal gardening 101 course adapted to your specific garden needs, consider calling in a garden coach.

 

The Garden Coach Directory

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, Backyard Living Examiner

Jane Schwartz Gates is a landscape designer, garden coach, horticulturist, licensed landscape contractor and garden columnist. She is also a professional painter and illustrator with gallery showings around the world. Her focus is on 'painting with plants' by helping people design and build...

Comments

  • Clora Teel 2 years ago

    I need a genius to figure out this desert. But I did learn on thing on my own. If you use soy milk for fertilizer it sure makes the tall grasses grow well.

  • Penny Nickols 2 years ago

    A garden coach — I wonder if there are any in South Dakota?

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