About Us

  Hello, I’m Rebecca Winter. I am Smartyplants.

A career horticulturist since I was in college, I’ve worked in many different roles before settling into Smartyplants. 

After 15 educational years working for other garden and landscape businesses, I realized that to obtain the position I wanted I would have to create it. It did not exist anywhere I worked. That’s when this little garden company was born. 

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I wanted a position where I was actively managing gardens. I wanted to stop being affiliated with companies that apply toxic products that harm wildlife. And I also wanted to spend my winter season traveling to warm climates in search of new plants to trial in my northeast gardens. 

Since 2014, I have spent the winters traveling and working. I have worked in the nursery trade and completed landscape design projects in central Texas and more recently in Southwest Florida. 

When my winter work adventures conclude, I pack up the collection of plants I’ve amassed to bring home to trial in the New England summer landscape.

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Through my travels (and regular life experiences) I have learned that the more diversity we embrace, the more we can potentially learn. And the more time we spend with people who are different than ourselves, the more we find we have in common. At Smartyplants Design, we promote a culture of inclusivity. 

Gardening is for everyone. 

Gardens should be a place of sanctuary for all beings. We approach land care with a commitment to sustainability, selecting plant material that will flourish with minimal resources and contribute to a healthy, diverse ecosystem. 

In an era of unprecedented global pesticide and herbicide use, it is rare to find a company that exclusively utilizes only the safest techniques for people, pets and pollinators. Wellness begins in the garden and we are conscious of our role in keeping the planet and all of its occupants healthy.

This company was created to perform routine garden maintenance for the discerning garden enthusiast. 

We’re purposefully cultivating ecosystems and caring for the creatures living within them. We listen intently to our clients and adhere to their preferences while offering ecologically sound advice and guidance. We pay attention to the details. We want our clients to have a successful and healthy garden because we want to be invited back to assist in the next garden project. And the one after that! We may be in the garden business but we recognize that what we really do is build relationships. 

If this is the type of company you’re looking to work with, we look forward to hearing from you. 

We are a small business. We do not function like a large firm and we like it this way. We take our time and get to know you so we can customize your gardens to your specific tastes and preferences. What sets us apart is our plant knowledge. When we approach a new design, the world is at our fingertips. We regularly work with a vast array of materials seldom acknowledged by most landscape companies. We have fostered relationships with numerous growers throughout the state of Connecticut and as a result, we have access to a diverse selection of materials.