Organic? Doesn’t that mean it’s more expensive??

Not necessarily, often not at all, and never in the long run.

In terms of design, one of my top priorities is choosing the right plants for your site. We’ll test your soil to see if it’s in good shape and amend it if it isn’t. I specialize in working with native and drought tolerant plants that require less care and maintenance. In the end, a conventional landscaper would amend soil and plant as well — the end result of organic land design is that your site should require fewer inputs, less care and maintenance, which could actually save you money long-term!

Plants aside, some organic fertilizers and pesticides do cost more than conventional products, however demand for organic products is on the rise, and gaps in cost are narrowing. The end result is the same: long term, organic landscapes are healthier and cost less to maintain.

Does “native” mean you’ll want to convert my lawn into a meadow or a forest? Does “drought-tolerant” mean cacti??

Absolutely not. Clients are often shocked to discover how many plants they already know and love are native and drought-tolerant. These are versatile plants that will play well in your designed landscape as in a meadow, forest or even a desert.

Low maintenance… Does that mean I can plant it and forget about it?

“Low maintenance,” unfortunately, doesn’t mean “no maintenance.” On the bright side, there are countless plants whose care is nearly foolproof. These are plants I look for in landscape design.

What do you mean when you say you’re an accredited organic landcare professional? What’s NOFA?

Green is the new black, but buyer beware! Organic is so hot that some companies are quick to say their work is organic, even if it isn’t. The Northeast Organic Farming Association, or NOFA, founded an intensive Organic Land Care Program under which I’m accredited. This means I’ve not only invested the time and effort to learn organic land care, but I’m required to abide by NOFA’s official standards, so you can be assured that my work is legimately organic.

Hey, I was wondering if you could just, you know, come out and give me some ideas? Nothing too intensive.

Of course! I offer coaching and consulting services, and they might be perfect for you.

What’s your geographic scope of work?

I’m based on the North Shore but will travel within the Boston area and Southern New Hampshire. Contact me and I’ll see if we can work something out. For those who are new to the area, here’s a list of towns on or around the North Shore and Route 95/128 where I’ll travel readily:

Amesbury, Andover, Arlington, Belmont, Beverly, Boston, Boxford, Burlington, Cambridge, Chelsea, Concord, Danvers, Essex, Everett, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Hampton NH, Haverhill, Ipswich, Kittery ME, Lawrence, Lexington, Lincoln, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, Newton, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Portsmouth NH, Reading, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Seabrook NH, Somerville, Stoneham, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wenham, West Newbury, Wilmington, Winchester, Winthrop, Woburn.