I Make Gardens Gorgeous

 Jim Spoor 

 
 Garden Design / Garden Maintenance
for Your Home or Business
Free Consultation

Gardener Victoria, BC

Gardener, Victoria BC

Hi, I'm Jim and my passion is gardens and gardening.

I combine knowledge and creativity to grow beautiful and inspiring green areas for you to enjoy year round.


What I do for your garden differs from the normal services you'd expect from a landscaper.


I'm the guy who works with the space created by the landscaper, designing the placement, and filling it up with plants, flowers, trees and shrubs.


My goal is to give you the most beautiful garden, through the selection of plants and trees, scents (or lack of), colors and textures.


I can achieve this through skilled garden design, applying defined knowledge of each plant, shrub and tree, with intuition. By studying your space, the ideal placement of all of the living material becomes a major factor in a successful garden design.


Victoria's Best Garden Designer and gardener smiling

What makes a great gardener?


There are a number of serious considerations and various factors to address in creating the garden:


  • Color – and that will play out throughout the course of the seasons
  • Texture – creating an environment that feels like an oasis
  • Pest control – from slugs to deer
  • Aroma – stimulating our sense of smell
  • Timing of blooms - for flower gardening, so there is always something in bloom
  • Sun, shade & wind – choosing the best plants to thrive in these various conditions
  • Pollinator gardening – attracting bees and hummingbirds
  • Attracting song birds – bringing the sounds of nature into the garden


What do I do?

So, gardener or landscaper? I am not a landscaper by any means. I don’t offer lawn and grounds care, such as lawn mowing.


I am one of the plant people. I am a passionate plant lover. I put as much attention to the soil that I plant in. I am fascinated by the textures, colours and scents of the each and every plant, bush and tree. To see how each species and/or varietal differs is so interesting.


My goal is to design beautiful, inspiring gardens each of my clients. Each design as individual as they are.


I’ve been gardening professionally for over 25 years. I was lucky enough to apprentice with 2 of Vancouver’s gardening experts back then. The education was priceless as I was able to learn and master 2 different styles and approaches to creating spectacular gardens. This inspired me to take all I’ve learned and to grow even more, developing a unique approach and style to my own gardens.


My education includes studying visual / display arts (foundation in design which includes colour and composition), garden design and certification in floral arts.


My services include:


  • Garden Design / Re-Design - whether staring from scratch or wanting a revamp of an established garden
  • Container gardening – make your small spaces like decks and doorways look lush
  • Pocket gardening – take a small bit of your yard and transform into a colorful bed
  • Shade gardening – using plants that thrive without direct sunlight
  • Urban gardening – transforming cold, hard surface areas in green oasis’s
  • Flower gardening – bringing colour, texture and scent into your space
  • Flower-free gardening – blending varieties of non-flowering plants to create lush, green spaces
  • Natural gardening – nurturing nature to establish the plant materials in the garden, such as wild grasses, ferns and other natural local wild species.
  • Organic gardening – pesticide and insecticide free, only top-quality products from soil to plant material
  • Garden clean up – clearing out old debris and breathing life into a seasonal, old or neglected garden
  • Soil restoration – building up the nutrients, health and quality of your gardening soil
  • Garden Material Shopping - come with me to nurseries and shop for your next garden. We'll plan it out together.


If you are in need of a great team to take care of your lawn and yard, I always send my best clients to Lawn Care Victoria. They are a local company that take pride in what they deliver.


My Specialties 

View All Services

More than 25 years in the business

What makes a great garden?

The answer is simpler than the effort it takes… at least in the beginning. There are a number of factors and contributors that need to interact in order to establish and grow a great garden.

On top of my list is to understand that…

Soil is the key!
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No matter what types of gardening you want to fill your space with, they all have a key foundational component and that is the gardening soil. It is of utmost importance to start with a healthy foundation. Good soil means strong, beautiful plants and gardens that will be pest free.

If your soil is currently not at the level of quality for your best results, there are ways to improve it quite easily, such as:

  • Adding compost
  • Adding mulch
  • Adding organic fertilizer
  • Adding plant material that will eventually decompose
 
Next, in order to build a great garden, we look at your gardening zone. This is when the amount of sunlight the garden will get has a huge effect on what we can plant. Other environment elements come into play here. Wind and the water table under the garden are also a couple more factors that need to be considered. Certain challenges have easier fixes than others, but most are manageable enough to see a garden flourish with the right choices and care.
 
Plant Choices have to be determined by the above factors. I see too many gardens where plants were chosen for emotional reasons such as colour, smell, maybe a memory. Instead plants and trees need to be chosen by simple logical reasons. We need to ask ourselves questions like:
​
  • Will there be enough sunlight for this particular type of plant or tree?
  • Will there be too much sunlight for this particular type of plant or tree?
  • Will there be enough water for them to survive and thrive?
  • Is the soil at the right PH level for this particular plant?
  • What kind of garden pests want to eat this plant?
  • How long will this plant live?
These are just a few.

a corner of a garden full of colorful flowers and a bird bath in the middle.
Some small green bushes against a stone wall in a backyard garden
A pocket garden that spills over some rocks.
A lovely stone pathway through a garden of flowers and green plants.
Light green and purple wild flowers in a garden setting.

So how much does a gardener cost? 

There is a misconception that creating and maintaining a beautiful garden is expensive to have and takes a LOT of time and work.


My approach is to build beautiful, lush low-maintenance gardens through careful plant selection based on the individual needs of each client. Once we establish your garden, because of the choice of plant material, there will be minimal ongoing maintenance required.


We are very lucky to live in this part of Canada. With the mildest winter season, our gardens can be beautiful every month of the year. Seasonal plantings are cost-effective with this approach as well. You can have a green garden in the winter.


My guarantee is that when I’m done, you will LOVE your garden. And if you don’t, I won’t leave until you do. 


I begin with a free, friendly consultation once we’ve met and seen your space. From there, if you are happy with our plan, we will discuss whether you would prefer a flat rate or an hourly rate. Both are very reasonable. The only other costs to you would be the plant material (including soil and compost), and debris removal. The needs of each project are different and we will be more than happy to discuss various options with you.


One of the things I like doing a lot with my clients is involving them in the process of designing or re-designing their garden spaces. This includes deciding on locations of garden beds, as well as the size and shapes of these beds. Then my favorite thing is to take them shopping with me, if they so choose, and together wander through a few plant nurseries, picking and choosing the favorite and best plants for our plan to be successfully executed. From there, we lay out the new plants in their pots onto the specific beds. Once we're happy with color, texture, water and light access, then the plantings begin and a wonderful garden is born.

​

I would love to have a conversation with you about your garden. Please give me a call or fill in your details through the big orange  button on the top right-hand side of this page and I’ll get right back to you. It would be my pleasure to help you develop a garden you’ll be proud of and be very happy with the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What’s the difference between a gardener and a landscaper?

    The word “landscaper” is widely used for describing someone who works on outdoor spaces like yards, lawns, and gardens. Technically that is correct, but a landscaper specifically forms and shapes the land and yard, whereas the gardener comes in after the landscaper has done their part of the job, and then will work directly with the soil, plants to arrange, grow, and maintain. Some gardeners will also offer lawn maintenance, but not all do.

  • How much does a gardener cost per month?

    Market research shows that there is a big gap between the lower end rate and the higher end rate when it comes to hiring a gardener. Their skill and expertise are superior to the average landscaper when it comes to plant knowledge. On the lower end of the scale, you may be looking at $30 an hour. That would be for someone with less experience. On the higher end of the scale, it could cost you upwards of $150 per hour. Larger companies will charge more than independent gardeners.

  • What do I need to know before hiring a gardener?

    There are a few basic things to know before committing to hiring a gardener. Almost anyone can plant a plant, but it takes a good eye, skill, and extensive knowledge of plants and what they do as they grow, to plant well. Ask friends and neighbors to recommend someone. Invite candidates to view your property and provide you with a plan on what they would do. If you can visit some of the other gardens. Those are living examples of the skill a gardener possesses. Choose carefully. A good gardener will make a lasting impression on your garden. 

  • What makes a good gardener?

    One of the most important characteristics to look for in a gardener is passion. These are people working with living materials that require care and nurturing to survive and thrive. Their passion should encompass as many of the elements of color, texture, scent, and species, as possible. 

  • Can I plant my own garden?

    Yes, of course, anyone can plant their own garden. For a beginner, the most common mistake is picking a piece of land that doesn’t get enough sunlight. Plants need sunlight to grow and thrive. Without sunlight, there is no garden. Next would be ensuring that you have a reliable source of water. Follow that with soil and compost. Now you should be ready to plant. Tip – don’t overcrowd anything that you plant. It will grow, so give it space to do so.

  • When is the best time to plant a garden?

    That’s a good question because it comes down to one thing – the seasonality of where the garden is located. On the Saanich Peninsula, preparing a garden for the upcoming season begins in March with a spring clean-up. April is the month to plant perennials, while later in May is the best time to plant annuals. The threat of a frost must be over before planting your annuals.

Let me care for your garden!

Call (236) 777-4812 

or contact me for your free consultation.
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