Plan(t) Wise Garden & Landscape Design Services
A natural approach to garden and landscape design.
How Can We Help You?
Our natural garden and landscape design services and Garden Guidance Program, found listed below, offer solutions that increase your landscape’s ecological and sustainable function while fulfilling your needs and desires. Are you curious? Before jumping down to our services descriptions, keep reading and learn a bit more about how versatile natural gardens can be. Of course, if you already know you love natural gardens and just want to know how we can help you, scroll on down to the In-person and Online Programs or contact us!
Many people are under the misconception that natural gardens are always messy and weedy. In the gardening world, a weed is any plant that’s growing where it’s not wanted. It’s all about perception and a lot of that is based on tradition. It’s what we’ve become accustomed to and expect to see. While natural gardens often lack the structure of a formal garden, they don’t have to! Natural gardens can be any style you wish, from wild to cottage to minimalist, and, yes, even formal. You might be surprised to discover that a natural garden can complement the sleek lines of a modern home as easily as a 50s bungalow or a century home. It’s about using the right plants in the right numbers, to create the feeling you want to achieve.
It’s also about understanding that different styles of gardens require different levels of management. We include “cues to care” in our garden and landscape design services. What are they? They include things such as a mowed path or stepping stones in wilder gardens. Truthfully, any type of path in a garden shows that a space is intentional and cared for. Do you want to know another great thing about paths? They encourage exploration! Aside from paths, cues to care can be things like a sculpture, a freestanding water feature, or a bench or chair. Who doesn’t love to have a spot to relax and enjoy nature in their space? Massing and drifting of plants is another technique we incorporate to show design intention and can be used effectively in all types of gardens. These different elements give structure to a garden and show human intent.
We want you to love reconnecting with nature in your outdoor space! By matching plants to your existing site conditions and each other, the addition of soil amendments can be reduced or eliminated, allowing the plants to amend the soil over time. Exactly the way nature does it. These strategies help reduce the amount of time, effort, and money you spend managing your landscape, leaving you more time to enjoy it.
One more thing…
We realize it can be tough waiting to see your garden mature and a lot of people want instant impact. We feel that way too sometimes. A garden makeover with larger plants feels almost magical somehow. However, we suggest using smaller plants and more of them for our designs and there are a few reasons for this.
- Creates a lush, layered garden that is as full or fuller in the same amount of time – or sooner – than larger plants spaced farther apart for the same, or often less, expense.
- Reduces the cost and labour of using repeated mulch applications over time as the plants mass together, creating living green mulch.
- Smaller plants handle transplanting better and adapt to their new conditions more easily than larger specimens.
Watching your new garden grow and mature is an incredibly gratifying experience, magical in its own right. But if you really can’t wait, we get it! Whether you want to start with small plants and impress your neighbours with your skills over the growing season or have an instant impact that makes your neighbours go “Wow!” right away, we can deliver.
Are you ready to discover how we can help you be the envy of the neighbourhood and give back to the environment at the same time? Let’s dig in! Give us a call or fill out the contact form and we’ll be in touch to set up a time for a discovery call.
In-Person Programs
On Site Consultation
Whether you wish to use our garden or landscape design services, Garden Guidance program, or just need some general advice, this two and a half hour‡ consultation is the next step following our phone conversation. We visit you at your site, where you are encouraged to share your ideas, challenges, and end goals, and ask questions.
If you’re following the design or Garden Guidance path, it allows the designer or garden mentor to do an initial site assessment, plant inventory, take photos, and, in the case of design, measurements. After we’ve walked the site, we’ll go through your completed questionnaire together, ensuring we fully understand the vision for your space or your garden management goals. A few days after the consultation you’ll receive a quote for your design or guidance package and a follow-up document (pdf) outlining our conversation and any additional recommendations.
Simply looking for expert advice and perspective? We’ll walk your site with you and make recommendations on projects you have in mind, the best order for those projects to occur, how to tackle problem areas, native plant selections that match your growing conditions, and general management advice.* Within a week’s time of the consultation, you’ll receive a comprehensive written (pdf) follow-up including discussed topics, horticultural information on suggested plant species, and any additional tips, tricks, and recommendations that may be relevant to your situation.
Call us or fill out the form on the Contact page and we’ll connect with you to set a date and time for a discovery call.
‡Consultations are 2 1/2 hours unless otherwise arranged in advance.
*The consultation is not intended to provide specific design advice, plant combinations or placements, or detailed management practices.
*Please note there is an additional charge for travel per km beyond 30km, specified in advance and based on Google Maps.
Design and Additional Services
A Consultation is required before booking any of the options below.
Natural Garden Design
Whether you’re a newbie with no idea how to get started or a green thumb looking to go in a new direction, together, we will create a native plantscape that welcomes nature into your life. Leave the design and plant selection to us. We can provide you with a thoughtful garden design that complements your home and existing landscaping, your vision and time management goals, and site conditions. Your plant list will include Ontario native plants* that support the wildlife species you wish to encourage** with blooms from spring to fall and create a diversity of texture and colour all year long.
Does not include materials, delivery, or installation.
*Ornamental (non-native) species can be included upon request, but we will never include species considered invasive.
**Unfortunately, some plants have very specific growing conditions. If your growing conditions aren’t appropriate for plants that attract certain wildlife species, we won’t include them. We want you and your garden to succeed!
Landscape Design
Does your space need a refresh? Is it functioning to its full potential based on your lifestyle? Whether you’d like to create a private garden room or be the envy of the neighbours, our ecologically-based design solutions address your lifestyle needs and desires. Landscape designs incorporate native plant-focused gardens and locally, sustainably sourced, and upcycled materials. We encourage the inclusion of environmental support systems such as rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, wildlife habitat, and composting areas. Together*, we can create an outdoor haven that will grow with you for years to come.
Does not include materials, delivery, or installation. *Please note we are a design and consulting firm and do not perform full builds/installations.
Garden Guidance
Interested in an eco-friendly garden care plan? Whether you purchase our garden or landscape design or have existing traditional gardens, we can help. Garden Guidance sessions outline management programs, providing insight into plant care and soil health, season by season. The sessions explore all-natural soil amendments for optimal plant health and the best plant pruning/upkeep practices, giving you the means to easily take care of your outdoor space with less effort and time than expected. With existing gardens, we may make recommendations for including native species to help reduce the time and effort required to manage your gardens. We will also advise you to consider removing invasive species.
You are encouraged to take notes at the session, but we offer a custom care manual for an additional fee. Price depends on the manual’s complexity and starts at $74.99 for a pdf file.
Plant Material Layout
Afraid you won’t get the spacing quite right? We can save you time and remove stress by sorting and laying out plant materials from your design purchase* in their correct placements.
Does not include the design, materials, or delivery.
*Material Layouts are only available to clients who purchase a design through Plan(t) Wise.
**Please note: Plants should not be left out in the hot sun in their containers for extended periods. They get stressed out too!
Project Oversight
Have you used our garden or landscape design services? Whether it’s a hands-on approach requiring daily communication with contractors and their trades or a weekly visit to recap questions or issues as needed, this service acts as a single contact for clients and contractors. It benefits both the client and contractors, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goal and that the client’s vision is realized in every detail as designed.
This service is also available to DIY garden clients who would like guidance in proper plant installation to give plants their best start.
Available as per-hour or project rates.
Online Programs
Container Design Combo for Balconies or Patio
Want to have butterfly visitors to your balcony or patio? This popular package is ideal for clients with balconies or small patios that want pollinator container gardens. This value-packed bundle includes a thirty-minute online consultation, basic planting plans for three 24” containers (or equivalent), a detailed plant list with horticultural and wildlife support information, sourcing suggestions, a how-to planting guide, and a twenty-minute virtual follow-up meeting.
Once you’ve purchased the package, you’ll receive a request to set a time and date for your 30-minute virtual consultation. We’ll complete a questionnaire together that determines the vision you have and the conditions your plants will be growing in. Five to seven business days after the consultation, you’ll receive your custom portfolio and a request to set up an online follow-up meeting to discuss any questions you have.
Package cost is $180 (plus HST)
There is no limit to the number of times the Combo can be purchased. Extra containers may be added to purchase for less than purchasing another package if we’re notified in advance. All documents are delivered electronically.
Garden Design Combo
Do you live outside the Niagara Region and are interested in a natural garden design? This is a forty-five-minute online consultation and garden design (up to 150 sq. ft.) for homeowners outside the Niagara Region. This sought-after package includes a consultation, a rough hand-drawn planting plan (measurements supplied by you), a detailed plant list with horticultural information, including wildlife support, plant counts and sourcing suggestions, a customized prep-installation-management guide, and a thirty-minute virtual post-design meeting.
Once a package is purchased, you’ll receive a request to set a time and date for your online consultation. Together, we’ll complete a questionnaire and discuss your vision and goals for your new gardens. Ten to fifteen business days after the consultation, you’ll receive your custom portfolio and a request to set up the post-design online meeting to discuss any questions you have.
Package cost is $1150 (plus HST)
Does not include materials, delivery, or installation.
There is no limit to the number of times the Combo can be purchased. Returning clients may be eligible for a discount on subsequent package purchases. All documents are delivered electronically.