We offer the following services:
Our Qualifications
We have academic training in biology and education and professional experience as an ecological advisor to regional governments. We have trained in basic permaculture design principles. Home gardening, community gardening and garden project development over the past fifteen years have added practical experience. We have developed site designs for more than twenty home gardens and family food production sites over the past ten years, building raised beds, reclaiming older garden areas and designing small greenhouses. We recently had a 336-page northern garden guide, SUN, SEED & SOIL published. We would be happy to share details of past projects and explore design options, to help you decide how to help your garden become more productive and enjoyable.
Site Visit
We will visit your home, garden or project site to advise you on how to develop your garden or farm. We will recommend sources for seeds, plants and soil amendments. Simple changes in garden arrangement, sourcing seeds and adding to soil fertility can make a huge difference. The cost of our initial visit is $300 plus HST, unless travel distances are more than 50 km. After the consultation, further work is billed on an hourly basis, including travel time, or work can be quoted based on a single estimated fee.
Garden Planning
Working from your ideas and specific needs, we will draft a garden design plan showing best locations for trees, shrubs, garden paths, beds and structures to maximize the use of your site and help develop a beautiful and inviting place in which you will spend time. This design work can be completed based on an hourly fee, or we can provide a firm quote for the entire project. Our basic rate, aside from travel, tools and materials is $35 per hour.
Garden Design Services
Generally we can give you an advance estimate, then work to that maximum then provide opportunities for you to decide how to proceed, if further work is needed. Our past clients including home and market gardeners for whom we have developed plans to maximize production at their sites using organic and permaculture methods.
Raised Bed Construction
For quick creation of a raised bed garden at your site, we can construct and install our standard 3 ft x 7 ft, ten-inch high raised beds, and fill each bed with a mixture of soil, peat and compost, so that it is ready for planting. Basic cost per completed bed is $200. Four to six raised beds will provide enough room for your salad greens, herbs and crops such as beans, squash, tomatoes or root vegetables. Once they are in place, raised beds can be used year after year. This service is perfect for rented homes, as well as owner occupied sites, because the boards and soil can be moved to another site, if necessary.