I love this story in today’s NYTimes. It’s by the owner of a small townhouse garden in Manhattan, taking us through his consultations with friends and lots of professional designers about a much-needed transformation of his back yard. It’s especially interesting because like most people who hire me as a coach, he’s a nongardener. Really, he wants nothing to do with it, yet the story ends with "I had become a gardener". AND he compares garden designers to "life coaches", which pretty much describes what garden coaches can do – with clients who are as open to it as this writer turns out to be.
Also, lots of good design and plant ideas.
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An excellent article Susan…I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and listening to the video. gail
I’m with Gail! I especially enjoyed seeing the prices and the variations the designers suggested. I would have gone with the gravel myself. (Though my fave story on the cover was the cowboy mystery writer and his NYC police job — or not!)
Lovely article, especially how his team were really life coaches. I’m trying to convert a non-gardening friend with some advice — she wanted no maintenance and easy. I’m trying to convince her that nothing is “no maintenance,” and maybe she’ll get the bug too.
Great article and interesting that some thought the way to save money was with the least expensive portion of that landscape, the plants! Bluestone is beautiful but there are many, many, many other natural options available.
I was also impressed by the simpicity of the article and the way that the author sought professional advice and stuck to the budget. I also learnt a new plant and bought two the next day. But what impressed me the most was the idea of Gardeners Anouymous. How can one really explain this passion which eats up all our time and efforts. As a garden designer myself, I rather felt sorry for the English lady involved, as very often a passion can lead to eccenticity. But gardening is fun and it tells us so much about ourselves. Gardens like blogs are the meeting place for friends. steve
It was all fine, until he said he was a gardener.
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