Honest Perennial Co. is a perennial garden design studio. I create designs, grow plants and build tools to help you create a garden you can walk into, wander through and sit in.
Everything I share comes from growing and designing with more than 15,000 perennials over five years.
A Design Block is a planting plan for roughly 30 square feet of perennial garden, designed to be enjoyed from every side. Start with one, or connect several with paths between them to create a larger garden.
Each design includes a planting plan, plant list, placement guide, substitutions, shopping list and guidance on how the planting changes over time.
Start with the free Immersive Garden Guide. It explains how I think about garden spaces, from pathways and places to sit to planting one Block at a time.
You can also choose the feelings that fit you on the homepage and use the space calculator to see how much room you have for plants, paths and seating.
If you’d like me to do the design, you can order a custom Block or request a quote for a full site plan.
Because I’ll be clear about the trade-offs.
Plants are usually shown at their best. I want you to know what to expect for the rest of the year, and in the years ahead. That includes whether a variety is short-lived, needs extra attention or is likely to spread more than you’d like.
You might still love it and want to grow it. So might I. The point is knowing what you’re choosing.
Plant Sets are my way of describing how long plants last and how much of the season they contribute to the garden.
Workhorses last for years, with impact for months.
Staples last for years, with their main impact concentrated into a shorter season.
Divas bring a flash of beauty without the same staying power. They may be shorter-lived or need more attention to keep them going.
There’s a place for all three. The mix depends on the garden you want and how much tending you enjoy.
Yes. I grow many of the plants in my palette and source through other growers too. What’s available changes through the season.
You can choose plants for your own garden or use the plant list from a Design Block. If you’re outside Canada, I can help source them through partners in your country.
Yes. You can choose a ready-made Design Block, have a custom Block designed for your space or request a full site plan.
A custom Block takes into account your growing conditions and how you want the planting to look and feel. A site plan lays out the larger space, including how the Blocks, paths and places to sit fit together.
Garden Space is the part of the website dedicated to your garden. It’s free to create an account.
You can keep your plant choices and designs together, see seasonal jobs for your plants, track orders, read the guides and send a message when you need help