Boost Your Gardening Game: Get a Gardening Coach

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June 24, 8:47 AM

by Robin Wedewer, Gardening Examiner

 

 

Following is an interview with garden expert Susan Harris. In addition to her writing on the well-read blog Garden Rant, Susan is an expert gardening coach in in the greater Washington, D.C. area.

Gardening Examiner:  The idea of a garden mentor or coach seems to have sprung up just in the past few years. Where did this idea come from?

Susan Harris:  I don’t know who first used those terms but their popularity began in June of ‘07 with the publication of a New York Times article featuring four of us who do garden coaching. The concept must have a lot of appeal because it’s taken off in the media, and my worldwide directory of Gardening Coaches has grown from those original four to 60+ today.

Gardening Examiner:  What’s the difference between a garden mentor and a garden coach?

Susan Harris:  I could have used either term, and "mentor" was what my first client called me. She sought me out as the president of a horticulture club to ask if I knew anyone she could pay to teach her to garden. I immodestly volunteered, placed an ad, ordered business cards, and was in business. But I chose the word "coach" because it implies payment and "mentor" doesn’t.

Gardening Examiner:  I really could have used a garden mentor when I started gardening several years ago. I could probably still use some help identifying plants and solving problems and I am a fairly experienced gardener at this point. Who is the typical client for a garden mentor? And could you help someone like me?

Susan Harris:  Typical clients are beginners, but and they get a big jumpstart on creating their first garden and knowing how to take care of it. There’s also a nice sprinkling of experienced gardeners who hire me because, they say, they want a second pair of eyes on their whole garden and all the plants in it. Secretly they’re often looking for permission to get rid of some large plant that’s looked terrible for a long time and are SO relieved when I tell them that I sure would if it were my garden. (And that’s my style, not "You should" but "I would.")

Gardening Examiner:  I can get free advice from my local garden center. Why would someone chose a garden mentor over, say, working with their local garden center or even a landscape designer?

Susan Harris: Well, lots of garden centers HAVE coaches; they just don’t call them that. My favorites have "consultants" who will come to your home and do a lot of what I do, and they know exactly what plants are in stock that will do well in your garden. That’s a lot of good advice for only $70 an hour.

In fact, when my clients need to buy a lot of plants I often suggest they work with the garden center consultant first, then invite me back to teach them how take care of everything. If their budget doesn’t allow for "installation," I’ll help them place the plants and they will put the plants in the ground themselves.

As to landscape designers, they’re actual designers and I’m not. Definitely not. My website says I give design ideas and do that, but what helps most in growing gardeners (my number one goal!) is to offer ideas and explain the design principles I’m using. Some of my clients have used landscape designers or architects and had wonderful gardens installed for them, but have no idea how to take care of it—which is great for me. But it would also be great if these professionals offered coaching themselves or referred them to someone. There must be some experienced gardeners and Master Gardeners just about everywhere who’d love to help and could use the extra income.

Gardening Examiner:  I have some big problems—such as what to do with the rose border. I also have some smaller issues—such as identifying some of the plants whose names I can’t remember. Where can a garden mentor help? What services does a garden mentor or coach provide?

Susan Harris:  We do a lot of plant and weed ID.

Gardening Examiner:  So what is the process you use for working with someone for the first time? What should I expect when you show up?

Susan Harris:  For most people, it’s a slow walk-through starting with this question: What do you want to change in the front (back) yard? And how do you use this space or how would you like to use it? So I’m throwing out ideas and there’s a lot of back and forth. I suggest lots of plants and make sure they’re taking notes. Typically I see shrubs in dire need of pruning, so I grab my pruners and loppers and demonstrate the proper technique, then watch while the homeowner gives it a try and watch until they get the hang of it. (And often exclaim "Learning to prune is so empowering!") And I regularly recommend removal of low-hanging tree limbs, even if it requires professional help, because it makes such a difference.

Gardening Examiner:  What are some of the most unusual requests you’ve had from clients?

Susan Harris: A man once called from New York to ask me to teach his widowed mother here in Maryland to garden. This guy happens to be a well-known entertainer but I’m not one of those tabloid tell-all types, so you won’t get the name out of me.

Gardening Examiner: Okay, let’s get to the bottom line. How much does a garden mentor or coach cost?

Susan Harris:  I charge $80 an hour but a quick perusal of the Worldwide Directory of Gardening Coaches shows some charging as low as $35 an hour. Others don’t reveal their rate, but they’re probably people already in business as designers or even landscape architects who’ve added coaching to their duties and charge a lot more.

Gardening Examiner:  So, of course, in the Maryland or D.C. area someone would hire you as a garden coach. But what about people who live in Peoria or Portland. How do they go about finding a garden coach or mentor? (Perhaps also offer some suggestions on how to gauge if someone is qualified.)

Susan Harris: There is a lot more information available at my website on sustainable gardening.

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