We really love plants.
We believe that maintenance is key for all gardens. The best design can fall apart without appropriate maintenance; skilled maintenance can be transformative.
We are passionate about improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, and doing what we can to improve the health of the Bay. We bring the tools, techniques, and ethics of organic farming to our landscaping work.
For all new clients, we begin with an initial consultation to determine your priorities and the scope of work. Based on that, we will either provide an estimate for specific projects or a plan for ongoing maintenance.
Maintenance Services
Our regular maintenance visits include detailed hand-weeding of perennial beds and seasonally & species-appropriate pruning of shrubs and small trees. We also edge & mulch beds, rake & move or remove excess leaves in the fall, and take care of other seasonal garden tasks.
You can either schedule maintenance visits As Needed or sign on for the Monthly Maintenance plan (9 visits/year - we do one winter visit between December-March and then once/month from April-November).
We also offer Clean Outs - typically at least one full day of extensive garden care including full yard mulching and invasive species removal — and Watering visits (great for new plantings/while you are away!).
(Yes, this is the same space!)
The previous homeowners were very involved gardeners who had set up extensive bed space to maintain. The new homeowners—our clients—reached out after a brief period of focusing on other priorities meant they were totally overwhelmed with the amount of vegetation they found in their yard!
Not all maintenance visits are this dramatic. However, it’s a good example of how skilled maintenance can often be as transformative as a total redesign. It’s not always necessary—or preferable—to rip out functional elements of your garden.
Maintenance activities include:
WEEDING - detailed hand-weeding of perennial beds
PRUNING - skilled pruning of specialty shrubs and small trees
MULCHING - general bed cleanup and application of eco-mulch (typically spring or fall)
WATERING - making sure your garden stays hydrated while you away
Deadheading, cutbacks, and dividing - managing healthy perennial populations for plant health and aesthetics
Edging or adjusting garden bed shapes (typically followed by mulching)
Adding new plants - supplementing existing populations or weaving in new varieties
Removing or reshaping existing plants - pruning anything we can reach from the ground up to a 6’ step ladder
Targeted invasive species removal (particularly English ivy!)
Leaf management - using a combination of raking, mulching/mowing, and composting to manage dense leaf fall on lawns, hardscaping, and garden beds
Organic small lawn care: patch repair and aeration, over-seeding, and limited mowing/trimming (for lawns under 1/4 acre only)
We do not do lawn mowing or significant tree work (over 6’ ladder height); however, we have great referrals!