Services

Design

Our design goal is for the garden to reflect the owner. While this may seem self-evident, that is not necessarily the case. Years ago we were asked by a potential client what “our look” was. We replied that we did not have a “look,” as our work is, and should be, chameleon-like, adapting to and reflecting the homeowner’s desires. A “cookie cutter” approach, where a garden’s designer can be identified while driving by the garden at 30mph, is the antithesis of what we want to achieve.

Often it can take time to tease out from a client what they want, or more importantly, what they don’t want. Listening and paying close attention are paramount. For us, quite a few landscape designers can achieve 90 percent of what is needed to create a “livable” garden. However, by paying attention to detail and nuance — that last 10 percent — a “livable” garden becomes something truly unique and special to the owner. That is our specialty.

We often work in conjunction with architects, landscape architects, and other design professionals on our projects. Our plans reflect how you will live with and move through your space.

Installation

Withey Price Landscape & Design does most installation work “in-house,” but we do work with a select group of highly skilled contractors on an as-needed basis.

For us, using the highest quality plants and soil, and materials that last, either makes or breaks a garden. When it comes to implementing our designs, great care is required so as not to dilute the intent of the drawing. We would rather ask a client to implement a design over time, if the question is budget, versus trying to get everything done at once and cutting corners.

As a general caveat, remember that the most beautifully rendered garden design may prove a hideous mess, once installed, and vice versa. While we want a garden to look “finished” at the end of an installation, our gardens are designed to continue to grow and evolve, the same way people do. Gardens that look fully established the moment the installation crew walks away end up requiring a lot of work. Since the garden was overplanted, editing needs to begin immediately. While we enjoy creating lush, vibrant spaces, our designs reflect the fact that the garden will be here for the long term.

Maintenance

Our favorite gardens, of course, are the ones we maintain. Even “low maintenance” gardens require upkeep. Whether weekly, monthly or quarterly, we offer highly skilled, detail oriented maintenance services (excluding lawn care).

While not exclusively organic, our approach is to use the least toxic methods possible. If a plant is too problematic, we would rather remove it than use harsh chemicals, as we take a pragmatic approach to gardening.

Garden Consultation and Mentoring

Sometimes we have clients who are skilled gardeners, but feel overwhelmed by all of the choices…. Even an hour or two of our time will often help a client achieve clarity with a particular problem.

For beginning gardeners, we can help guide you into making better garden choices. Having been there ourselves, we still remember some of the choices we made, rightly or wrongly!