At least a few days before your coaching session, you should do some HOMEWORK.

Experience has shown me that if a client hasn't spent time pondering and WRITING their ideas and desires, they are unable to concisely articulate them at the coaching session. Doing HOMEWORK will get you focused, and it will save you money.

Here is your HOMEWORK >> Ponder, walk your landscape and make notes / lists about some or all of the following as they pertain to your situation:

Design:

• Things you like... and dislike about your current landscape.
• Activities you want/need to do in your landscape.
• Your tolerance for DOING the work of gardening if you intend to maintain the garden yourself... or how much money you can afford to spend to have a contractor maintain it for you.
• How environementally friendly your landscape should be.
• Plants you'd like... and another list of plants you hate.
• Colors and landscape accessories you like.
• Take a field trip to photograph landscapes, gardens or vignettes at nurseries that inspire you; and print the photos for me to see when I arrive. (Even if you can't afford what you are drawn to, my knowing what you like helps me help you.)
• What would be your ideal landscape if money was no hinderance?

Maintenance / culture:

• Plants that aren't thriving or perhaps are being eaten or are diseased.
• Areas that aren't performing as you'd expected or intended.
• Pruning issues — Please give me notice if I'm to teach you pruning techniques. (I only work on trees/shrubs under about 8' tall. If your trees are larger, I can give names of arborists to help you.)
• Drainage issues.
• Specific maintenance, culture, pest questions or concerns you have.

Finally... I will be taking brief notes (for any follow-up report) about things I can't answer or do for you on the spot. You need to take notes as well. Experience has shown that my coachees cannot remember everything I say (or even a fraction of it) after I leave unless they've got notes for reference. Essentially, if you want to remember what I say, be prepared to write it down or make an audio recording of our session.