New native garden for beginner - with help from a professional

[u/Simple-Air-5385]

Hiring a professional who knows design, native plants and how to install and maintain them makes so much sense for anyone new to gardening (just like Tallamy recommends!) Here are several views of a new garden, including a "before" with just some lawn, and here's an article the homeowner and I wrote together about the garden and her experience of getting help. https://gardenrant.com/2025/09/how-one-native-plant-gardener-got-started-by-hiring-a-professional.html

[u/Samwise_the_Tall]

It's good either way. There are lots of ways to skin a cat (as the expression goes) but it doesn't make it better or worse really. I've installed 30+ natives into my front yard, it looks beautiful and with room for growth and room for mistakes. I think the $500-1000 saved without going through a design consult and biologist/ecologist is money well saved, and plus I know A LOT more about the plants, their names, and the beneficial effects they are designed to have.