Burress Letter

I love working with Cris. I had wanted to get into serious gardening for several years, but I don't have the background and wanted a mentor. Cris is perfect. She's very available and flexible and her prices are affordable. I would call her at work at 11 am and ask her to stop by on her lunch hour to check out what I'm doing and she was usually able to do that (I live not far from her job site, so I'm sure that makes it easier for her).

Everything she commits to, she delivers. She listens to what you want and she works with you at whatever level you want, from just ideas to written designs. I also send her a ton of email and she responds. She charges for her time to respond, but I'm happy with the advice and the price.

You should be clear about any idea you discuss with her. Is that exactly what you want and nothing else, or is it just one idea you've thought of, and you want Cris to consider it along with other things she might have in mind that you haven't thought of? I told her I had an idea for a hosta garden, and that's what she designed. I'm happy with it, but I sometimes wonder if I had just pointed to the spot and left Cris to come up with her own ideas, whether it would have been different, and maybe better. So just keep that in mind.

I recommend Cris highly. I'm sure you'll be happy working with her.

James M. Burress

Cristin M. Larson; The Garden Consultant and Landscape Design