Fussy Gardener PDX
Thomas Gray
Offering landscape garden design, horticultural consultation, and follow-up maintenance of the gardens my team and I create
The value of a garden
Recent scientific studies have confirmed what many of us have known intuitively for a long time: access to parks, gardens, forests, and other plant-filled spaces yields substantial benefits to human health, both mental and physical. And as the climate of the planet on which we live continues to change, we must do all we can to support the trees and other plants that are so vital to our environment, the soil that sustains them, the pollinators and many other creatures that benefit from them.
If you would like some help turning your corner of the world into a more beautiful, biodiverse, and vibrant spot, then you've come to the right place.
Landscape Garden Design
I design landscape gardens that are visually attractive, horticulturally appropriate, environmentally beneficial, biodiverse, and sustainable. While herbs and other edible plants may feature in my designs, I approach each garden as a work of art, using the media of plants, soil, rock, and other natural features to create something beautiful that elevates the value of a given site aesthetically, economically, and environmentally.
Horticultural Consultation
Once a design proposal has been developed, I offer continuing consultation to the client and the professional landscape contractor in order to assure the best results in the execution of the design concept.
Follow-up Maintenance
A garden is a dynamic, living system which comprises the interactions of soil, climate, and various living, growing organisms -- soil fauna, fungi, microbiota, and of course, plants. As such, it is never really "finished." There will always be cycles of change, growth, development, decay and renewal; with these come the need for continued care and maintenance.
Once a garden design has been implemented, the work is far from over. While my approach to design does emphasize sustainability, there is no such thing as a maintenance-free garden. My team and I will be happy to bring our experience and expertise with appropriate care and maintenance, as needed.
I believe in the value of the services I provide, and my rates reflect that value; but nobody goes into garden design for the money. I do this work because I love it, and because I think it is a beneficial and worth while thing to do.