Step by step

1. Call us!

Call us—at (847) 636-2720—to discuss your particular situation. If an area of your yard (or roof, or deck, or patio) gets at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily, we’ll set up a time for a member of the TOG team to come see the site and talk with you in person. During this complimentary visit we’ll get a feel for the aesthetic of your yard and home, take measurements, show you photos of other gardens we’ve installed, and talk with you about your ambitions and vision for your garden.

If no part of your yard gets enough sun but you’d like to improve your soil--or if you’re not sure how to figure out if your yard gets enough sun--call anyway and we’ll see how we can help you.

We also offer a consultation service for gardeners who have the skills, time and energy to do their own installations. We will meet with you at your home site, to advise you on how best to proceed. We’ll leave you with an extensive store of written information that you can refer to as you forge ahead on your project.

2. Proposal

After we visit and speak with you in person, we’ll put together a proposal, detailing the scope of work to be done including the materials to be used, the labor and maintenance required, and the costs involved. Once you approve the proposal, and sign a contract, we’ll begin on your design and installation.

3. Planting

We’ll meet with you again, to find out what your family likes to eat; together we’ll review a long and varied list of crops (vegetables, herbs and flowers). Once you’ve made your choices, we’ll set a date for planting. We’ll bring starts, seeds and tools; you can watch, help, or leave it entirely up to us.

4. Teaching/Maintenance

After your garden is planted, we’ll teach and do maintenance to whatever degree suits your personal situation (we will have defined this during steps 1 and 2). You might opt for our full-service plan, under which we’ll take care of all garden maintenance for you— we’ll even harvest your vegetables and deliver them to your door! Or you might opt to do it yourself, with help—we can schedule monthly check-up sessions, during which we’ll work with you and your family, teaching as we go. You’re always welcome to call or email with questions.