Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, a professional gardener has significantly more horticultural training and experience with plants, flowers, trees and soil conditions. We specialize in plant care, annuals, bulbs, shrubs pruning, watering, fertilizing and pest control. Most of our work is done by hand with small hand tools. Seacoast Gardener is a team of professional gardeners providing ongoing care and improvements to your home’s landscape and garden.

Seacoast Gardener provides affordable gardening services from April 1st through early December. Our costs are much less than local landscape companies. We charge between $45.00 and $75.00 per hour. We offer ongoing gardening care, garden improvements, one-time visits, pruning and other garden design services. Furthermore, we provide a detailed invoice after completing the work, there are no contacts, and you can pause or stop gardening services at any time. If you would like a free no pressure consultation, please contact us at (603) 770-5072.

As New Hampshire Master Gardeners, we have extensive horticulture knowledge and experience. We provide one-time visits and ongoing care. Our services include: soil testing, plant shrub and tree care, garden / seasonal design, planting annuals, perennials, shrubs, year round garden care, weeding, watering, fertilizing, applying herbicides and pesticides, soil amendment pruning roses and shrubs, stonework repairs (paths and walls), power-washing patios, and even hose and wheelbarrow repairs. You can see a full list of services here. If it is garden related, we do it!

Yes, we spend much of the winter working on garden designs on behalf of clients for the upcoming Spring. The bulk of our design work is for traditional New England gardens, seating areas and garden beds around the home, walkways, patios and pools. However, the majority of our work is on existing landscapes, where we provide ongoing care or makeover older garden beds that are weed locked or have died back. We can create a new design for you or bring an existing garden to its original design specs. You can learn more on our garden design page.

The Seacoast is a tough environment for landscape plants, so, we use a combination of Spring and Summer bulbs, perennials and annuals to provide our customers with robust season-long interest. Each type of media have strengths and weaknesses, but together they provide a spectacular grouping of colorful season-long flowers.

As a gardener, I've seen firsthand how pesticides and herbicides, while effective in controlling pests and weeds, can pose significant risks to our environment and health. These chemicals often don't just target the unwanted pests or plants; they can harm beneficial insects, like bees and butterflies, that are crucial for pollination. Over time, they can disrupt the local ecosystem, reducing biodiversity.

Additionally, many pesticides and herbicides contain harmful toxins that can seep into the soil, polluting water sources and impacting wildlife. For gardeners, frequent exposure to these chemicals can lead to skin irritation, respiratory issues, and long-term health effects. For that reason, we do not use glyphosate-based herbicide products such as Roundup type herbicides. We advocate for non-toxic salt and vinegar based herbicides and rely upon pre-emergent food grade products to reduce weeds.

As a gardener, I can’t stress enough the importance of professional pruning. A skilled pruner knows how to shape plants, ensuring they grow strong and healthy while enhancing their natural beauty. Pruning removes dead or diseased wood, reducing the risk of infection and pests. It also improves airflow and sunlight penetration, promoting better growth and overall plant vitality. When done correctly, pruning encourages the development of new shoots, leading to more flowers or fruit. Additionally, professional pruning helps maintain the plant's shape, preventing overgrowth that could block pathways or crowd out neighboring plants. It also protects the long-term health of the garden by preventing branches from growing too large and potentially damaging structures or other plants. Ultimately, professional pruning enhances both the aesthetic and functional aspects of a garden, ensuring it thrives for years to come.

Most of our clients receive some form of year round gardening care, whether once a month or once a week we care yards on a seasonal basic starting in April (opening the gardens) and visiting the property regularly until late November (winterizing the garden).

We service clients on an as needed basis is well. For example, clients are away from their home for an extended period of time, they are hosting an event in their yard, they are upgrading their landscape, or often they need a “dig out” as a property has become overrun with weeds and undergrowth. Often, landscape companies can provide Spring and Fall clean-ups more quickly and economically than a gardener. Landscape companies invest more in machinery which is designed to remove leaves and Winter debris.