It really depends on the size of your garden, the season, and how hands-on you want to be — but for most of my clients, a monthly visit during the active growing months (spring through fall) is the sweet spot. That's enough to keep things tidy, catch problems early, and stay on top of pruning, fertilizing, and irrigation tweaks.

In winter, every six to eight weeks is usually plenty. Newer gardens or properties with fruit trees often need more frequent visits at the start, until everything is established.

The honest answer: I'll come look at your space and give you a real recommendation based on what's actually there — not a generic schedule.

A lot more than mowing and watering. On a typical visit, I'm checking the irrigation system end-to-end, pruning trees and shrubs the right way for their species and season, fertilizing where it's needed, treating any pests or disease before they spread, weeding properly (not just on the surface), refreshing mulch, and adjusting plantings as the garden evolves.

For fruit trees, that also means timed pruning, thinning, and getting ahead of common diseases before they show up.

The goal isn't to make the garden look "okay" for the next two weeks — it's to keep it on a trajectory where it gets better every year.

Three things to look for.

First — real, recent work you can actually see. Photos, addresses, clients who'll talk to you. A real gardener has a track record and doesn't mind sharing it.

Second — how do they talk about your specific space? Generic answers ("we'll plant some flowers, install some sprinklers") are a red flag. A pro asks about sun exposure, drainage, your usage patterns, your goals five years from now.

Third — pricing transparency. Honest gardeners explain what they're charging for and why. If a quote feels like a guess, it probably is.

And one bonus rule: gardens are long-term. You want someone who'll still be around — and still be good — three years from now.