Building With Community: Meet Scott Zimmer of Zimmer Gardens

Save the date for July 31st! INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY is excited to present a series of exclusive interviews in support of Kingston Design Connection and Ulster Habitat For Humanity‘s Building With Community Series. In today’s interview, we catch up with Scott Zimmer of Zimmer Gardens. Scott is the guest speaker for this month’s event and will share tips and tricks for property planning and garden design. He’ll also provide insight on trends and the significance of color in your garden. Join Scott, the Kingston Design Connection, and Ulster Habitat on July 31st for an enriching discussion about home improvement in the Hudson Valley. And if you’re considering designing a garden in the Hudson Valley, be sure to connect with Scott Zimmer.

Let’s get to know more about master gardener Scott Zimmer of Zimmer Gardens in today’s exclusive interview.

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Scott Zimmer: I was raised in suburban Teaneck, NJ, in a classic midcentury raised ranch with original pink and yellow bathrooms!  As a graduate student at SUNY New Paltz, MFA Ceramics 1998, I discovered the Hudson Valley.

What inspired your interest in gardening and landscape design, and what was your personal journey?

This is a loaded question. I have gardened all my life and never thought of it as a career option until I moved to Kingston in 2003. While working on my own property and garden, pedestrians would stop and ask, “Do you do this professionally?” At the time, the answer was no; I did not need a third career. I find that most gardeners enter the field by happenstance.  I also never thought I would own my own business and love it! However, I think it all started with walking with my grandfather, originally a farmer in Poland, in his vegetable garden, counting the scallions.  As a teenager, I interned with a local gardener, learning about perennials by mostly pulling weeds. While attending Pratt Institute, Bachelor of Architecture 1991, I enrolled in a landscape architecture elective and felt a pull in that direction. Designing softer materials that took on a life of their own was very appealing. Fast forward, I launched Zimmer Gardens in 2007 as a part-time situation while working a desk job…with a computer…not a good mix at all! However, the true pivot happened when my partner suggested I enroll in the School of Horticultural Studies at The New York Botanical Garden, NY. During that time, two things happened. First, I realized I knew more than I thought just by planting things here and there. Second, about four courses before finishing the Garden Design Certificate program, I accepted a lead garden designer position for a large landscape/garden design company in Milan, NY. After one season with them, Zimmer Gardens launched full-time in 2013. “Working the land,” as I call it, offers the opportunity to blend past skills into a new form of expression.

What is your philosophy and the one thing that sets you apart from other gardeners in the Hudson Valley?

Zimmer Gardens was built on the premise that good design is for everyone; a garden has the power to create a true sense of place and listen to the client’s needs and desires…then impart my vision into that.  Zimmer Gardens remains deliberately small, so I can not micro-manage but manage expectations from consultation, design, installation, final walk-through, and, at times, maintenance. We have discussions about maintaining client expectations and remaining on budget. I am constantly fascinated by the growing world, but I am more influenced by classical lines, fashion and interior design trends, and fine art to achieve a balance between the wild and manicured.

With a background in design, architecture, and fine art, I have been told I see things differently than others in the field. My first thoughts are about color, texture, and the overall feel of a project, not about soil or exposure.

Tell us about your services.

Zimmer Gardens is a full-service, hands-on garden design business. Whenever possible, I work on-site with a small crew to achieve the desired look. Zimmer Gardens is intentionally small and uses only hand tools and organic products. When necessary, I collaborate with other professionals to provide services I normally can not provide. Services include:

• Property consultations.
• Old school, hand-drawn design sketches.
• Installation
• Maintenance
• Containers
• Holiday Decor

However, what I enjoy the most is the initial client meeting for the property consultation. At a consultation, we imagine how to set the feel of the property by dreaming big, unrestricted by a budget. After we walk the property, I offer any and all hard-core design ideas that we can implement or, at times, a client can DIY…noting is vague. Some topics discussed are tree work, stonework, garden bedding, future outbuildings, new house paint colors, and how all this may influence property maintenance. I truly believe it is my job as a garden designer to inspire the client to all possibilities up front and pull back later if needed.

Who is your ideal client, and what is your collaboration process?

An ideal client is enthusiastic about their property, understands that gardening is a process and that a good working relationship involves mutual respect and trust that I will treat their property like it was my own, knowing it is not.

I absolutely love it when clients can describe their desired look and feel of the garden/outdoor space but have no idea how to get there. My job as a designer is to inform, inspire, and educate clients about the process. Clients are involved as much as they want to be from start to finish–this allows each client to be a collaborator. Many have become gardeners themselves! I always had the viewpoint that I assist clients in creating their space. Many of the best gardens are when the client is so involved that, without a doubt, the final look is a collaborative effort. I have developed a mantra over the years that has proved true… Fussy clients = troubled gardens. Peaceful and trusting clients = fabulous gardens.

I also collaborate with and refer other industry and design professionals when necessary. Garden design encompasses more than the growing world. Things need to be built, painted, fixed and constructed all the time. When collaborating within the industry, I want the other individual to feel a part of the process, so mutual respect and good communication are a must. Such collaborations include plant healthcare specialists, arborists, lawn & irrigation services, carpenters, painters…

One memorable collaboration was for the inaugural Kingston Design Show House in 2018. Kat Hammil, the current owner of River Mint Finery, and I refreshed the otherwise neglected landscape with a purposeful and relaxed Hudson Valley vibe. Most recently, I collaborated with a mother gardener with different skills to create a native wildflower meadow.

What is the most incredible garden you’ve designed?

This is tricky, but I must say those with the most dramatic before-and-after. So I will say two gardens, both of which I consider collaborations with the client. One is a multi-acre full property development in Rhinebeck, and the other is an 18’X50′ backyard in Kingston. Both properties I would consider a collaborative effort. Collaborations are an excellent way to expand knowledge, build relations with fellow creatives, and plant new plants, too.

What is the most rewarding and most challenging part of your job?

Most rewarding is when the project is on time and on budget, leaving the client speechless! Without a doubt, the overall planning and sourcing of materials. As a New Jersey native, I love to shop, however, specified plant materials are not always available at the time of planting. Thus, developing a true sense of mutual respect and trust with the client is the most important part of the process. That allows the freedom for quick decisions without specific approval–for example, swapping a Blue Night salvia for a Caradona salvia, two shades of purple.

What is one question you’re constantly asked or the biggest misconception about what you do?

That I understand about lawns and house plants.  Most frequent question…questions… clients want to know how I got involved in gardening and why I have a Jersey phone number. Or, “Do you know someone that can mow my lawn, plow my driveway and not screw it up?” The answer is, “Yes, I do!” Part of my job is to offer clients referrals to other professionals who can complete their looks.

A misconception is that I know everything about something that grows. My passion is gardening. The mystery of how things grow and bloom in certain colors is beyond comprehension. However, I believe I know about lawns, gardens, and house plants (The secret is I kill them, too, mostly during the winter). Another misconception is that a small yard is less work than a multi-acre property.

What about the Hudson Valley makes it unique to live + work here?

Perhaps a bit unexpected is the commute. I happily swap the views from the Rhinecliff bridge over a crowded subway car any day of the week. I just love the open spaces, relaxed attitude, and availability of truly locally-grown plant materials. There are so many small nurseries and garden centers outside big box stores. Lastly, the people are kind-hearted and have a true sense of pride of place.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Local nurseries and garden centers.

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

Well, this is easy, coming from Jersey near all the malls, I’d say more and better shopping opportunities. Otherwise, as my mom used to say, “Everything is better in Kingston!”

Tell us something about yourself that people might be surprised to know.

A few things: I have never gone hiking or apple picking in the Hudson Valley. I lived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, for four years, where I was one of three people who ran the international residency program, Art Industry. The program was held in the Kohler Company casting factories. I operated a fine art studio practice in midtown Kingston in an old church. Finally, I attended Yeshiva University until 11th grade, and mostly slept through Talmud class!

What is your current state of mind?

Knowing that it is too hot today to work and that the alternative is lots of paperwork to do… eh, I will survive. However, otherwise, I really feel grateful to have led a creative life and am finally learning to balance everything.

Photos courtesy of Scott Zimmer

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