Site Visit
In-Person Garden Consultation — San Diego County
A personalized, on-site session where I come to your home garden to assess, troubleshoot, and guide you through practical, lasting solutions tailored to your specific space and microclimate.
What to expect-
Arrival and initial walk-through (10–15 minutes): A calm, focused tour of your garden to observe overall layout, plant health, soil exposure, and irrigation patterns.
Diagnostic assessment (30–60 minutes): I identify the root causes of challenges you’re experiencing — for example, irrigation inefficiencies, compacted or depleted soil, pest and disease signals, sun/shade mismatches, drainage concerns, or species selection issues for your microclimate.
Hands-on demonstration and instruction (time as needed during visit): Practical guidance on adjusting irrigation systems, mulching and soil amendment techniques, planting and pruning approaches that support long-term vigor, and simple monitoring methods so you can track progress.
Customized recommendations (concluded on-site): Clear, prioritized steps you can implement immediately and medium-term strategies for soil development, water-wise practices, plant choices that thrive in San Diego County conditions, and small design adjustments to improve plant performance.
A written follow-up summary is available for an additional charge of $200
(emailed within 48 hours): A concise plan summarizing findings, recommended actions, suggested materials or plant selections, and any resources or optional services (such as planting help or a follow-up visit).
Common issues I addres-
Irrigation troubleshooting: uneven watering, leak detection, irrigation scheduling for seasonal needs, drip system optimization.
Soil health: assessing compaction, organic matter needs, simple soil-building practices, appropriate amendments for local soils.
Plant performance: diagnosing stress, nutrient or light deficiencies, pest and disease identification, and selecting species well-suited to your microclimate.
Microclimate and siting: evaluating sun exposure, wind patterns, and drainage to improve plant placement and longevity.
Water-wise and low-maintenance strategies: practical choices that conserve water while enhancing garden wellness.
Logistics & Pricing-
Service area: San Diego County residents only.
Rate: $150 per hour, includes drive time from Oceanside, CA.
Booking: Sessions scheduled by appointment. Time is billed from arrival to departure on site.
What to have ready: A list of concerns or goals, access to irrigation controls if applicable, and any recent photos or notes about problem areas.
The consultation is crafted to be practical, solution-oriented and restorative — gardening guidance that respects your time and the unique ecology of San Diego County, helping your garden become a healthier, more beautiful place.
For more information or to schedule a site visit please send a message below
What People Are Saying-
“In this day in age where food is convenient to just buy at the grocery store, some might think gardening is purposeless, but there’s such a huge difference in quality between homegrown and store bought and the mental and physical health benefits of experiencing and interacting with a garden cannot be found at the store.
I have enjoyed gardening in various places I’ve lived for a while, but I always feel a little overwhelmed by starting and usually need help getting the garden established.
When I first moved to my property I was very overwhelmed about stewarding all the land. I knew I wanted to have a garden, but I was bogged down by all the weeds, whether or not I wanted raised beds, what to plant etc, and magically Merry Ellen came right when I needed her most.
She immediately had a vision for the space in mind and got started with very little direction from me which is not always easy when doing something creative for someone else. She didn’t have many tools or resources at her disposal because she was on vacation with her family, but she worked with what was available in the environment around her. She got started by meticulously pulling very established weeds by hand with her baby either strapped to her body or by her side. I was in awe watching the way she pulled weeds- I’ve never seen anyone put so much attention to detail into it. Very quickly she cleared out a very large chunk of weeds from the land and began sculpting rows out of the dirt like it was clay. By the time she was done it was time for her and her family to fly home as they were only visiting for a short trip
She came back to housesit about 6 months later for a few weeks and made even more garden beds and planted many plants and seeds that I’m still enjoying today. She added a ton of sheep manure from the property which has added so much fertility to the garden.
We’ve made countless nourishing meals with ingredients like eggplants, tomatoes, radishes, and beets to name a few and many new friends have been attracted by the garden to help harvest.
It’s become my outlet for meditation and creativity along with allowing me to bring people gifts and even bartering assets.
There are so many amazing physical and metaphorical things to be discovered in garden and I’m really grateful for Merry Ellen for giving me the space and encouragement to continue growing.”
— Edelle Schlegel
“Working with Merry Ellen has been one of the most transformative experiences of my entire home-building and garden journey. When we began, my yard was nothing more than compacted clay soil, dry, lifeless, and seemingly unusable after the rebuild. I dreamed of creating an edible garden, but I was nearly 8 months pregnant and knew I needed help.
Merry Ellen stepped in with her deep knowledge, grounded wisdom, and truly masterful gardening expertise.
I brought her a rough garden design, and she elevated it far beyond what I imagined. With her creative touch, and eye for beauty and function, she turned my simple sketch into a lush, abundant garden oasis. Today, my edible garden is thriving, vibrant, productive, and full of life, and it wouldn’t exist without her.
What made the timing even more meaningful is that our garden was completed just before I gave birth. In the sacred postpartum window, I had the absolute gift of stepping outside to harvest fresh produce from the garden of my dreams. It became a sanctuary, a place where I spent quiet, nourishing moments with my son, surrounded by beauty, life, and healing.
Merry Ellen is more than a gardener; she’s a collaborator, a visionary, a beautiful soul, and a steward of Mother Nature. I’m endlessly grateful for her guidance and her magic. I couldn’t recommend her more highly! “