Name: Growing Guidance
Address: Bonny Doon, CA, 95060-9306, US
Telephone: 831-247-2654

Welcome to Growing Guidance, where gardening becomes a partnership rooted in experience, care, and attentive collaboration. With over 30 years of experience as a Master Gardener, horticulturalist and garden designer, I bring a personalized approach focused on practical solutions and sustainable plant care. I listen closely to your goals, observe your space, and offer guidance that honors your unique vision. Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned gardener, I'll meet you where you are and help you move forward with confidence and a fresh holistic perspective.

Growing Guidance is about more than just plants- it's about fostering connection between you and your garden, creating space that not only nourishes your plants but your well-being. I am here to empower you with the skills and confidence to care for your landscape and deepen your connection with the natural world.

Services Offered:

On-site Garden Consultations:

Thoughtful suggestions and creative solutions

tailored to your garden's specific needs.

Personalized Garden Coaching:

Hands-on guidance in pruning, dividing,

transplanting, planting, soil health, watering, and

seasonal care.

Plant Identification & Selection:

Recommendations for the right plants in the right place, considering form, function, and

cohesiveness.

On-site Design Guidance: Support for enhancing existing gardens with practical, sustainable design ideas.
Skill Building: Empowerment through learning so you can care for your garden confidently and have a solid understanding of your garden's needs to convey to others.

I no longer offer regular garden maintenance. My focus is on Consulting and Coaching with you and help you succeed with my Growing Guidance.

What to Expect:

During our session, we'll start with a walk-through of your outdoor space, discuss your goals, and dive into top priorities. I'll work with you and offer expert advise and hands-on support where appropriate.

Before our session, please take a moment to walk your garden and jot down your questions, needs, and challenges.

I arrive ready to work and share a wealth of knowledge and solutions- Many clients find that taking notes and photos for future reference during our time together is extremely helpful. For my coaching clients, you will need to provide your own tools while we work together in your garden.

Testimonials:

"Shannon offers a unique service to those of us who want to keep working in our gardens and continue to learn more about our landscape. Meeting her has been a gift! She is just what I needed at this age (75) to help me motivate and get outside to care for my landscape. Shannon has become my project buddy. We work together 1-2 times a month side by side in my yard. As we work together she teaches me various things about my landscape such as how to propagate desired plants, how to deal with critters the best way and time to prune. She also offered recommendations for natural fertilizer that has produced so much beautiful growth in my established plants. She evaluated water needs and pointed which plants might be lacking water and how to remedy that problem. She also gives me reasonable tasks to accomplish before our next visit!"

Joan F.

Bonny Doon, CA

"We hired Shannon Robbins to tour our newly purchased property to give us insights into how we can best manage and beautify the rather wild growth. Her counsel was thoughtful and detailed, and we are still employing a number of her ideas. She knows her stuff and is an expert in her field. Even better, she is an excellent teacher and trained us well on how to approach caring for our land in a responsible and cost effective way."

Linda & Jeff K.

Bonny Doon, CA

“I really enjoyed working with Shannon on a personal and professional level. Shannon is overflowing with information that really helped me make good decisions for long term growth and abundance in my garden. She has assisted me in my life lab at school, as well, so that I could plan ahead for the seasons when teaching garden science and working with young students . She is very clear with her instructions on how to make good choices when planting and rearranging plants . She focuses on long term satisfaction and knows what it takes to support any garden or landscape big or small. She can make sense of a few garden beds or a wild backyard . I will certainly be calling on her in the future.”

Casey H.

Bonny Doon, CA

"We have been working with Shannon for the last 8 months starting last spring in preparation for a large outdoor event. She evaluated our existing landscape, offering great solutions many of which we could do on our own or have implemented by our weekly gardener. We love the plants she suggested adding and subtracting to create cohesiveness, beauty and flow. She continues to return a few times each season to ensure that our garden is performing at its best with health and vitality being the goal. From initial consultation to completion, every step in the process has been promised."

Sue B.

Scotts Valley, CA

"Shannon Robbins is a Master Gardener who has become an invaluable resource to me and my gardens. Shannon has exceptional understanding of plant care, and her deep knowledge of each plant's specific needs- whether it's watering, soil type or pruning requirements- has transformed my garden into a thriving and healthy space. I appreciate her ability to approach each plant's needs individually ensuring that my garden flourishes throughout the seasons. Whether its recommending the right watering schedule or advising on soil amendments, Shannon's expertise has been instrumental in maintaining the health and beauty of my plants. She is especially skilled at fine hand pruning. She has a keen eye for detail and an innate understanding of how each plant should be shaped and maintained. I'll admit that sometimes I question whether trimming is needed as much as she suggests, but every time, I am amazed at the results. Her pruning is always carefully considered, and the plants respond with remarkable growth and vitality. I am extremely happy with all the work Shannon has done for me. She approaches every task with professionalism and her knowledge and expertise are clear in every interaction. She is dependable, thoughtful, and a true expert in her field. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, skilled and professional. She is much more than a gardener, her artful eye adds so much to her skill. Thank you Shannon for all of your hard work and dedication. My garden is thriving because of you!"

Sincerely,

Jacqueline G.

Ben Lomond, CA

About Shannon:

I fell in love with plants as a young child, and my journey deepened during college in Washington State, where I lived on an organic farm, became a Certified Master Gardener and helped tend many residential gardens and small scale hobby farms. After a summer working for the Alaska State Parks as a Natural History Interpreter implementing a native plant trail, I returned to California to study Horticulture and Landscape Design.

I've spent decades tending and designing gardens. the Santa Cruz mountains of Bonny Doon CA are home- where for over 20 years my family and I have been transforming our land into a modern homestead filled with fruit trees, vegetables, native plants, and thriving healthy ecosystems.

Helping others develop their own unique garden sanctuary is my lifelong passion.

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Pricing & Availability

New Client Consultation/Coaching

2-Hour Session $160

Includes on-site personalized session with expert guidance, plant and soil health, garden support including pruning, propagation and design suggestions.

Returning Clients/Ongoing coaching

2-Hour Session $140

Optional add-ons for returning clients:

Personalized written Summary/Plant Lists:

$40

Additional detailed Garden Design work:

available upon request

$80/hr

Appointments available in Bonny Doon and Westside Santa Cruz.

(Felton/Ben Lomond appointments available upon request and availability)

Please provide 24 hours' notice for cancellations as appointments are scheduled with efficiency and care.