Growing Wise designs gardens, meadows, and foodscapes blending art, environmental science, and agroecology. We prioritize natural systems and the soil food web, the heart (or keystone) of any healthy system. Designs are tailored to your aesthetic preference utilizing perennial (and often native) plants selected to thrive in the specific conditions in your garden, homestead or farm.

 

Process

After we receive an inquiry from you, we can schedule a free call to learn more about your needs. An emailed questionnaire will follow to clarify your goals, preferences, priorities, scope, budget, and timeframe to see if we are the best option for you. If you choose, we will set up a consultation to meet you, walk the land, and learn what we can about the history of the site. You will have Joe Sperlak’s ear and mind for 2 hours for $100. Please inquire about sliding-scale pricing options for accessibility.  

 

While there, you can have us collect samples in areas of interest to be assessed for biological activity back at our lab. You can also collect and mail in samples by following a simple process. These discussions, observations, and biological assessment will inform our approach. Depending on your situation, designs can be general or highly detailed; down to specific plant species and layout at planting time. Site report, design, and drawing fees depend on what you need done and will be based on an hourly rate to be negotiated.  

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Installation & Maintenance

At the moment we do not provide landscape installation or maintenance services. When possible we partner with trusted landscape contractors nearest you who are aware of best practices in regenerative work. If you choose to work with a contractor with whom we are not currently associated, we offer project oversight to ensure ecological alignment and adherence to design at a rate of $60/hour and $1/mile traveled to and from site. Oversight is recommended for periods of prep-work/excavation, installation (placement and planting), and maintenance. GW will provide a general estimate of oversight time required depending on the work that is to be done and who will be doing it.