Helen Yoest believes that environmental stewardship starts at home. Her first line of defense for any problem will be organic. As a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Helen would much rather spend a day in a garden than anywhere indoors.

Lifelong gardening enthusiast; just understanding what it means to garden….
Helen has been gardening since a young child with her father as her mentor. In those early years, they grew vegetables sprinkled with a few roses. Today, with interests in ornamental horticulture, Helen coaches other gardeners in the Triangle area.  Helen’s own garden is a half-acre wildlife habitat in Raleigh, NC, named Helen’s Haven.

Garden Writer
As a award winning lifestyle garden writer, Helen’s work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Country  Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, Christian Science Monitor, Fine Gardening, Carolina Gardening, Triangle Gardener, and many local magazines. Helen is the author of  Gardening with Confidence –50 Ways to add style for personal creativity, Gardening with Confidence® is a gardening book for beginners as well as for the seasoned gardener.

Garden Scout and Stylist
As a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens, and Traditional Home, as well as Southern Living magazine, Helen continually scouts great gardens for inclusion in these publications.

When a garden is chosen for publication, Helen works with the magazines to produce the story and with photographers to style the photo shoot. We also bring this service to our clients. Helen will style and arrange your sunroom, garden room, potting shed, porch, deck, or patio to achieve your signature look.

Garden Art Curator
Helen is passionate about adding garden art to the private landscape, and teaching people how to do so effectively, enhancing both the garden and gardener. Through her contacts across the nation, Helen matches garden art to the right place in her client’s gardens. Helen has brokered sales from $100.00 to $200,000.

Garden Speaker
A popular and enthusiastic speaker, Helen enjoys speaking to groups on a variety of garden related topics.

Garden Promoter for the Horticultural Industry

Helen works with companies launching a new horticultural product to gain with social media presences and magazine placement.

Garden Volunteer

• Since 2008 – Board of Advisors, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University
• 2005 – 2009  - Representative for the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program
• Since 2006  - JCRA Gala in the Garden Committee
• Since 2006 – Team Leader, Raleigh Garden Club/JCRA Winter Garden Maintenance Committee
• Since 2007 – Team Leader, JCRA Butterfly Garden Maintenance Committee with a youth group
• Since 2006 – Chair, committee to promote the JCRA
• 2009 – Garden Writers Association Local committee, 2009 Raleigh meeting
  Education
• 2010 – Garden Writers Association Awards committee, Washington D.C.

• 2012 Honorary member Pi Alpha Xi
• 2012 Garden Writers Association Silver award

B.S. Environmental Science and Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
M.S. Environmental Science and Engineering, Brunell University, London, England

Helen’s Haven is a certified Wildlife Habitat, Bird Habitat, and Monarch Watch Station, as well as NC certified native habitat.