Garden Coaching
Ongoing Landscape Guidance for Edible & Ecological Gardens
in Upstate South Carolina
Expert guidance for edible gardens and ecological landscapes — through real seasons and real decisions.
What Garden Coaching looks like…
Garden coaching is an ongoing, hands-on partnership focused on building knowledge, confidence, and long-term success in your garden.
Coaching typically works over a season or year and is tailored to your specific site, goals, and experience level. Sessions include on-site guidance around planting decisions, pruning, soil health, integrated pest management (IPM), plant identification, and seasonal care — with an emphasis on understanding why things work, not just what to do —at a pace that fits your experience level. Some clients prefer hands-on learning, while others combine guidance with ongoing care depending on the season and their availability.
Rather than one-time advice, garden coaching supports edible gardens, kitchen gardens, and ecological landscapes through real-time questions, observation, and practice. Regular guidance helps small issues stay small instead of becoming seasonal setbacks. This often includes organic gardening practices, vegetable gardening, and long-term care approaches that help gardens improve year after year.
Is Garden Coaching the right fit?
Garden coaching works best for homeowners who want to be actively involved in their gardens and are interested in learning how to care for them well over time.
This is a good fit if you:
• Want hands-on guidance and practical learning in your own garden
• Enjoy asking questions and understanding how plants and systems work
• Are interested in edible gardens, kitchen gardens, or ecological landscapes
• Want to build skills around planting, pruning, seasonal care, and IPM
• Are looking for ongoing support rather than one-time advice
This may not be the right fit if you:
• Are looking for quick answers without ongoing involvement or follow-through
• Prefer a fully hands-off, install-only approach
• Want a fixed plan that doesn’t change with seasonal or site conditions
• Are primarily looking for basic maintenance services
You don’t need prior experience — curiosity and willingness to engage are more important than skill level.
How Garden Coaching works…
Garden coaching follows a clear, flexible process designed to support your garden through real conditions, real seasons, and real decision-making.
1. Initial conversation
We start with a discovery call to talk through your goals, challenges, and what you’re hoping to get from coaching.
2. Site-based guidance
Coaching sessions take place in your garden and focus on practical, hands-on learning — including planting, pruning, soil health, IPM, and seasonal care.
3. Ongoing support
Most clients work with me over a season or year, allowing decisions to evolve as the garden grows, conditions change, and new questions arise.
4. Next steps as needed
Some coaching relationships stay focused on learning and management, while others naturally lead into consulting, design, or installation support.
How coaching fits within my broader work.
Garden coaching is meant to feel supportive, collaborative, and responsive to real life — not rigid or overly prescriptive.
Garden coaching is one way clients work with me, and it often connects naturally to consulting, design, or installation support as needs evolve. Some clients begin with coaching to build knowledge and confidence, while others use it alongside broader planning or design work.
The common thread across all services is a systems-based approach — thoughtful planning, informed decision-making, and gardens that are designed and managed to perform well over time.
Garden Coaching FAQs
What is garden coaching?
Garden coaching is an ongoing, hands-on partnership focused on supporting your garden over time. It combines site-based guidance, observation, and seasonal decision-making to help gardens mature, adapt, and perform well.
Coaching is centered on long-term success rather than one-time solutions, and it evolves as conditions, plants, and priorities change.
How does garden coaching differ from garden consulting?
Garden coaching often builds on clarity from consulting, but some clients begin here and add planning or design as the garden evolves. While consulting focuses on evaluation and planning at the outset, coaching provides continued support through real conditions and real seasons.
Coaching is ideal for clients who want guidance, learning, and thoughtful management over time rather than a single planning conversation.
How long do clients typically work with a garden coach?
Garden coaching is typically structured as an annual relationship, allowing guidance to unfold across full growing seasons and real site conditions. This approach supports continuity, adaptability, and long-term success.
Shorter coaching engagements are also available for clients who prefer a defined timeframe, though most find that an annual structure provides the greatest benefit as gardens mature and change over time.
If you’re looking for expert guidance on edible gardens and ecological landscapes, garden coaching offers a flexible way to get clear direction and next steps.
Initial Coaching Conversation