Frequently Asked Questions About our Garden Design Services

Clients interested in having a design created for their space will be given a quote based on the specifics of their situation (size, goals, scope, etc.). Designs can take anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks to complete and pricing is estimated based on a $55/hour design rate.

For clients desiring some of the more popular edible and medicinal garden features, my "ready-to-go" garden designs (available to download or in printed form) are a great way to transform your yard or homestead, project-by-project, as you have the time and resources. Each design comes with the visual graphic of the design itself, a "shopping list" for all vegetation needed to implement the design, step-by-step installation instructions to see the design to fruition as well as plant care instructions for the plants included. They're meant to provide you with an "all-you-need-to-know" guide for adding a wide array of edible + medicinal gardens to your yard or homestead!

At this time, I only offer permaculture design and consult services. However, part of what I offer through my consulting services is guiding my clients to implement my designs themselves! I can offer step-by-step guidance and can even come by throughout the installation to ensure all is going according to plan. Installing yourself is a great way to create the landscape of your dreams at a fraction of the cost!

Permaculture (contraction of permanent and culture)  is a term that was first coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970's. In a nutshell, permaculture is the intentional, thoughtful design and maintenance of plant and animal systems that work in concert with, and mimic nature's natural resilience and bounty. Permaculture design takes all of the variables of the environment into consideration when planning out a fitting future for a piece of property. Things like topography, water flow, wind, pollution (noise, sound, light, toxins, etc.), wildlife, soil condition and composition, etc. are taken into consideration when determining the proper placement for animal and/or plant systems .

Permaculture works to create a landscape that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but one that operates optimally, in concert with the local ecology AND works to meet your needs as the steward(s) of your property.

Permaculture design can be as comprehensive as your needs dictate and the design itself can include the following elements (this is by no means a exhaustive list):

• Ponds, creeks, wetlands, and other water systems
• Rainwater harvesting: Rainwater harvesting systems can be figured into your design to irrigate food production spaces, provide water for domestic animals as well as livestock, feed an outdoor shower or kitchen, etc. 
• Animal husbandry: If you're interesting in raising animals for food, fiber, soil building, etc., I can assess your land and situation to determine which species and breeds might best suit your needs. I can also create a rotational grazing plan for your livestock to ensure you're prepared to meet their needs).
• Annual and perennial food production: Simply let me know what your individual and/or familial/group/community needs are as well as your favorite foods, budgetary and time constraints and I can develop a plan that takes everything into account so you don't have to. I can even go so far as to create a multi-season or multi-year plan to take crop rotations into account to save you the time and energy. 
• Native plants: Native plants are a great way to nurture and work to preserve our local ecosystems. We have a bounty of native, food-producing beauties to choose from.
• Medicinal plants: Incorporating medicinal plants into my designs is something I'm passionate about. Cold & Flu Season gardens can be beautiful, attract pollinators, and be wildly beneficial for us humans.
• Pollinator attracting plants/ gardens: Pollinator gardens are visually stunning and incredibly beneficial for our local ecosystem. There are a plethora of creative ways I enjoy incorporating pollinator attracting plants into my designs.
• "Niche" gardens: Theme gardens can be a really fun, practical way to incorporate a hobby or passion into your landscape. Some examples are cat, chicken, tea, and beer gardens! I love stretching my bounds though, so feel free to give me a theme to run with.
• Urban lots and/or small spaces: It's incredible just how much food can be grown on a small piece of property if intentionally designed. Urban farms and homesteads are some of my favorite spaces to work with!
• Raised bed and container gardening: Raised bed and container gardening can be great ways to maximize small spaces, deal with subpar soil conditions, and make gardening more feasible for those with back pain or other health conditions.
• Human activity and needs: The needs of everyone are taken into consideration when creating a permaculture design. For example, factors like a desire to maintain a more manicured yard space for children and domestic animals can be included in the design itself. Additionally, things like paths for cars, tractors, wheelbarrows, etc. can all be hashed out in the design to ensure your land is operating optimally and in concert with your needs as well as local ecology. 

Absolutely! The only thing truly needed to implement a design yourself is time, energy, and effort. Your individual/family/community limitations will be factored in when creating the design to ensure that you are able to implement it yourself in a cost effective and time efficient manner. I'm available for consultations throughout your installation process to ensure all is going according to plan and to help you along the way, should you run into issues or have questions. You can transform your yard/ property yourself and I would love nothing more than to help you reach your goals!