Garden Coaching & Consultation
Do you already enjoy the act of gardening, but want to level up your skills?
Do you have specific “problem areas” in your yard to troubleshoot?
Are you thinking about making major changes to the space, and don’t know where to start with the project planning?
Would it be helpful to have a fresh perspective on the space you’ve been in for years? Or to wrap your head around the property you just purchased?
These are a few of the questions we’ve been able to help answer through garden coaching.
We recognize that you may not want or need extensive design/build/maintenance services, but there still may be a gap between your ideal garden experience and where you are now.
How does this work?
For all new clients, we will set up an initial consultation first. Following that meeting, we can schedule additional coaching/consultation sessions as needed. Each session is typically 1-2 hours long. The initial consultation is offered at a flat rate of $125, and following sessions are billed hourly at $75/hour with a 2-hour minimum.
Q’s
Q: What does a coaching session look like?
A: Every session varies, but typically we are either having an in-depth discussion about specific areas of the garden, or working together to tackle a specific project. I will send relevant notes/resources via email after the session. It’s helpful to have a clear goal or question in your mind before we meet.
Q: Can we work alongside each other in the garden?
A: Yes! Many of us learn best through doing. Coaching sessions are a great way to learn hands-on skills such as pruning.
Please note that it generally takes more time for us to explain, demonstrate, and give feedback on tasks than to simply go ahead and do them—while this can be a great way to learn, it is not a great way to save money on that specific maintenance job! (Though in the long run, knowing how to efficiently take care of your garden’s maintenance needs may certainly pay off.)
Q: How much does coaching cost?
A: Coaching & consultation is $75/hour (2 hour minimum). Sessions are scheduled in 2-hour blocks. For projects outside Baltimore City, hourly billing is also inclusive of travel time. For projects beyond the Baltimore radius, we may charge a flat rate for travel or bill based on mileage, on a case by case basis.
Q: How far will you travel?
A: We are based in central Baltimore City and will travel throughout neighboring counties. If you are significantly outside the Midatlantic Region, we recommend finding a local business offering a similar service as they will be more familiar with the growing conditions of your area.
Q: Where can we buy the tools that you recommend?
A: We sell some of the more difficult-to-find Japanese hand tools directly—just ask! We will also provide a list of non-Amazon vendors for the other tools we recommend in our follow up notes.
Q: Should I take notes during the session?
A: It’s not a bad idea! However, I will also take notes and can send more information after we meet. If taking notes helps you remember what we discuss, great, and if it’s distracting, then don’t worry about it! You’re also welcome to take an audio recording.
Q: How/where did you learn how to garden?
A: I have been learning (and continue learning) about gardening since a very early age (around five or six years old), when my parents gave me a little patch of their garden to experiment with. I have spent many seasons working on organic farms including some dedicated internships that were highly educational and taught me a lot about soil quality, weeds, and planting! In high school, I took plant biology and followed that with biology classes in college. I’ve read dozens and dozens of books on gardening and related topics. In 2014 I went through the Baltimore City Master Gardener program. I have also done the Beginner Farmer Training Program offered through Future Harvest CASA, and the Chesapeake Bay Landscaping Professional training levels 1 and 2.
I started Yellow House Farm on my own property and picked up a lot of helpful tips and techniques through trial and error and the necessity of working efficiently. I have spent many hours working shoulder to shoulder with gardeners who know a lot more than I do! While I was primarily farming, I also worked with professional gardeners learning more high-end maintenance techniques. I became familiar with the landscaping industry through a job I had in a small office dealing in wholesale plants.
When I travel, I typically include spending time working on farms that give me insight and ideas to bring home. In addition to gardening in Baltimore, I am working on two passion projects at a family property in Western Md.—cataloging our flora, and restoring an abandoned apple orchard—which are teaching me a lot. In short, I’ve been immersed in the work of working with nature since a very young age and I continue to expand my horizons at every possible opportunity.
