What’s Included in the Garden Transformation Roadmap?
This isn’t a complex blueprint or an expensive drawing. It’s an actionable, high-value strategy document that provides clarity and a phased action plan for bringing biodiversity and ecological function to your property.
Here’s an example of what you’ll get:
A Zone Based Action Plan
- A simple breakdown of your yard into manageable “Zones” (examples: “The Wildflower Meadow”, “The Woodland Edge”, “The Oak Understory”, “The Creekside Thicket”, “The Shady Entrance”, “The Rain Garden”).
- For each zone, we define the goal, the site prep, and a recommended native plant list for success.
We help you eliminate the guesswork.
5 Year Succession Timeline
A strategic calendar of what to plant and when. Working to maximize natural processes so your garden establishes itself efficiently.
- Year 1: Foundations & Soil Health
- Year 2-3: The Fill-In Phase
- Year 4-5: Maturity & Self-Sufficiency
This plan ensures you have something exciting to work on every season without being overwhelmed.
Why 5 Years? (Managed Natural Processes)
In 2026, we know that the most beautiful gardens aren’t “built” they are cultivated. Nature doesn’t follow a construction schedule, it follows the seasons. Our 5 year timeline is designed to work with the natural rhythm of your land.
Rooted Growth (The “Sleep, Creep, Leap” Rule)
A garden needs time to establish its foundation. In the first year, plants are busy building “underground infrastructure” (roots). By Year 3, they “leap” into the lush, full landscape you’ve envisioned. We plan for this growth so you don’t overspend or overcommit on day 1.
Nature as the Lead Designer
Every yard has its own personality. Our roadmap allows for “Natural Editing.” If a specific plant thrives, we lean into it. If the weather, soil, or other environmental variables change, we pivot. This isn’t just trial and error, it’s a living conversation with your land. A growing and thriving land is always changing. This is leaning into the goal. Plants and nature should never be “stuck” in time. And they also shouldn’t overrun your property. We’re achieving the balance.
The Shift to Self Sufficiency
The goal of a 5 year plan is to work towards putting the garden on “autopilot.” As your plants mature and fill in, they create a living mulch that naturally suppresses weeds and retains moisture, mixed species rotate between seasons, and natural processes are allowed to happen as they are intended. We invest the time now developing future independent systems so you can spend less time working later.
Evolving with the Seasons
As your trees grow and create new shade, or as local birds “volunteer” new native seeds into your beds, your roadmap helps you adapt. We aren’t just planting a garden, we are managing a shifting ecosystem that gets better every year. And the more we understand it’s inner workings, the better we can direct it toward a sustainable path.
“A garden is never ‘finished.’ It is a partnership. This roadmap gives you the confidence to watch, learn, and grow alongside your land.”
Visual Plant Palette (Lookbook)
- A curated digital lookbook featuring high-quality photos and profiles of a variety of native plants chosen specifically for your the conditions for each “zone” we’re developing on your property.
- This stops you from buying the wrong plants or having wasted efforts and ensures everything you plant is directed toward the intended goal.
The “Eco-Audit” Report
- A professional habitat awareness checklist. We’ll work towards identifying “keystone” plants to protect or incorporate, harmful “invasive” species to remove, and work towards establishing an appropriate balance of essential habitat elements.
This beneficial report immediately gives you an understanding of your landscape’s overall health and where it has room for improvement.
Ready to transform your garden?
Chattanooga Gardener is a professional consultancy focused on planning, education, and ecologically functional gardening. We work together to develop a master vision plan through consulting, site analysis, and comprehensive project planning. We do not offer project installations or ongoing maintenance. When possible, we do our best to connect you with a qualified installer or maintenance professional for your area.