Here's what you want: a little help in the yard or garden. Someone you can trust to mow or fertilize, to gently remove a dying tree branch or deftly wield a pair of pruning shears to restore a tired-looking shrub to glory.

Here's what you're afraid you'll get: a back yard with a buzz cut. Flowers, plants and shrubs brutalized by indiscriminate hacking, digging or spraying. Your property value similarly gutted.

And to top it off, a budget-busting bill for the "help."

More and more homeowners are coming to think of their outdoor spaces as another "room" that needs special attention — and they're spending more money to hire yard, garden and lawn-care specialists to help them do it.

Consumers spent $37.9 billion on professional landscape, lawn and tree-care services in 2003, up 30 percent from 2002, according to the American Nursery & Landscape Association.

Some are aging baby boomers looking for someone else to do the heavy lifting in the garden. Others are busy working couples or families with more money than time for yard care. Some want full-service yard and garden maintenance; others prefer to work side-by-side with a knowledgeable professional.

So where should you look for reliable help, and how much will it cost?

Local gardeners and experts offer some advice and tips on what you should think about, and watch out for, in hiring someone to help take care of your yard or garden.

Evaluate your garden

Before you pick up the phone, take some time to look at what you have.

Walk around and make notes, even a map, of the features in your yard and problem areas or plants. Then ask yourself:

• How much do you want to do yourself, and how much are you willing to turn over to a professional? Start thinking about your budget and prioritizing the tasks to be done.

• What needs to be done weekly, monthly or less frequently? Do you need service only during the grass-cutting months or year-round help?

• Do you need a gardener with special horticultural knowledge? Or do you want a lawn service? A lawn- or yard-service company typically has many employees who move quickly through the yard and then head off for the next job. They may have little or no training in horticulture, said Jeanne McNeil, executive director of the Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association. This kind of service may be more economical, though. They typically charge by the visit and may or may not require a contract.

Your best bet is to have them stick mostly to the grass, McNeil said — even weeding can go wrong if the person doing it doesn't distinguish between a weed and a plant.

On the other hand, a gardener will have experience or training in horticulture and professional affiliations or certification. Many don't do lawns but work in the garden exclusively — pruning, transplanting, weeding, mulching and planting.

Consider hiring separately for lawn and garden care. "There's a huge difference between pruning a tree and lawn care," said Susan Papanikolas, a local garden consultant whose business is called How Does Your Garden Grow?

Where to find help

Ask friends and neighbors for a recommendation. "Go to the nicest-looking garden in the neighborhood and ask who does their maintenance," McNeil advised.

Call Plant Amnesty. It's a local gardening organization that offers a free referral service to connect homeowners with Seattle-area gardeners, landscapers, designers and more who must pass a written exam to be placed on the group's referral list: www.plantamnesty.org or 206-783-9813.

The Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association has a searchable database of its members. You also can see which ones have earned its professional certification as Certified Professional Horticulturists (CPH) by passing a written exam and demonstrating work experience: www.wsnla.org.

The Washington Association of Landscape Professionals is another trade association that offers an online database of its members: www.walp.org.

The International Society of Arboriculture certifies tree-care professionals with at least three years' experience who have passed a written exam. Search the online database: www.isa-arbor.com.

Call some of the companies whose trucks you see in your neighborhood. If they're already working in your area, you may get a better deal on the price. Many companies also advertise in particular regions.

Local nurseries also can help point you toward garden or yard help in the area.

What you'll pay

Expect to pay $30 to $50 per hour for a gardener in the Puget Sound area, said Annie Bilotta referral-service coordinator for Plant Amnesty.

If it's just lawn care you want, ask for a lawn inspection and free estimate.

You probably don't need someone with specialist credentials if the job involves just mowing, but you may get a better-quality job and more reliable service if you pay a little more, said Papanikolas.

"If you want fertilizing or aerating, look beyond the neighborhood kids, and look for those who minimize chemical use," said Papanikolas.

She works as a garden consultant at $40 an hour, showing people what plants they have and how to care for them. Prices and services vary widely. Make sure to ask whether there are dump, equipment or mileage fees, drive-time charges or other extra charges.

For comparison: Ken's Yard Service, which works mostly in West Seattle and Burien, charges on average $30 per visit for mowing only. Landcrafters works primarily in North Seattle and typically charges $35 to $45 per visit for mowing only. (Both also do gardening work for an additional fee).

Baron's Garden Partner, which works primarily on the Eastside, also does lawn care and gardening. Ann Baron said her company's fees vary from $15 to $35 an hour, depending on the skill level of the worker or workers hired.

Ruth Chaus of Rhizome d'etre works solo or sometimes coaches the homeowner side-by-side. "Some people just want you to tell them about their yard," said Chaus, who works mainly on the Eastside. She charges $60 for up to two hours' consultation, and $40 an hour to do gardening.

Exteriorscapes works primarily from Seattle north into South Snohomish County. Design manager Julie Hauser said the company charges $35 to $40 an hour per gardener hired. The company does gardening only (no lawn care), and there is a six-hour minimum.

She recommends homeowners be clear about how many people they're getting — will it be a crew or a single person?

Her company also charges a drive-time fee, meaning the clock starts ticking when the crew leaves the office and covers the drive to the homeowner's property. Many companies do this, Hauser said, but it isn't always clearly disclosed.

Making your choice

"I can't stress how important it is to get a referral," said Elaine Anderson, Master Gardener program coordinator for the Washington State University/King County Extension.

Pruning done incorrectly can harm or kill plants and shrubs, she said. Even a lawnmower in the wrong hands can be dangerous; a tree can be damaged or killed if it is repeatedly struck by a mower.

Anderson recommends a trial period. "Don't sign a contract if you can help it until you've seen the work," she said. Talk to the person who runs the company to find out about their approach and philosophy — about pesticide use, for example.

Ask about the size of the firm and the qualifications of the crew, she said. How experienced are they? Did some go through horticultural programs at local community colleges?

Ask for references and call them or drive by to check out the work.

And ask if the company is licensed, bonded and insured. That's a signal the gardener or company takes the work seriously and isn't "here today, gone tomorrow," Bilotta said.

It's best if the gardener or yard service has some kind of professional affiliation, Bilotta said. Do they belong to industry associations? Have they passed muster with Plant Amnesty? Or is someone on the crew certified by the state Nursery & Landscape Association or another organization?

Getting to work

Once you've hired someone, it helps if you can be at home the first few times "so you don't come back to find they've whacked back your prized rhododendrons," Papanikolas said.

Watch how workers get started, McNeil advised. Note their demeanor and the state of their equipment. Do they seem to know how to use the tools? Do they keep up a constant pace? Do they appear confident and accustomed to the work?

Jolayne Houtz: jhoutz@seattletimes.com