or the past 15 years, I have developed certain ways of conducting business that have served both my client's need to know where their money is going and my need to run an honest business.

Garden Services is run a bit differently from other contracting/design businesses. How so and why?

I mark up only my labor, but not materials. I'm a designer, builder, not a stone, plant or tool vendor.

You pay suppliers and my subcontractors directly and promptly for: plants, masonry, horticultural and carpentry supplies, and dumpster carting services, so you know exactly whom and for what you are paying.

If the client and I choose, as part of the garden project, to bring in subcontractors (carpenters, fence companies, stone cutters, plumbers, electricians, decorative iron workers and painters) I will bill you directly, by the hour, for the time I spend on your behalf designing, supervising and facilitating their work. I neither pay nor take commissions("kick backs") from my colleagues. I work for you, not for my colleagues and will bill you accordingly, at a pre-agreed hourly rate.

I concentrate on one major job at a time which makes design, quality control and accountability a reality rather than a sales pitch.

Finally, it's your garden. I therefore encourage maximum input from my clients during the design and installation process.

I run an organic garden service which means in the immediate sense I will not work with or around toxic, artificial chemicals — they're bad for you, my crew, your kids, pets and in a larger sense, our home planet. I'll encourage you to use native plants in my designs wherever possible though, like most people, I love exotics too.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,


Evelyn Tully Costa