01The Nervous Beginner
You've lost a basil plant (or three) and don't know where to begin. Perfect. That's exactly where we start, side by side.
Start with The Garden WalkGarden consulting & coaching · Waterloo Region, Guelph & the GTA
Your garden, guided.
Chelsea-calibre ideas from a friendly local coach. Whether you're starting from bare soil or rescuing a garden you inherited, Sandy walks you through every decision until the garden you picture is growing outside your door.
- 1-on-1coaching in your
own garden - From $149for a 60–90 min
garden walk - KW → TOin-person across
the 401 corridor
Who it's for
For every kind of gardener, especially the ones who don't think they are.
You don't need a green thumb or a landscaping budget. You need a clear plan and someone patient in your corner. Do any of these sound like you?
02The New Homeowner
A blank yard, a tired lawn, or someone else's overgrown beds. Let's make it a space that finally feels like yours.
See The Garden Blueprint03The Discerning Dreamer
You've seen the show gardens and the travel photos. You want that beauty done properly, designed for Ontario, without doing the research yourself.
Explore The Garden Plan04The Savvy Saver
You'd rather not spend a cent on the wrong plant in the wrong spot. A smart plan can pay for itself in its very first season.
Plan before you buyThe approach
Show-garden thinking, at backyard scale.
No jargon. No judgement. No wasted plants. A calm, step-by-step process that builds your confidence as your garden grows.
Walk
We start in your garden. Sandy learns how you want to live outdoors, reads your light, soil and water, and takes stock of what's thriving and what's struggling.
Envision
Your ideas take shape: plants chosen for your conditions and your taste, layout ideas, and visual references so you can see it before you dig.
Grow
You leave with a plan to follow at your own pace and budget, plus seasonal check-ins and hands-on coaching whenever you want them.
Inspiration
Find your garden style. Then make it yours.
The world's great garden traditions are full of ideas that translate beautifully to an Ontario backyard. Hover or tap a style to see how.
French Formal
Steal this: clipped evergreens and crisp symmetry. Even a pair of boxwood balls framing the front door brings that château polish.
Japanese Zen
Steal this: one Japanese maple, a few beautiful stones and raked gravel make a quiet corner for your morning coffee.
Cottage
Steal this: layered roses and perennials spilling over a fence, planted for blooms from May to frost.
Country
Steal this: a hardy lavender-lined path and relaxed, generous planting that gets better with age.
Mediterranean
Steal this: a sunny, drought-tolerant gravel garden of sages, catmint and grasses, with potted olives that winter indoors.
Native Prairie
Steal this: swap a strip of lawn for coneflowers, asters and native grasses. Less mowing, more butterflies.
Woodland
Steal this: turn a dark side yard into a lush retreat of ferns, hostas and colourful foliage.
Potager
Steal this: raised beds edged with herbs and cut flowers, as beautiful as they are delicious.
Love one of these? Bring the photo to your Garden Walk and Sandy will translate it for your space, soil and budget.
Start with a Garden WalkPhotos via Flickr: Villandry by Joe Shlabotnik (CC BY 2.0) · Provençal garden by hortulus (CC BY 2.0) · Kitchen garden by Neil T (CC BY-SA 2.0) · others public domain (CC0).
Founding season rates · until January 2027
Three ways to begin. One garden that's truly yours.
Every offering starts on-site with Sandy, in your garden. Choose the depth of guidance that fits your space, your goals and your budget.
For established gardens
The Garden Walk
$149
A professional consultation to help you make confident decisions about the garden you already have.
- 60–90 minute site consultation
- Assessment of existing plants, trees and water availability
- Verbal recommendations on layout and functionality
- Maintenance tips and suggestions
- Up to 10 recommended plant species in a summary email
Typically 60–90 minutes, depending on property size and complexity.
Book a Garden WalkFor new, bare or neglected spaces
The Garden Blueprint
$299
A guided planning session that turns an outdoor space into a clear vision and an actionable starting plan.
- Site consultation
- Goals and lifestyle discussion
- Site assessment and watering solutions
- Planting recommendations with visual examples
- Conceptual blueprint / mockup
- Actionable advice for your unique space and end goal
From $299 for a suburban lot; $349+ depending on lot size.
Start my BlueprintFor homeowners ready to transform
The Garden Plan
$699+
A customized roadmap for transforming your outdoor space with clarity, beauty and long-term function.
- Everything in the Blueprint
- Personalized planting guide
- Complete plant list
- Detailed layout plan
- Phased implementation strategy
- Virtual review session for refinement
Quoted after your on-site consultation.
Plan my gardenAdd-ons
Pair with any offering above.
The Seasonal Check-In
$99A progress check-in, seasonal maintenance recommendations, targeted solutions to garden challenges, and new planting ideas to advance your plan.
Gardener to Gardener
$199Prune together, plant together, divide perennials, organize beds and learn the seasonal tasks that keep a garden thriving.
Planting Guides
$30/guideA written and visual guide to plants selected for a particular location, such as a shady side yard, a sunny front walk or a tricky slope.
Garden path finder
Not sure where to start? Answer three questions.
It takes fifteen seconds and there are no wrong answers. That's sort of the whole point.
Meet Sandy
Gardening is in her roots.
Sandy grew up with soil under her fingernails. Her father's family operated the Ontario Seed Company, so seed packets, seedlings and the rhythm of the growing season were part of everyday life long before she picked up a trowel of her own.
Today she serves on the executive of the Woolwich Horticultural Society and chases inspiration everywhere from local nurseries to the great show gardens of the world. Guided Garden Co. brings that pedigree to your backyard, along with the patience of a friend who genuinely loves helping people grow.
Nobody is born knowing how to garden. You just need someone to show you where to begin.
Kind words
[Placeholder: a Garden Walk client describes how one visit gave them the confidence to finally tackle their beds.]
[Placeholder: a new homeowner describes turning a bare backyard into a plan they could actually follow.]
[Placeholder: a client describes learning to prune and divide perennials during a hands-on session.]
The garden journal
Fresh from @guidedgardenco
Questions
Good questions (there are no silly ones).
I've never really gardened. Is this for me?
Absolutely. Guided Garden Co. was made for people who feel unsure. Sandy explains everything in plain language and builds a plan around what you're comfortable doing. No experience required, ever.
Do you do the planting and installation?
Sandy is your consultant and coach. You (or your landscaper) bring the plan to life, with as much support as you'd like. If you want hands-on help learning the work, Gardener to Gardener sessions are a great fit.
Where do you work?
Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Puslinch and the surrounding area, with in-person visits as far as Toronto. Seasonal check-ins can also be done virtually.
When is the best time to start?
Now, honestly. Late fall and winter are ideal for planning so you're ready the moment spring arrives, and spring and summer let us see your garden in full swing. Every season has its advantages.
What are founding season rates?
Introductory pricing for Guided Garden Co.'s first clients, available until January 2027. Book a consultation before then to lock in these rates.
Inquire with Sandy
Let's grow something beautiful.
Tell Sandy a little about your garden and what you're dreaming of. She'll reply personally to find a time to visit.
In-person across Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Puslinch, Cambridge & Woolwich, and as far as Toronto. Seasonal check-ins can be virtual, anywhere.