GardenWise Design & Consulting was created to help Yakima Valley families and homeowners grow gardens that are both beautiful and practical - gardens that work with our climate, conserve water, and support the local ecology.
At GardenWise Design & Consulting, we believe beautiful gardens start from the ground up — with healthy soil, thoughtful design, and a genuine connection to the land.
Based in the Yakima Valley, we help homeowners, schools, and small farms create thriving outdoor spaces that are both functional and sustainable. From soil testing and site planning to raised-bed installations and pollinator-friendly designs, we combine horticultural expertise with a hands-on, educational approach that empowers you to care for your own space with confidence.
Our founder, Natalia Farber, brings a background in horticulture and decades of experience in garden planning, plant care, and community projects. After years in design and consulting, she returned to her roots - literally - to make gardening accessible, joyful, and deeply local again.
Our founder, Natalia Farber, brings a background in horticulture and decades of experience in garden planning, plant care, and community projects. After years in design and consulting, she returned to her roots - literally - to make gardening accessible, joyful, and deeply local again.
Whether you’re starting a vegetable garden, restoring a piece of land, or simply want to understand your soil better, GardenWise is here to guide you every step of the way.
Because gardening shouldn’t feel complicated - it should feel like home.
Natalia Farber
Guided by a lifelong connection to the land, Natalia grew up in Southwest Washington and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Washington State University, followed by a Master’s in Organizational Change Management - uniting her expertise in plant science with her insight into human growth and change.
Over the years, Natalia has worked across diverse corners of the gardening and agricultural world. In California’s Salinas Valley, she led organic farmer and incubator training programs with the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), helping beginning farmers gain the skills and confidence to launch their own businesses. Overseas, she served as a botanical researcher in west Africa with San Francisco State University and the Wildlife Conservation Society, studying how local fauna influence native forest health.
As a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer in Nicaragua, Natalia partnered with small farmers to rebuild gardens and homestead plantings after natural disasters. Later, as a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon and Idaho, she deepened her knowledge of native plant communities and ecosystem restoration.
Today, Natalia continues to share her passion for horticulture and community through volunteer work at Canyon Blooms - Petals for Patients, a nonprofit flower farm in the Yakima Valley that provides fresh floral arrangements to care centers, hospices, and nursing homes throughout the region.
What ties all of this experience together is her belief that gardens can change lives - whether it’s a backyard vegetable patch, a pollinator-friendly flower bed, or a thriving homestead.
