Are you frustrated with your perennial gardens? Do you want lower-maintenance beds? How about a garden that provides waves of color and drama all three seasons long? Do you have unanswered questions about dividing perennials (need someone to demonstrate for you?), pruning, the right mulch to use, adjusting the shape of your garden beds, how to improve your soil? Do you wish you could 'tweak' your garden - or perhaps even overhaul it! - to get that dream garden you've always wanted? Do you need help designing a brand new bed so that you save time and money by creating a masterpiece the first time? Do you want a second opinion on a design that someone else did for you?  Would you find it reassuring to have someone onsite overseeing a garden's installation to make sure it comes out as you envisioned it and that plants were dug in correctly to minimize shock and increase viability?

Then my popular home garden consultations are for you! Let's rollup our sleeves and partner together in building a garden that will bring YOU the most pleasure. I've conducted over 1,000 consultations in the past decade and I'm told over and over how helpful my visits are for giving people sought-after solutions to their gardening frustrations - with my easy-to-follow, step-by-step recommendations. While on site I'll give advice and 'how-to' demonstrations, answer questions, and provide rough sketches of my design ideas, when applicable.  I schedule home consultations from April through November within the Capital District region. My standard hourly on-site rate is $65, payable at the time of my visit. There is no travel charge for consultations within a 15-mile radius of my home in Ballston Spa; consultations outside this area are charged a travel fee to cover time and mileage. The fees:  $15 for homes within 15 - 20 miles; $20 for homes within 21 -35 miles away.

Additional Services (minimum billable time for all three consulting services is one hour @ $65 per hour): 

* I am now available to be your onsite advisor during garden installations to make sure my design recommendations (or your modified version of these) are being followed. I help insure plants are being spaced correctly; dug in, fertilized and watered properly to minimize shock; and, if any substitutes are being used, they are comparable to what was originally proposed. The person installing the garden may be a local high school student, friend, someone who does yard work, or an area landscaper. No matter! I can answer questions, demonstrate proper techniques, advise, and encourage. The only thing I cannot do anymore is garden installations. My old back ain't what it used to be. 

* I can review landscape designs and provide a third party perspective to make sure what is recommended matches what you envisioned. I'll provide feedback about the plants used in the design and answer questions before the installation occurs. By getting a second opinion before the green and white checkered flag is waved, you can be more confident in the outcome and request any substitutions or modifications needed. 

* I can provide 'virtual' garden consultations from photographs and information you send me. I started doing this last year and it worked out well. You can send me photographs or digital pictures along with a simple information sheet you fill out that tells me about the garden site (i.e., sun, shade, sandy, clay, windy, etc.). I can then give you my verbal recommendations via a phone appointment or we can schedule a time for you to come to my home. I've had consultees drive several hours for an appointment here in my gardens that allows me to actually show them recommended plant material and design ideas. This service is designed for people outside the standard driving radius for onsite consultations and is not available during peak consulting months April - July. 

If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, please e-mail me at pyours@nycap.rr.com.  Please be sure to include your address and phone number. I will get back to you promptly. 

Here is what some folks have said about my helpful advice: 

"Just a note to tell you how much I've enjoyed and appreciated the good choices you made for my perennials. This year has been less work and more fun. Your fertilizing tips have been helpful!" 

"This afternoon we met some people and when they were told where we live, they said that they always admire my garden. Even clearing the snow in the driveway this past winter, my husband said people were walking by saying they can't wait to see my garden again." 

"...my garden really came into its own this summer...it has been a joy to see those lovely plants mature into a real lush perennial garden. You really know how to create beautiful gardens and how to teach us to do the same...Your design and instructions have really paid off." 

Thanks. I hope to hear from you soon! 

Kerry