Edible Garden & Orchard Design, Site Assessment & Consultancy

We specialise in developing gardens and landscapes abundant in fresh, healthy fruit, herbs and vegetables. We create dynamic, beautiful and productive gardens to nourish your family while integrating functional landscape elements with the home and outdoor living spaces.

Complete drawn designs, layout concept plans, appropriate plant lists, planting plans or an hours site visit and advice, our services are tailored to suit your needs.

We work closely with you on the design, construction and maintenance processes, and aim to impart to you the principles of edible garden design as we work.

Permaculture and biological (organic) principles and strategies are used to create productive, safe and healthy, ecologically sustainable landscapes. Thoughtful and resourceful planning is employed, using the least inputs (saving you money) to create maximum yields and benefits.

Busy during the week? Weekend or summer evening site visits and consultancy are available.

 

• Edible Garden Design that integrates with the whole garden, outdoor living and home, based on permaculture principles
• Selection of food plants proven to be productive, disease resistant and suited to the coastal Otago climate
• Kitchen Gardens, Potager Gardens, Herb Gardens, fully Edible Landscapes, Food Forests
• Raised beds, row crops, no-dig gardens, terracing – whichever style / technique is best for you and your site
• Orchards – delicious berry and tree crops
• Chickens / Ducks, if desired, are often included in a way that benefits tree crops, helping with weed control, composting all the while providing lovely fresh eggs and companionship
• Ponds, swales and water gardens that store water in and passively irrigate the landscape, and are beautiful features themselves.
• Soil testing and recommendations – biological / Permaculture techniques and strategies used. Work to Certified Organic standards where necessary
• Back-up support to ensure the ongoing success of your garden
• 10 years experience in urban and rural edible garden design, construction and maintenance

 

Site Assessment & Consultancy

On-site advice and recommendations to begin, improve or expand your edible garden.

This can be the starting point for a full garden design or it may be all you need to get you rolling on your own.

• We will assess your site’s soil and climate, the overall layout of your garden and talk through your needs and ideas
• I can then provide basic layout solutions and recommend what types of food plants will grow successfully on your site
• Notes taken and layout options drawn on-site

Allow an hour and a half or two for this.

$100 for the first hour, $50 per hour thereafter, plus travel time and expenses.

 

Edible Garden Concept Plan

After an initial site assessment and consultation, a more in depth assessment of your site and needs is made (with you if possible) and a property map created.

• A concept plan is then drawn up of the overall layout. Giving a feel for how the main structures, paths, and plant groupings would be placed and work together
• We then meet of another hour on-site to walk and talk this through. We can discuss how and why this layout works and adapt it if needed

Our fee for this depends on the scale of the site and detail required but averages $400-600 (for a suburban size section), based on $50 per hour, plus travel expenses.

 

Edible Garden Design

Following a consultation, site assessment, and concept plan, the next stage is a detailed design to suit your needs, this may include:

• Hard Landscaping Layout Design
• Planting Plan Layout Design
• Planting Plan Species Lists: with type, varieties and numbers of plants detailed to ensure best success for your site
• Written Report: may include; soil amendment recommendations, garden establishment strategy, maintenance schedule, plant and materials sources

Our fee for this stage depends on the scale of the site but averages $400 – 800 (for one or two of the above on suburban size section), based on $50 per hour, plus travel expenses. For those on a strict budget cost can be reduced by going to less detail, or by focusing on small areas of garden. We will discuss these costs at the initial consultation. Based on $50 per hour thereafter, plus travel expenses.

Therefore total costs to this stage average $950-$1650 for a suburban size section.

 

Garden Construction & Planting

Let us establish your edible garden so that you can focus on the harvesting!

Alternatively we can work with you or even guide a team of your family and friends to really get you started with a fun team effort.

• Economic high production instant sheet mulch gardens and orchards. Maximum food with a minimum of costly infrastructure

• Macrocapa raised beds come in our popular 1.2m wide by 3m long and 200mm high beds or to fit your site. Great for on heavier soils

• Compost bays, chicken runs, tunnel houses, paths, shelter belts, native plantings

• Earth works for water systems such as ponds, swales and water gardens, which look great and passively water your plants

• Soils amended using organic methods

• Edible plants and other plants supplied: reliable, productive varieties known to do well locally

 

Fruit and Nut Tree Pruning and Tree Work

Do you need help with pruning? Young trees, restoring old trees, improving fruit quality, we can work together if you would like to learn how.

• Pruning is predominantly done in winter (July – September) for general maintenance and to develop younger trees.

• Summer pruning is useful, (December – February) to maintain tree shape and encourage fruiting in older established or very vigorous trees.

Other tree work also undertaken: removal, reducing, thinning, fine pruning. Trees chipped on site for re- use in the garden.

$40 per hour, plus travel and other expenses.

 

Ongoing Maintenance Services

Let us handle the tough and mundane jobs so you can enjoy your edible garden. A schedule and budget can be arranged to suit.