Have you ever wished that you could have a gardening expert come to your house and help you solve your landscape problems? Well, now you can. Marie McKinsey and Susan Rafanelli are in the business of making Horticultural House Calls.

The Classic. This is the original, general version of the House Call. It usually takes 1 to 1-1/2 hours and, depending on your needs, topics might include:

• Garden restoration
• Pruning - when and how
• Plant identification
• Lawn care
• Compost & soil amendments
• Fertilizing - when, how and what with
• How to deal with pest and disease problems
• How to select the right plants for your gardening situation

Hands-On. This is a working consultation in which we demonstrate how to do various landscaping tasks. Before your House Call, we will discuss with you what you want to learn and we will give you a list of tools and supplies to have available when we arrive. This consultation will usually take 1 to 2 hours. This type of House Call might cover:

• Proper pruning techniques
• How to remove sod
• Soil and bed prep
• Proper planting techniques
• Dividing perennials
• Fertilizing and mulching
• Spring and fall cleanup
  

NOTE: House Calls involving pruning should be scheduled between mid-January and mid-August. Also, you might consider scheduling more than one consultation during the year to address tasks that are specific to certain seasons.

Quick Design. Sometimes all you need are some planting ideas for an area of the yard. Or you want a simple sketch of how to arrange elements you already have so the effect is more efficient and pleasing. This type of House Call is perfect for do-it-yourselfers or for people who are building or renovating a garden in stages. The design work is done on-site and usually takes from one to three hours. Here's what this House Call includes:

• Discussion of your specific landscape requirements with the designer
• An informal, hand-drawn sketch of the spaces involved
• Written notes listing plant names, observations about the site and instructions for installation or renovation
• Review with designer the drawing and suggested work with opportunity to ask questions and make changes

NOTE: In most cases, we will take our drawings and lists with us in order to make copies for our reference in case questions come up. We will then mail or drop off your copies to you.

Every Horticultural House Call client receives a packet filled with gardening tips and handouts. Cost for the service is $75 per hour (within the greater Seattle area). There is a $15 per hour charge for travel time for calls outside of Seattle.

Both Susan and Marie are graduates of South Seattle Community College's Environmental Horticulture/Landscape Design program. Between them, they have decades of gardening experience. Both women have worked in retail garden centers, helping homeowners solve landscape problems. One thing they have learned is that many people spend too much money on trial and error: such as, tools they don't need, chemicals that aren't necessary and plants that aren't suited to their yards. Susan and Marie have also seen how overwhelmed first-time homeowners can be just trying to decide where to begin! Let them help you solve your horticultural problems so that you can spend more time enjoying your yard.

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