Sweetgum Horticulture

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Sweetgum Horticulture Sustainable garden design, natural outdoor play spaces for children, organic vegetable gardens, coaching in fine gardening skills. Sustainable design . . .

Serving clients in the Metro West communities of Boston, MA, including Wellesley, Weston and Newton. Why I started Sweetgum Horticulture

Playful gardens . . . I love playing outside with my children; looking at our flowers and all the little winged creatures that visit them; hanging sheets on the clothesline surrounded by fragrant vines; carrying our kitchen scraps through the dappled sunlight on the little path in the woods to the compost bin; and snuggling in our hammock under the trees. I would like to help you arrange your landscape and gardens to get as much joy from them as we do from ours. In the spring of 2011, I was sitting in a talk by Doug Tallamy, the author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. He was explaining how homeowners can plant their yards with a diverse mix of native trees, shrubs and perennials to provide habitat that helps compensate for the rapidly dwindling food and shelter sources of our native songbirds. Suddenly, it dawned on me that I could use my yard as a means of creating biodiversity. With a little more research, I also discovered that my gardening choices could result in reduced home heating and cooling needs, slowing and filtering rainwater, and capturing carbon. Together, all the home landscapes designed with these goals in mind can have a significant positive effect on the environment. With my thoughtful design suggestions, you too can join the sustainable landscaping movement.

A warm autumn welcome, even on a rainy day.Evergreen foliage and sculptural seed pods give these planters their shape, ...
10/16/2026

A warm autumn welcome, even on a rainy day.

Evergreen foliage and sculptural seed pods give these planters their shape, while pumpkins bring a familiar touch of fall.

Grateful for our Sweetgum crew, who brought these together with care and good humor through the rain.

A shade garden can do more than fill a difficult part of the yard. A winding path, layered foliage, contrasting textures...
10/16/2026

A shade garden can do more than fill a difficult part of the yard. A winding path, layered foliage, contrasting textures, small flowers and a quiet place to pause can make it one of the most inviting parts of the garden.

The best shade gardens do not reveal everything at once. They encourage you to slow down, notice the details and keep exploring.

Save these seven steps for planning your own shade garden. Link in bio to request a consultation.

10/14/2026

A garden can hold your attention long after the flowers fade.

These details are worth making room for when you design a garden.

What matters most to you in a fall garden? Tell us in the comments.

The house was finished. The landscape was just beginning.This West Newton garden began in 2013 with compacted soil, open...
10/12/2026

The house was finished. The landscape was just beginning.

This West Newton garden began in 2013 with compacted soil, open views and a wish list that would take shape over time.

The work unfolded in thoughtful phases, beginning with care for the existing oaks and the planting of new shade trees. Stone walls and walkways gave the garden structure, while layered planting gradually brought privacy, seasonal interest, food and habitat.

More than a decade later, the garden has grown into the original vision. What feels settled now is the result of thoughtful design and years of careful garden care.

Read all three parts of the West Newton case study through the link in our bio.

Your October garden still needs you.At Sweetgum, fall care means preparing for next spring while keeping the garden welc...
10/09/2026

Your October garden still needs you.

At Sweetgum, fall care means preparing for next spring while keeping the garden welcoming to wildlife. We’re planting bulbs and checking soil moisture, with healthy seed heads left standing for the birds.

Swipe through to see what we’re working on this month, and save the final checklist for your own garden.

Can you spot our little visitor in the first photo?This toad found shelter inside the hollow of an aging tree. Fallen le...
10/07/2026

Can you spot our little visitor in the first photo?

This toad found shelter inside the hollow of an aging tree. Fallen leaves, decaying wood, and undisturbed corners give garden wildlife places to hide, rest, and overwinter.

Ecological garden care isn’t about leaving everything untouched. It’s about knowing what to tidy and what still has an important purpose.

Swipe for a closer look.

10/05/2026

In this shade garden, repeated foliage shapes and generous plant groupings carry the eye through the space. The planting feels abundant, but repetition keeps everything connected.

Before adding another new plant, look at what is already thriving. Repeating it may be the design move your garden needs.

Interested in creating a more cohesive garden? Request a consultation through the link in our bio.

Before your houseplants come back inside, give them a little attention.After a summer outdoors, our team is gently rinsi...
10/02/2026

Before your houseplants come back inside, give them a little attention.

After a summer outdoors, our team is gently rinsing the foliage and removing dead or damaged leaves. A careful check beneath leaves, along stems, and around pots helps spot pests before they come indoors, too.

Move plants inside before cold nights arrive. Keep them separate from your other houseplants for about two weeks, continuing to check for any unwanted visitors.

Choose a spot with suitable light, away from radiators, heating vents, and cold drafts near doors or windows.

A little care now helps them settle into their winter home.

Your October garden to-do list may be shorter than you think.Instead of cutting everything back and hauling every leaf a...
10/01/2026

Your October garden to-do list may be shorter than you think.

Instead of cutting everything back and hauling every leaf away, move leaves into garden beds and let healthy stems and seed heads remain. Clear paths, remove diseased material, then leave the rest of the garden working.

Leaves and stems provide winter habitat. Seed heads feed birds. Beneficial insects help keep many pests in balance, which can reduce the need for routine pesticide use. Ecological care isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about knowing what not to disturb.

Save this list before you begin your fall cleanup.

Before a bumblebee even lands, an invisible connection is already at work.As it flies, a bumblebee can build a small pos...
09/29/2026

Before a bumblebee even lands, an invisible connection is already at work.

As it flies, a bumblebee can build a small positive electrical charge. Flowers are usually negatively charged relative to the surrounding air. That difference helps pollen lift toward the bee and cling to its fuzzy body.

A flower’s electrical field also changes briefly after it is visited, potentially helping the next bumblebee decide whether it is worth stopping.

Planting a succession of pollen- and nectar-rich flowers supports these quiet relationships throughout the growing season.

Save this for the next time you watch a bumblebee at work. Then plant one more flower for pollinators.

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Natick, MA

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