Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Honest Perennial Co.?

Honest Perennial Co. is a perennial design studio. I create practical frameworks, Design Blocks and guides that help home gardeners design immersive perennial gardens with confidence.

Everything I teach is based on years of growing, observing and redesigning my own gardens.

2. What is a Design Block?

A Design Block is a complete planting plan for roughly 30 square feet of perennial garden, designed as an island bed you can enjoy from every side.

Each block includes the planting plan, plant list, placement guide, substitutions, shopping list, and guidance on how the planting matures over time. Blocks are available in digital and print.

3. I don't know where to start.

Start with the free Immersive Garden Guide. It introduces the framework I use to design perennial gardens, from creating pathways to building your garden one block at a time.

If you're ready to plant, choose a Design Block. If you'd like help applying the framework to your own garden, Garden Coaching is available.

4. Why "Honest"?

Because I'll be clear about the trade-offs.

Many plants are marketed at their best. I want you to understand how they'll actually behave over time, including when a cultivar is short-lived, higher maintenance, or simply not the best choice for a particular garden.

5. What are Workhorses, Staples and Divas?

Plant Sets are my way of describing how plants behave over time.

Workhorses are the backbone of a garden. They return reliably and provide lasting structure or a long season of interest.

Staples are just as dependable, but their impact is concentrated into a shorter season.

Divas deliver exceptional beauty, but they're often shorter-lived or require more attention. They're not mistakes, they're informed choices.

You'll find these Plant Sets throughout the Plant Library, Design Blocks and The Honest Perennial Guide.

6. Do you sell plants?

I grow all of the plants featured in my Plant Library and gardens, and at certain times of the season I'll offer plants, crowns or seeds.

7. How is Garden Coaching different from hiring a garden designer?

Garden Coaching helps you design your own garden with confidence.

Rather than creating a landscape plan for you, I'll help you evaluate your ideas, plant choices and layout using the same framework I use to design my own gardens.

My goal is to give you the knowledge and confidence to make informed design decisions long after our session is over.