The Living Garden

Amy Heilman has been designing and implementing gardens for over 20 years and her business “The Living Garden” specializes in creating gardens of function and beauty using native plant species. 

A Michigan native herself, she learned to love the outdoors and its many ecosystems while living and working in the Upper Peninsula for 20 years. There she earned degrees in Natural Resource Management and Biology and worked in Fire Management for the Department of Natural Resources. 

A move to coastal California provided her work experience in native plant nursery operations and landscape restoration. After earning a degree in Landscape Horticulture in 2001, she began the garden design business she enjoys to this day. Her goal is to encourage homeowners to take an active role in the planning and care of their gardens and to use these spaces to learn about the natural world and the web of life they support.

She volunteers her time with several environmental organizations, including River City Wild Ones, West Michigan Land Conservancy, and the West Michigan Conservation Network.