Re: Looking for home gardeners

**W*@aol.com**

In a message dated 9/26/2008 8:25:44 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
clfornari@mail.com writes:

>>(I don't use the term "garden coach" because most of my clients  are 60+ 
and they associate "coach" with someone who will stand and blow a  whistle at 
them. "Come on, Baker, pull those weeds! Hustle! Hustle!  Hustle!"   >>

LOL! I could use THAT kind of coaching myself :-)

I think the service Miriam describes is needed. There is a "gardener" level  
that is lacking, at least in my neck of the woods, and many  homeowners beg me 
for referrals for them. 
   There are many, many companies that design and install then  leave the 
customer with no means or guidance of upkeep. The mow-and-blow types  who call 
themselves "landscapers" usually do not cut it in the knowledge or  skill 
department. One experience with having your peonies all pulled as "weeds"  or 
forsythia pruned as meatballs will send you over the edge screaming mad. 
    What I find is that those few landscape maintenance  businesses out there 
that know there stuff quickly move on to other things  (design & build) or go 
out of business as they are not paid what they are  worth for "just 
maintenance tasks."
    We need to educate the public that good,  skilled labor will cost them 
more than the cheap-o firms and it is  worth it in the end for the health of 
their gardens.

Sincerely,
Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington  Gardener Magazine
826 Philadelphia Ave.
Silver Spring MD  20910
301-588-6894
_WGardenermag@aol.com_ (w*@rcn.com) 
_www.WashingtonGardener.com_ (http://www.washingtongardener.com/) 

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