Horticultural Consulting Inner West Sydney
If a plant keeps struggling and you can’t work out why, a horticultural consultant can help. We come and look at the plant, the soil and the spot it’s growing in, then explain what’s going on and how to fix it.
We’ve been providing horticultural consulting across the Inner West since 2010, led by Darren Kerr, a qualified horticulturist trained at UTS and Ryde TAFE. We work with homes, townhouses and strata properties.
What a horticultural consultant looks at
Plenty of gardens only need regular upkeep, and a good gardener is the right person for that. If you’re weighing up a horticulturist or a gardener, the deciding factor is usually whether something has stopped working or you’re about to spend money on new planting. A visit usually covers four things.
- Plant health. Pests, disease and the wrong position can look much the same from a distance, so we look closely and diagnose the cause before suggesting anything.
- Soil and drainage. We check soil health and drainage first. Heavy clay and compacted beds are common here. Organic matter or a different plant is sometimes enough, while other beds need landscape construction work to drain properly.
- Plant selection. We suggest plants that suit the conditions, from compact species for courtyards to herbs and fruit trees for an edible garden. When a bed needs starting again, a new planting design can follow on from the visit.
- Light. We note where sun and shade fall, as the front and back of one house can be very different.
From first visit to written plan
Horticultural consulting starts with a walk around the garden with you and a chat about what you’ve noticed. Then we look closely at the struggling plants and the soil they’re in, so you get advice from a horticultural advisor who has actually seen your garden.
Afterwards we send written recommendations that you or your gardener can follow. If you’d rather hand the work over, ongoing garden care from our team puts the plan into practice and lets us see how the garden responds. We’re also happy to come back for a follow-up visit.
Horticultural consulting for Inner West gardens
Soil, shade and space change a lot from one Inner West street to the next. Marrickville and Dulwich Hill tend to have heavy clay, many Annandale courtyards are shaded for most of the day, and mature trees in Newtown and Haberfield take water and light from anything planted beneath them.
The same goes for strata properties, where one problem bed can affect a whole common area. A consultation finds the cause, and scheduled strata garden care or strata landscaping work can follow from there, depending on how much needs to change. Committees deal with one team throughout.
Why people work with us
It helps to know who you’re getting horticultural advice from before you book a visit. Here’s a little about the team who will be walking through your garden with you.
- Formally qualified team. Darren Kerr holds horticultural certifications from UTS and Ryde TAFE. Every team member is qualified in horticulture or landscaping.
- Inner West specialists since 2010. Over fifteen years of experience working exclusively across Sydney’s Inner West.
- Deep local knowledge. The team understands the clay soils, microclimates, and garden styles specific to suburbs like Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Newtown, and Haberfield.
- Owner-operated. Darren leads every project personally, ensuring consistent quality and accountability.
- Fully insured. Residential and strata clients can engage with confidence.
- Long-term approach. Advice and care focused on plant health, soil performance, and sustainable outcomes that grow stronger over time.
Get in touch
If something in your garden isn’t behaving the way it should, booking a consultation is the simplest first step. Tell us what you’re seeing and we’ll come and take a look. You can also call Darren and the team on 0430 491 171 between 7 am and 5 pm on weekdays to book horticultural consulting for your garden.
FAQs
What does a Sydney horticulturist do that a gardener doesn't?
A horticulturist is formally trained in plant science, so they're the person to call when you need to know why something is struggling. A gardener keeps a healthy garden in shape, and the two often work well together.
What do I get after a horticultural consultation?
We send written recommendations covering what we found and what to do next, such as improving the soil, changing a plant or reworking a bed in stages. They're written so you or your gardener can follow them.
Can a horticultural consultant tell me why my plants keep dying?
The cause is most often soil, drainage, light, pests or a plant in the wrong spot, and we check each one in turn. Once we know which it is, any replacement has a much better chance of working.
Can you help me choose plants before I start planting?
During a garden consultation we can suggest plants that suit your light, soil and space, including compact ones for courtyards and herbs or fruit trees for an edible garden. It costs less to choose well first than to replace plants that were never right for the spot.