“You don’t get good by having a green thumb. You get good by killing a lot of plant a lot of different and unique ways!” — unknown author

One of the common reasons some people don’t want to create beautiful gardens spaces, is performance anxiety. They are afraid that they’re going to kill a plant….or 10. People don’t know what they don’t know. My responsibility as a good landscape designer is to wear a lot of hats. In addition to being a botanist, artist, and mathematician, I am also a coach. My job is to give clients permission to “fail”- failure is not killing the plant with good intention, but not caring enough to care. Ive stopped counting how many plants have died on my watch.  Its important for me as a coach and teacher to understand where people are on their journey with plants. Watering a newly planted tree requires a different capacity than learning the art of bonsai. There are countless you tube videos on every aspect of plant care– some elementary, some quite sophisticated. This works well for visual and auditory learning styles. Most people learn best by doing. For these people, I offer 3 encouraging 45-minute coaching sessions on the fundamentals of plant care. 1) “right plant in the right place’-which includes understanding what a plant needs and how to provide for them 2) “your garden through the seasons”, which helps people understand how to care for plants during different seasons –watering, fertilizing pruning, and dividing are covered, and 3)” tools for success”- which outlines the best basic tools for plant care.  With this knowledge and hands on practice, people can begin a lifelong relationship with plants. Their confidence grows and they value that plants and people have a special relationship. We need each other!! As confidence grows, so also does the desire to learn more about the endless world of horticulture. My clients start buying plant books, take online courses, subscribe to podcasts, and join garden clubs. It feels great to know what you know!

There is no such thing as a black thumb. All people can learn the value of caring for plants. Maybe you just need the right coach.

For more information and/ or to schedule a consultation, visit Trey Gardens , www.treysgardens.com