ABOUT

SERVICES

RESOURCES

CONTACT

native landscapes right outside
your door.

create a
flourishing ecosystem

in your own backyard.

Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Colorgarden is your local resource for creating living yards and landscapes that attract birds, butterflies and native bees while providing beautiful environments for humans.

Don’t know where to start? We can help. 

about marcella.

Walking with people who are ready for a change.
 

Several years ago, when I started exploring the world of native plants, I knew that I had landed on my choice for a second career. As an academic scholar in Clean Water Partner’s Watershed Leadership Academy, I considered options for how I could have a greater impact in my community. I enrolled in Mt. Cuba’s Ecological Gardening Certificate program. It was a perfect match. I started noticing plants everywhere. I discovered the complexity of finding the right plant for the right place. Light conditions, soil type, soil health, moisture content, bloom times, height ranges are all elements that go into creating a design for a yard. The foundation for designing inspiring places is knowing the plants. Every day brings new learning and discovery. I hope to engage my clients in this exciting adventure. 

Marcy lives in Lancaster, PA, with her husband, Monte Garber. She is the proud mother of two adult daughters, Madeline and Maia. In addition to her passion for native plants, Marcy loves music, travel, hiking, and learning languages. 

let's work together

to turn your property into
a living habitat.

When considering a change to your landscape, some questions may emerge. It is important to address your fears and obstacles - Will it look too messy? What will the neighbors think? Will the bees sting? Will this create a lot more work? Can I afford this? Does this need to happen all at once or can it go in stages? These are all valid concerns. Colorgarden will help you create a path through new ideas and possibilities. Open communication is a priority. It is a process. Change doesn't happen overnight. It can take several years for plants to become established. We are excited to travel that path along with you.

my services.

consultation

maintenance

installATION

design

Learn more about our offerings:

- Janneke

"Marcy turned our boring backyard into one with flower beds brimming with colorful native plants that bloom throughout the season. Butterflies and birds in the yard have increased and delight us. She’s taken great initiative in suggesting plantings for us, explaining her choices and their impact on native habitat and the beauty of our garden."


- Susan

"Working with Marcy and her crew has been a delight. I was literally in the weeds with aggressive natives and invasive plants. They have turned my garden around. No easy feat for two acres."

- Ryan and Keara

"We couldn’t be happier with the work that ColorGarden has done restoring our backyard. When we moved to Lancaster, our yard had been neglected for many years. ColorGarden completely rebuilt our landscaping using only native plants and natural techniques. From design, to planning, to execution the team did an outstanding job and made our backyard perfect for us and for the environment.”

nurseries

glossary

resources for you.

Goodbye grass, hello pollinators.

As more people request native plants, they become easier to find at nurseries in our area. The more consumers request native plants, the more this supply is likely to grow. Check out the resources below to discover local nurseries and learn more about the movement to reclaim native plants. If you would like to know more about why native plants matter, check out this article!

get in touch.

Marcella Hostetler

717.413.7054

colorgardenllc@gmail.com

Please feel free to email or text me if you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation.

Designed with care by La Loba Creative Co.

Photography by Shelby Hostetler

© 2024

We will schedule a time to meet with you on-site to explore options for plantings and layouts to achieve the future habitat you envision. Use the email below to tell us more about your project size, challenges and timelines. After the first consultation, you will receive a list of plants that fit well into the unique areas of your property. 

initial garden consultation

Call for a quote!

regular garden maintenance

call for free quote*

Colorgarden gives you several options for maintenance. You may choose to do your own maintenance. Or we can work with you or independently once a month, biweekly, or weekly. This is tailored to each individual’s needs. But we recommend that there is a maintenance plan, particularly when young plants are involved, especially until they are established. Neglect may lead to poor plant health or mortality. Weeds can choke desired plants. And adequate hydration is required the first year of a plant's life. 


* Cost is based on the demands of the site.

We carefully craft hand-drawn designs that are created to match your yard and your goals. This will factor in soil conditions, sun exposure, moisture level, size, color, blooming time and plant combinations. There is a focus on including keystone species. It takes up to 3 years for a garden or meadow to become established. Please be patient as your yard begins its transition!

plant focused
garden design

Ask for a free design estimate.

Please make sure plants are properly planted and are sourced from chemical free nurseries. This requires Colorgarden staff who understand planting techniques. The health of a new plant relies on proper depth, soil treatment, and hydration. We are happy to do that for you! 

garden installation

Price provided upon design sign-off.

Orefield, PA - Contains more established, larger native plants. Located about 50 miles from Lancaster. If you want to start with more established plants, this is the place to go. The website is an excellent resource of native plants needed for various environments and situations (deer resistant, rain garden appropriate, drought tolerant, etc.) 

York, PA - A native plant nursery offering organically-grown seeds and native plants, including many local ecotypes.

hungry hook farm

York, PA - Associated with the Horn Farm in York, PA, Calyx Native Nursery specializes in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast native plant species with a special focus on those that are threatened or endangered. 

calyx native nursery

local nurseries.

edge of the woods

Strasburg, PA - A small operation about 10 miles south of Lancaster. Requires appointment ahead of time, but very easy to arrange.

butterfly oasis

Millersville, PA - Schroeder Gardens is a 46 acre family farm that grows chemical free native trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Schroeder gardens

Orefield, PA 

York, PA

York, PA

Strasburg, PA

Millersville, PA

native plant

invasive plant

glossary.

keystone species

green (living) mulch

neonicotinoids

exotic plant

Click through to learn more about each term.

Plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature and do not support wildlife as well as native plants. 

exotic plant

Planting native plants closely together, in place of traditional mulches, to help suppress weed growth, keep taller plant root systems cool and moist, and provide habitat for wildlife. 

green (living) mulch

Invasives are non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and a species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.
(US Department of Agriculture)

invasive plant

A keystone species, which can be any organism, from animals and plants to bacteria and fungi—is the glue that holds a habitat together. It may not be the largest or most plentiful species in an ecological community, but if a keystone is removed, it sets off a chain of events that turns the structure and biodiversity of its habitat into something very different. Although all of an ecosystem’s many components are intricately linked, these are the living things that play a pivotal role in how their ecosystem functions. (Natural Resources Defense Council)

keystone species

Native plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years, and therefore offer the most sustainable habitat. A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction. Native plants help the environment the most when planted in places that match their growing requirements. They will thrive in the soils, moisture and weather of your region. That means less supplemental watering, which can be wasteful, and pest problems that require toxic chemicals. Native plants also assist in managing rain water runoff and maintain healthy soil as their root systems are deep and keep soil from being compacted. (National Wildlife Federation)

native plant

Neonics are a class of synthetic, neurotoxic insecticides that are used on agricultural crops, lawns, gardens, golf courses, and in flea and tick pet treatments. Developed in the mid-1990s, neonics are now the single-most popular insecticide class in the United States. The way they work is by permanently binding to the nerve cells of insects, overstimulating and destroying them. Exposed insects often exhibit uncontrollable shaking and twitching followed by paralysis before eventually dying. Even at nonlethal doses, neonics can weaken critical functions, such as an insect’s immune system, navigation, stamina, memory, and fertility. (Natural Resources Defense Council)

neonicotinoids

Plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature and do not support wildlife as well as native plants. 

new word

Plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature and do not support wildlife as well as native plants. 

new word

Plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature and do not support wildlife as well as native plants. 

new word