Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is Honest Perennial Co. different from a nursery?

Our selection is curated, not broad. If we haven't grown a plant, we don't sell it.

2. Do you have a farm or display garden I can visit?

Not anymore. I grew thousands of perennials at scale over five years on our former farm. That's where I learned how plants really behave, and that experience is built into every guide, plan and plant description we sell. Today I grow in Ottawa, and we ship and deliver..

3. What is a Design Block?

A Design Block is a complete guide for roughly 30 square feet of perennial garden, designed as an island bed you can view from every side. Each block includes the plant list, the placement plan, substitutions if you can't source a plant, a year-by-year view of how the planting matures, and a shopping list. Guides are digital and delivered the same day you order, with print available.

4. I don't know where to start.

Three ways, depending on how much help you want.

1. Start with a Pre-Designed Block. Each one is a complete plan built from our palette, ready the day you order.

2. The free Immersive Garden Guide walks you through the thinking, from breaking your space into workable blocks to knowing what to consider before you buy a single plant.

3. If you want it built for you, a Custom Design starts with your Garden Profile and ends with block plans built for your space, your conditions and your goals.

5. What are Workhorses, Staples and Divas?

Plant Sets are my system for categorizing plants by how they behave over time.

• Workhorses are the backbone. They bloom for a long stretch and return reliably, building your garden over time.

• Staples are just as dependable, but their bloom window is shorter. Lupines in late spring, liatris in mid-summer. You place them knowing exactly when they'll show up and when they'll fade.

• Divas can look incredible, but they don't last for years. They're not a mistake, they're a choice. Plant them eyes wide open.

You'll see these labels throughout our guides and plants. The full system is in The Honest Perennial Guide.

6. What size are your plants?

We grow in 2 sizes.

Garden Cubes are grown in 2-inch soil blocks: small, economical and quick to establish, perfect for blended drifts.

Garden Wraps are free-rooted plants raised in our beds, a minimum of 5 inches across. These larger plants are sold at markets and delivered locally.

Either way, a healthy root system matters more than pot size. A small plant often catches up to a large nursery pot within a season.

7. Why buy seeds from you?

Not all seeds are equal. Some are treated for easier germination or disease resistance, and some aren't. I've grown what we sell from seed, tested many sources, and curated the best based on what actually germinated and performed.

Our seeds also ship in Miron violet glass jars, which block the UV rays that degrade seed over time. The jars are labelled for garden planning and worth keeping long after the seeds are gone.