SOFT-TOUCH LANDSCAPING
We offer this service to gardeners who need a little help with their gardens. Whether you are inheriting a space that has been neglected, or you need some help redefining your borders, Rosebud on Foster can assist. We can envision new ways to improve the space, reduce time spent on maintenance and get you excited about your garden again.
There is one caveat: no landscape fabric. It is the bane of the modern gardener, offered by many salesmen as a magic pill for no-maintenance yards. The truth of the matter is there will always be maintenance. If you return to a yard that has been carpeted with landscape fabric and rock 10 years down the road, you will find a nightmare scene of fibrous perennial broadleaf weeds, thistles and grasses animating from the cracks and edges of gravel beds. I have seen this too many times to count. The myth of the maintenance-free yard is just that: myth.
Its cons are quite numerous too. It suffocates anything that is compressed underneath it - soil is prone to become anaerobic if overwatered (or seasonally flooded), trees and shrubs will have to work extra hard to manage a robust root system, soil microbes will not proliferate (the microscopic workers that improve soil and make nutrient available), perennials will be choked if the fabric isn't regularly opened up around their crowns and rock gravels can make the space in-between inhospitable for a diverse offering of insect predators. Not to mention that it absorbs the heat of the sun very effectively and can stress root systems.
We really really hate this stuff. Aesthetically speaking, it encourages monotone gardens that are wholly uninviting. Gardens should inspire with seasonal color and interest - allowing plants to shine at different times of the year. But it requires a commitment from the gardener to get their hands in the ground and edit - edit out fibrous weeds and running grass, edit out problematic plants and vigorous volunteers. The garden is a microecosystem and you have the power to keep it in balance. We offer this service to people who are committed to bravely gardening in the treasure state.
*One exception for landscape fabric: walkways, dry river beds and the spaces in-between raised beds - ie, areas with no plantings.
If you're interested in this service, please fill out the form on the SERVICES page.
MAINTENACE
Improving long-term maintenance is two-fold. It requires the gardener to understand the cycles of care that are needed annually in a garden, but it also requires the garden to be less needy in general. Choosing plants that are tolerant of neglect, creating fulfilling design that is easier to manage and investing in wood-product mulch as ground cover will make the annual garden chores much easier to perform.
PLANTINGS
Sometimes you just need help getting your ideas off of the ground. Rosebud on Foster can assist in planting perennial beds (once the bed is prepared), mixed shrub borders and smaller trees in your garden design. We can work with existing beds or start brand new. We will not do edging or sod and we cannot do any stone or patio work - we are strictly interested in the design and install of the plants.
DESIGN
Blank slates can be very daunting. We offer 1 hour on-site consultations to anyone who needs an expert to walk their property and come up with a plan for it. This plan may not lead to Rosebud on Foster doing the install if it is outside of the scope of work (large trees or extensive bed install) - we are a soft-touch garden company and simply do not have the resources to do heavy installation. You will receive either a plan with plant legend or a schedule of plants to purchase (or both).
However, consultations can include anything you want to know about your property. We can run a soil survey over your property, we can teach you how to prune your trees or tell you what kind of plants you inherited when you purchased the land. We can tell you if your dream of a home orchard is a pragmatic one or if it is going to be a challenge long-term. We are here to assist ambitious gardeners with their dreams, but we will also let them know the challenges they may face in realizing that dream. Gardening ambitiously under the big sky is not for the faint-hearted.
(1) hour on-site consultation: $300
(within 15mi of Bozeman, MT | mileage fee will be calculated if outside 15mi radius)