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HOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR GARDEN WHEN YOU MOVE

October 4, 2022

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As English Poet Alfred Austin once said: “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” So, how do you say goodbye to your garden when you move?

Beautiful red farmhouse nestled in trees, for sale in Santa Barbara

A home is much more than just fences and a façade. It's a repository of memories and tangibles, including that garden you lovingly cultivated over the years. Many people who live in Santa Barbara enjoy the challenge of gardening, which takes patience, work, and love. But, at the end of the day, turning an outside space into a productive and functional area to enjoy—a place for plants and animals that have otherwise lost their homes to urban development—reaps its own reward.

It’s understandable that leaving yours behind can be an emotional experience. I’m here to help with these 7 tips designed to ease the transition and help you take some of what you love with you, including plants, ideas, and inspiration for your new garden.

Walking path in a home garden with native plants, and trees.

1. Make a record of the garden you're leaving.
Take notes about the garden, including details about what you've planted: how it succeeded, or didn't, which plants or combinations you loved best, hardscape materials and designs. Gather seed packages, plant catalogs, plant labels, seed stakes, and garden journals.

2. Take photos, videos or both.
Capture plant combinations that worked particularly well in video and photos. You'll want to remember how plants looked at different times in their lives and different times of the year.

3. Describe design elements and hardscape.
Make notes of the things you like, including design elements and hardscape. Did a patio come out especially well? Did you build raised garden beds you really loved? Take photos and make notes of particularly successful, or unsuccessful, design elements.
Also, document all gardening projects in process.

4. What about wildlife?
Which plants attracted the most butterflies? What was the late-blooming flower that made migrating hummingbirds return to sip its nectar? What about the bulbs that were always full of tiny native bees in early spring? Which plants did the cottontails munch to the ground?

5. Research your new planting zone and garden site.
Get an idea of how different your new location will be from your current one. Is it in the same
USDA plant hardiness zone? To find your ecoregion on the EPA's general map of the U.S, click on the region that includes the state of California, and then find your ecoregion from the detailed map. 

Large branch of a majestic oak tree in the foreground, with paths through a home garden.



6. Identify favorite plants in your existing garden.
Once you have an idea of the conditions for your new garden, decide which plants in your current garden will thrive in your new place. Then do some research. Familiarize yourself with any restrictions on transporting plants from one region to another. The
National Plant Board is a place to start.

7. Take care of your selections before and during the move.
If you're bringing plants in pots, keep them watered and comfortable; not too hot or too cold. Most moving companies won't take live plants, but they will move pots with dormant plants, so make sure your plants have what they need to survive the trip.


Do you have any other ideas of how to say good-bye to your garden when you move? I'd love to hear them. Call me at (805) 886-9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com to share your tips. Meantime, if you are looking to move in Montecito, Hope Ranch or any of Santa Barbara’s upscale communities I’m happy to help, starting with a free consultation. Buyers can also find out what’s available in the area by visiting my website.



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- J & A

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- M.F.

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- P.B.

“We have used Cristal now several times and cannot express how grateful we are for her expertise, dedication, and unwavering support throughout the entire home-buying process. Cristal is knowledgeable, patient and attentive. Her attention to detail is remarkable, and she consistently went above and beyond to provide us with all the information and resources we needed to make informed decisions. Cristal is a skillful negotiator and advocate. She can navigate complex negotiations with professionalism and grace and felt like a true partner to us in the home-buying process. Cristal has a genuine passion for real estate and a deep commitment to her clients' satisfaction. I cannot speak highly enough of Cristal and her exceptional service. She is a true expert in her field and her dedication to excellence, combined with unwavering support is the reason we choose to work with her for all our real estate buying needs.”

- T.C.

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- D.R.

“I could list lots of cool adjectives to describe Cristal. All good by the way. But, that is not why I or anyone should hire Cristal. My reason for hiring her, which proved to be correct, is very simple. She got the job done. And, she does it time and time again and with zero issues. And, that is why she is one of the top agents in the country. End of subject. ”

- M.A.

“Working with Cristal was a complete pleasure. Cristal was extremely patient with us as we evaluated nearly 2 dozen homes over a span of 2 years. Her knowledge of the market is unmatched. Cristal provided us with exceptional counsel as we evaluated opportunities and negotiated pricing. The closing process was handled thoroughly and efficiently. We could not be happier with our purchase and even more happy to now call Cristal our friend.”

- D.K.

“Cristal Clarke has conducted numerous real estate transactions for me beginning 13 years ago with the purchase of a Lemon Ranch. She has handled both large and small purchases and sales with equal dedication. As a negotiator, you can’t find anyone better. Her transactions are always conducted in the most appropriate and professional manner. Cristal has considerable knowledge of the Santa Barbara market.”

- S.N. Decker Ph.D.

“Living in Europe, we were to say the least, unaccustomed to the nuances of Real Estate acquisition in California and Cristal steered us through the process with absolute professionalism and personal attention to detail at every turn. Her in-depth knowledge of the market place combined with enthusiasm and drive was the only reason we secured the property of our dreams and will be forever grateful. If you are looking for personal discrete and private representation of the highest quality we suggest you look no further than Cristal Clarke.”

- Johan and Paula van den Berg

“Cristal is very straightforward, cheerful, helpful, professional and trustworthy….we felt very lucky to work with her.”

- John and Lacey Williams

“After considering our many choices, we are grateful it was Cristal Clarke of Sotheby’s International who represented the sale of our Montecito cottage. We are familiar with Cristal’s reputation of hard work and dedication to clients, but it was her attention to detail that made our experience so positive. She offered suggestions for staging the property, worked in harmony with potential buyers and was even able to secure back up offers. The sale of our cottage was completed much sooner than we expected, due in great part to Cristal’s professional skills and support. We highly recommend Cristal as a first choice for anyone needing representation with real estate.”

- Michael & Nancy Lee

“Our experience in working with Cristal Clarke resulted in the successful and discrete acquisition of a property which was not yet on the open market. Her knowledge of the Montecito/Santa Barbara area and vast expertise blended with her passion for real estate and architecture, provided us with the very highest level of professionalism and personalized services. Cristal exhibited a rare combination of excellent communications, attention to detail, creativity and patience.”

- Richard and Catherine Frinier

“Cristal really breaks the mold. She knows every nook and cranny of this real estate market, understands value, and follows up on everything, all the time. She was incredibly patient with our two year quest to find the perfect house. Every house hunting trip from across the country was well planned, and our time was never wasted. On top of her professionalism and expertise, she is delightful to spend time with. We are thrilled with the home we purchased, and grateful to Cristal for so wisely advising us through this process, right through to the close and beyond.”

- Laurie Siegel

“We met Cristal first in the course of renting a winter home (for three years), then buying a house using her as our agent. She was amazingly good at listening to our wants and showing us homes that fit our needs. Her mastery of the paperwork was perfect. Most importantly, there was never a situation where we doubted her straightforwardness or integrity. If we do another real estate transaction in Montecito (which I doubt, we’re happy with what we purchased), without question we’d use Cristal again.”

- Ken Saffir

“Susan and I just want to thank you for your efforts in the sale of our home. You are really quite amazing. Your competence, persistence, optimism and humor made the entire process effortless. Every problem that arose, you somehow fixed; any obstacle, you overcame. We have bought and sold many homes. It has never been such a painless and enjoyable process!”

- Michael & Susan Marquart

“A little something about “our” realtor, Cristal Clarke. My wife and I came to Santa Barbara about fifteen years ago looking for a seasonal home from which to enjoy the weather and amenities of the central coast. Being in the real estate business myself I was familiar with agents and brokers so entered the market with open eyes. We “flipped” a few houses in the early years, dealing with various agents and finally ended up in Montecito. That’s when good fortune put us together with Cristal. To say we were impressed is to put it mildly. Cristal really knows the market. She is familiar with the area, its history and trends. When we have questions about a particular property she either has the answers immediately or gets back to us by phone or email. There is no waiting or wondering with Cristal. She is an agent who is “on top of it.” Her recommendations as to price points, contractors, inspectors and title agents have proven to be exceptional, showing great insight and the highest professional standards. We consider ourselves exceedingly fortunate to say that Cristal Clarke is our realtor and would recommend her services to any serious buyer or seller.”

- Rob & Judi Kelch