Our commitments to people and plants go deep

Our Commitments

Right Plant, Right Place
A thriving garden involves ensuring that each element, living or otherwise, is in an optimal location that meets both the needs of the client as well as that of the landscape. In horticulture, this is generally expressed as ‘right plant, right place.’

Our skilled team aims to work alongside your existing garden elements to ensure that everything has its best opportunities for optimal growth and longevity. We can suggest more appropriate locations for your ailing plants, prune the surrounding area to provide more suitable growing conditions, and provide suggestions for site-appropriate plants to add to your garden.

We enjoy working with native plants, as they are usually better suited to the local climate. In the long term, native plants will require less maintenance than more exotic species.

No synthetics
At Gnome and Gardens, we do not use synthetic or otherwise artificial fertilizers, amendments, herbicides or pesticides. Numerous studies have shown how artificial fertilizers and pesticides can cause long term ecological damage, both through their persistent activities in the environment as well as their contamination of groundwater through leaching.

We employ the time-tested recipe of good old-fashioned hard work, all natural fertilizers, and a holistic approach to overall plant health.

We’ve found that clients overwhelmingly prefer this approach. Not only does it keep our team safe from the effects of potentially harmful compounds, but it also protects the health of our client, their pets, and their soil. It’s a win-win!

Clean Air
It’s true – the emissions from highly inefficient 2-stroke lawn and garden equipment are harmful, and the noise they make isn’t particularly pleasant either. Spilled 2-stroke fuel also contributes to polluting our water systems. This is why many municipalities throughout North America and Europe, including Oak Bay, have passed ordinances banning the use of gas-powered lawn and garden care equipment in residential applications.

In order to play our part in minimizing air and noise pollution, Gnome and Gardens is making the switch to commercial-grade electric power tools. They’re lighter, more efficient, cleaner and quieter. Plus, our staff love using them!

As of 2023, we have fully transitioned to a suite of all-electric power tools!

Continuing Education
We take pride in providing the best possible service and expertise to help our clients save money and reduce our environmental impact. This means that we prioritize continuing education, staying updated on industry ‘best practices’ and learning ecologically-sound practices beyond the scope of the traditional landscape industry standards.

We believe in life-long learning. To that end, Gnome and Gardens provides our crew with paid educational opportunities, encourages apprenticeship with the BC Industry Training Authority, and aims to develop our individual and collective skills as we go. Each of are registered apprentices in the Landscape-Horticulture trade, working toward our Red Seal certifications.

People Care
Gnome and Gardens is committed to ensuring that our work cares for people just as much as it cares for plants and the environment.

To that end, we always take client needs and feedback seriously, making all efforts to ensure that you are happy with our work. Word of mouth by a happy clientele is the best advertising!

We also work to ensure that our staff are cared for to the best of our abilities. This includes wages well above the industry standard, extended health and dental benefits for full and part-time staff, plus sponsorship and paid educational opportunities in horticulture. This results in a low rate of crew turnover, and ensures that clients see the same faces on a regular basis. Everyone’s happy!

Gnome and Gardens is a verified Living Wage Employer through Living Wage for Families BC, a member in good standing with WorkSafeBC, and a proud sponsor for Landscape-Horticulture Technician Apprentices through the BC Industry Training Authority.

Our Partners