Grounded Garden Services

Grounded Garden Services

Transforming the Coast one garden at a time

Up and down the West Coast, in offices and warehouses, home offices and kitchen tables, small businesses are flourishing. Development West Coast runs a nine-week programme called CO.STARTERS to equip aspiring entrepreneurs so they can turn ideas into action. Many of the businesses do not have a traditional store front, so in this series of Open for Business, the Greymouth Star and Development West Coast sample some of the emerging small enterprises that are helping shape the future.

Co.Starters graduate Kate Duthie has an infectious passion for horticulture and garden consulting, as well as a deep appreciation for the beauty of the West Coast. With her new business, Grounded Garden Services, she aims to transform gardens and properties on the West Coast to help make the region even more beautiful.

From an early age Kate had a passion for the science and art of growing plants. This passion led her to study horticulture for three years at Lincoln University.

“For the next 15 years I worked and traveled throughout New Zealand and the world, continuing with my passion and loving all aspects of the wild outdoors. I gained an assortment of valuable skills and horticultural knowledge,” Kate says.

“I lived and worked in places like Mt Cook Village, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland, but my favourite place was always the West Coast.”

For the last seven years Kate worked at the Little Big Tree Company in Christchurch, where she was personally mentored by owner and multi award-winning landscape designer Chris Goom.

“Tapping into Chris’ 30-year experience enabled me to consolidate my plant skills, which led me into managing the garden consultancy side of The Little Big Tree Company,” she says.

“Eventually my love for the West Coast drew myself and family back to where my heart lies. We have bought a beautiful house and garden in Karoro, Greymouth.

“I desperately wanted to continue in horticulture and garden consulting. I saw a niche on the coast for my expertise and skills, so in June 2018 I officially started my business Grounded Garden Consultancy.”

Grounded Garden Consultancy provides a range of services including garden consultation, project management, planting plans and plant sourcing, and garden maintenance.

“I provide consultations for a wide variety of landscape projects. We meet at your property and discuss what you want to achieve, what isn’t working for you, and how we can improve your outdoor space. Within a week I provide you photos and site notes conveying my design ideas and a list of tasks for you to complete,” she explains.

“My forte is garden design not landscape construction.

However, I can arrange quotes to complete the construction of the design by reputable contractors. Once construction begins, I follow the job progress with regular visits, ensuring the design integrity is maintained over the build.

“Selecting the right plant for the right spot is an under-appreciated art but can make all the difference as your garden grows. I can help you get the right plants perfectly placed.

“Conditions on the West Coast are dynamic. Our wet and windy coastlines can be a tough environment for plants, and their caretakers alike! Having lived on the coast before I understand the challenges and can draw on my native and exotic plant expertise to help elevate your property and garden.”

When Kate arrived back on the coast in January 2018 she was eager to get a business up and running.

“I was new to Greymouth and was unthinkingly enthusiastic and eager as I had successfully run businesses before and thought I could just pick up a new business with ease. As the months went by I started realising I needed help to kick start into the West Coast networks. I signed up for the Development West Coast’s Co.Starters business course and haven’t looked back,” she says.

“I found Co.Starters to be incredibly helpful and encouraging. I was challenged with questions and discussion enabling me to question my business ideas from different angles. The course facilitators, guest speakers, and classmate’s personal experiences really complimented the resources delivered to us.

With the insights she gained from Co.Starters, her wide skill-set and passion for horticulture, Kate has hit the ground running with Grounded Garden Consultancy.

“The West Coast is a special place and everyone who lives here or visits here knows it. I want to be part of transforming properties and beautifying neglected areas. I want to live in an attractive town were people stop to enjoy our parks and gardens. We have people driving through in their millions – I want to give them another reason to stop,” Kate says.

With spring underway, it is the perfect time to let Kate transform your garden. To find out more about Grounded Garden Consultancy visit the website www.groundedgardenservices.co.nzor give Kate a call on 027 4866 862.