Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in two ways: information you provide directly to us, and information collected automatically when you use our website.

Information You Provide

When you request a quote, book a service, make a purchase, or contact us, we may collect:

• Your full name, email address, phone number, and mailing or service address
• Payment information (processed securely through Stripe — we do not store card numbers on our servers)
• Details about your garden, property, or service preferences
• Any messages or notes you submit through our contact or quote forms

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address, browser type, and device information
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with trusted third parties only as necessary to operate our business:

• Stripe: Payment processing. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.
• GoHighLevel (GHL): Our CRM platform used to manage customer relationships, send automated emails, and track service history.
• Email Service Providers: Used to deliver transactional and marketing emails.
• Legal Authorities: If required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of gardenassistant.ai or others.

All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide services, maintain business records, and comply with legal obligations. Typically, customer records are retained for a minimum of three (3) years following your last transaction with us. You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 7).

5. Cookies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience. Cookies help us remember your preferences, analyze traffic, and understand how visitors interact with our site. You may disable cookies through your browser settings; however, doing so may affect the functionality of certain features on our website.

6. Data Security

We implement commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Payment transactions are encrypted using SSL technology and processed through Stripe's PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: Request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or contacting us directly.
• Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format where technically feasible.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.

9. Email Marketing

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will send you periodic emails with garden tips, plant guides, and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email or by contacting us directly. We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and other applicable email marketing laws.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

11. AI-Generated Data: Use and Protection

gardenassistant.ai offers AI-powered tools including the Garden Designer, Garden Identifier, and the Sage chatbot. When you use these tools, we collect and process certain inputs and outputs as described below.

What AI Data We Collect

• Garden Designer: Garden dimensions, style preferences, plant preferences, and any photos or descriptions you provide to generate a garden design.
• Garden Identifier: Photos of plants or garden areas you upload for identification.
• Sage Chatbot: Questions, messages, and conversation history you submit during chat sessions.

How AI-Generated Data Is Used

Data you provide to our AI tools is used solely to generate the response or output you requested. Specifically:

• AI inputs and outputs may be stored temporarily to deliver your results and improve response quality.
• We may use anonymized, aggregated AI interaction data to improve our tools over time. This data cannot be traced back to any individual user.
• We do not use your AI tool inputs to build advertising profiles or sell data to third parties.
• If you are a paying customer, AI-generated designs or recommendations may be saved to your service record to assist with future visits.

Third-Party AI Processing

Our AI tools are powered by third-party large language model (LLM) providers. When you interact with these tools, your inputs are transmitted to those providers for processing. We select providers that maintain strong data privacy commitments and do not use customer inputs to train their public models without explicit consent. We do not share your name, contact information, or payment details with AI processing providers.

Photo and Image Data

Photos you upload to the Garden Identifier or Garden Designer are processed to generate your requested output and are not shared publicly or used to train AI models without your explicit consent. Uploaded images are retained only as long as necessary to deliver your results and are deleted thereafter unless you have an active service account.

Accuracy and Limitations

AI-generated outputs — including plant identifications, garden designs, and chatbot recommendations — are provided for informational purposes only. They may contain errors or omissions and should not be relied upon as professional horticultural, landscaping, or agricultural advice. gardenassistant.ai is not liable for decisions made based solely on AI tool outputs.

Your Rights Over AI Data

You may request deletion of any AI interaction data associated with your account or email address at any time by contacting us at [email protected]. We will fulfill deletion requests within 30 days, subject to any legal retention obligations.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us: