Get one-on-one advice from an ecological gardening expert
Are you looking to plant a native garden but don't know where to start? Do you need help deciding what to plant and where? Or how to maintain your garden in an environmentally sound way? Native Plant Trust’s Garden Consulting Program can help!
Transform Your Landscape
Transform your yard into a beautiful, sustainable landscape and a habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. Guidelines for the Native Plant Trust Garden Consulting Program have been developed in coordination with our Horticulture staff so you can be confident that your project is based on the principles of ecological gardening. Our consultant will help you work along with nature, choose the right native plants for your conditions, and show you how to maintain your garden without chemicals.
Advice Tailored To You and Your Garden
Our garden consultant will come to your home, walk your property and have a one-on-one conversation with you about your garden project. No matter the size of your garden, your level of experience as a gardener, or the extent of your project, your questions are their priority during your time together. If you would like additional consultation, help shopping for plants, a detailed write-up of your conversation or a garden plan drawn up, our consultant can help.
Our Garden Consulting Program Can Help You…
- Increase the proportion of native plants in your garden, working towards a goal of 70% native to support a healthy ecosystem.
- Manage invasive species on your property.
- Design an entirely new landscape featuring native trees, shrubs, vines and wildflowers.
- Plant a pollinator garden to attract bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife.
- Troubleshoot a difficult to grow spot on your property.
- Replace your lawn with native alternatives.
- Learn to maintain your garden using ecologically sound methods.
Schedule Your Consultation
Initial consultations lasting approximately 1 hour are available for booking on our scheduling app here → Garden Consulting Program Scheduler.
Additional services including follow-up consultations, personal shopping and write-ups can be booked after completing your initial consultation by emailing gardenconsulting@nativeplanttrust.org.
Services and pricing
See our list of available services
Initial At-Home Consultation: A property visit with walk through and a conversation lasting approximately 1 hour. ($250, extended travel fee may apply)
Follow-Up At-Home Consultation: A property visit with walk through and conversation, duration to be determined. ($100 per hour, initial consultation required, extended travel fee may apply)
Detailed Write-Up: ($100 per hour, initial consultation required)
Personal Shopping: Client and consultant meet at the Garden in the Woods or Nasami Farm and select plants for client purchase. Client membership discounts will apply. ($100 per hour, initial consultation required)
Meet the Experts
Learn more about our garden consultants and their experience
Trevor Smith
Trevor Smith is an award-winning regenerative landscape designer and the founder of ReEarth Solutions. He is passionate about the natural world which inspires his commitment to sustainable landscaping practices in an era of climate change. He specializes in green infrastructure, native plant design, habitat creation, and implementation of ecological design principles. Trevor is also passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience and is the host of the podcast Peace, Love & Pollinators, the live, online, “ask the expert” event Tuesdays with Trevor and the Hive-Mind for Business Owners, a program of the Ecological Landscape Alliance. In his newest endeavour as a Garden Consultant with the Native Plant Trust, Trevor is excited to offer site specific plant and project suggestions, empowering everyone to create successful native gardens in their own space!
Stephen Kiely
Stephen Kiely is the principal designer of Kiely Ecological Landscapes, where he focuses on creating native plant gardens based on natural communities across Massachusetts. From 2022-2025, he worked at Native Plant Trust on the Public Programs team, helping to educate new and veteran gardeners in New England, while managing his design practice. He is currently pursuing his Master's degree in Ecological Design at The Conway School of Landscape Design in Northampton, MA. He's delighted to be part of the Garden Consulting Program at Native Plant Trust and help people across the region create beautiful, ecologically-beneficial gardens!
