GARDEN DESIGN · COACHING · INSTALLATION — CHESTER COUNTY & GREATER PHILADELPHIA
I help people who want more from their outdoor spaces
create beautiful, vibrant, deeply personal gardens.
I believe that the best gardens fulfill three purposes: they reflect a sense of time and place as they evolve with the seasons and display the beauty of local flora; they support the web of life, big and small, that rely on it for food and shelter; and they are a source of pride, joy—and sometimes hard work!—to their tenders.Unlike many designers, I prefer not to simply ‘deliver’ gardens to spectators. Instead, I help people understand their gardens, feel more confident making plant care decisions, and grow more connected to the corner of the world they call home.Is Paper Crane Garden Co. right for you?
Paper Crane might be a great fit if:* You feel a pull toward your garden — and perhaps a little overwhelmed by it. You’d like some help with design and long-term vision.* You already garden, and love it, but feel the whole never quite adds up to the vision in your head, and you’re not sure why some plants don’t make it.* OR— you're just beginning. No previous plant knowledge required, as long as you want to be involved in some measure in caring for your garden—which doesn’t preclude hiring extra help for laborious work!* You want more than a tidy yard: a place that draws you outside, changes with the seasons, and doesn’t look like every other one on the block.* You care about gardening organically — healthy soil, no harsh chemicals, a garden safe for children, pets, and pollinators.* You want a resilient garden, with plants chosen to weather increasingly unpredictable conditions, and you’d like to include more native plants in your space, without being guilted for also loving dahlias, or peonies!We may not be the right match if:* You're looking for the fastest, cheapest way to fill a bed, and just want a ‘landscaper.’* You're hoping skilled garden work can be had for lawn-mowing prices. No hard feelings — but horticulture is a highly skilled trade.* You’re not interested in learning new things about plants and ecology.* You believe there is such a thing as a ‘maintenance-free’ landscape (Surprise: there isn’t. Not on this planet, anyway!).
A NOTE ON PROCESS:Begin with a Garden Consultation
A working walk through your property together. I follow up with a report that outlines clear next steps, a sense of what is possible, and ideas you could implement independently. 225$.Garden Design & Installation
For a fuller transformation, our collaborative design process results in a detailed blueprint for your garden and a thorough planting plan. I source plants, manage installation, and coordinate hardscape with trusted partners, then leave you with a clear maintenance plan for long-term success. Most projects range from $5,000 to $25,000, depending on scope; design time is billed at $125/hour.
"Exceptional end-to-end experience. Paper Crane translated our high-level vision
into a clear, sophisticated plan and executed it seamlessly.
Our garden is now totally transformed — elevated beyond expectations."
— JONATHAN, MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Seasonal Garden Coaching
Ongoing guidance so you can grow together with your garden. Whether I installed it or you're building it yourself, choose the rhythm that suits you:
Garden Walkthrough — $225. An advisory visit: we walk, look, and plan together. You receive written follow-up with plant recommendations, seasonal tasks, and trusted referrals.
Working Session — $495. A half-day side by side in your garden: pruning, editing, dividing, planting, propagating — you learn by doing, with your own plants. Includes a written seasonal plan for the months ahead.
A Year in the Garden — $1,800. Four seasonal working sessions in which you learn a full gamut of horticultural techniques and improve your gardening eye while creating the garden you want. My most complete offering for gardeners who want to truly grow.
“You can't know who you are until you know where you are.”― Wendell Berry
Hello! I'm Fabienne, the gardener and designer behind Paper Crane Garden Co. Born and raised on a sheep farm in France, I trained as an art historian at the Louvre, then studied at Stanford and in Japan, eventually earning a Ph.D., specializing in Japanese art. Along the way, I became curious about the ways both art and garden-making help us find our place in the world. That curiosity led me to the Barnes Arboretum, where I earned my certificate in horticulture, and to apprenticeships at cherished local public gardens: the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College, Laurel Hill, and the Morris Arboretum. I live with my husband and four children on a few acres in a farmhouse that is older than the Republic.My unusual skill set allows me to infuse every project with a sophisticated blend of aesthetic insight and horticultural knowledge. My romantic, eclectic sense of design has been shaped by years of observation, experiments, and travel. In all my work—teaching, designing, arranging flowers— I value the human touch, slow living, and the joy of collaboration.
She asked how and when I spend time in the garden, developed a very specific design in consultation with me, and helped source the plants, trees and shrubs. It is clear that Fabienne loves her work.
I would HIGHLY recommend her."
— MICHAEL - Bala Cynwyd
Get in Touch:
PAPER CRANE GARDEN CO.
GARDEN DESIGN · COACHING · INSTALLATION — CHESTER COUNTY & GREATER PHILADELPHIA