Christina's Garden

Gardening services in the hilltowns

Let me bring some magic from my garden to yours!

I will share my plants with you and the experience I’ve gained growing them in my garden for many years. I can also help you to work with what you already have, to help you maintain, expand, and enhance your garden.

I am a gardener, a yoga teacher, and former dancer and mother of two grown sons, living in Western Massachusetts. I have completed the Master Gardeners program with UMass Extension, and three apprenticeships in gardening and herbalism. I have been growing native plants, shade plants, herbs, vegetables, perennial and annual plants, and rare woodland plants for the past twenty five years.

Come and visit my garden to collect plants and inspiration. Or, invite me for a free consultation in your garden to talk about caring for what you have, and maybe planting something new!

Testimonials

“Christina Gabriel is an exhuberent gardener and something of a plant-whisperer in her Ashfield home landscape. Her garden is always bursting with offshoots and seedlings of beautiful perennials for woodland and sun—mostly native plants and a few irresistible ornamentals. Her special knowledge of medicinal plants allows her to concoct restorative infusions for health and spirit. Her gardening skills are deep, her successes seem effortless, and her company is inspiring. Truly a gardener’s delight.”

- Ruah Donnelly

“Christina is a knowledgeable, hard-working gardener and a pleasure to be with. Her passion and love for plants is rewarded by a profusion of gorgeous flowers. She creates happy gardens!”

- Ute Stebich

“Christina’s brilliant relationship with plants goes beyond what I can understand. Not only has she internalized their Latin names, pH preferences and bloom times, but she understands their healing properties and how best to extract their medicine. She knows what they want to thrive and she knows what they can give to help us thrive. And if you’re not interested in any of that, well, she will plant you a gorgeous garden, plain and simple.”

- Janice Sorensen

”Christina Gabriel's vision and goddess-like touch can create magic in any garden. As with the celestial dancing fairies she planted in my garden, otherwise known as Cimicifuga. Fortunately I had some time to practice getting the name to roll off my tongue easily before the ballet of these magnificent native plants transpired, taking my breath away. With all the contrasts in the world today, it warms my heart to hear people say how my gardens make them smile.”

- Ricki Carroll

”Working with Christina in the flower garden that she established with me a couple of years ago was a joy. She is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and a lot of fun. The plants that Christina has access to worked well in my flower garden, and her periodic showing up is always a learning experience for me. The project has surely been a treat, visually and experientially.”

- Peter Curtis

“When I first met Christina two years ago, I wasn’t looking for someone to build or take care of my garden, but rather a ‘gardening buddy’ to garden with me and teach me how to become a better gardener. Little did I know I would find a wonderfully wise and inspirational teacher and an even more wise and wonderful friend. Now I have a hard time imagining not sharing my garden with her. And her plants are extraordinary too!!”

- Judy Cole

“Christina's deep rooted relationship with the plants, beautiful garden designs, and delight in each special bloom and unique foliage is contagious and inspiring. Christina remarkably makes a mental note and remembers the plants I have admired and sometimes one of them will show up at my doorstep by surprise!”

- Mary Link

Services and Fees

I offer a free initial consultation, to walk your property and understand its special possibilities and your ideas about how much time and energy you would like to devote to your garden.

I enjoy working with clients to establish and maintain perennial borders, herb gardens, and beds with small shrubs and annuals. I can also assist with light pruning of established shrubs. I do not provide large scale landscaping services like tree planting, mowing, etc.

I am happy to work side-by-side with you, making some visits gardening lessons to boost your confidence and joy in spending time in your garden. As a yoga teacher, I can also show you how to move carefully and efficiently while you work.

If you are interested, here is a link for my yoga classes: https://yogainthegarden.mailchimpsites.com

I can provide many varieties of plants from my garden at a discount. You can also visit me at the Ashfield farmers market, sunshiny Saturdays in early and late summer!

I can also provide large and small bouquets for events and celebrations.

My fee is $60 per hour plus a travel fee for locations farther than 20 minutes from my home in Ashfield, MA. For bigger jobs establishing new garden beds or maintaining large spaces, I can bring my assistant and our combined fee is $90 per hour.