Philipstown, New York

The work speaks for itself.

A look at recent gardening, handywoman, and custom projects I've completed around the Philipstown area. Have something in mind for your place? I'd love to hear about it.

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Recent Work

Projects, big and small.

Every project here was completed by hand, with care. Tap a category to filter.

Garden Design & Install
4
Gardening

Garden Design & Install

Designed and planted a new garden bed from the ground up — laying out the plan, prepping the soil, and installing a mix of plantings for color through the seasons.

Wildflower Garden
3
Gardening

Wildflower Garden

Designed and installed a native wildflower garden — a low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly planting that fills in beautifully as the season goes on.

Native Pollinator Garden — Foundry Montessori
5
Gardening

Native Pollinator Garden — Foundry Montessori

Designed a native pollinator garden to control erosion on a sloped site. I supervised full removal of the invasive species, sheet-mulched with cardboard, burlap, and three inches of mulch, then sourced and planted all-native, pesticide-free plants.

Pollinator Garden Install
Gardening

Pollinator Garden Install

Planted a pollinator garden full of nectar-rich natives — a colorful, bee- and butterfly-friendly bed that blooms from spring through fall.

Invasive Plant Management
4
Gardening

Invasive Plant Management

Cut back and cleared aggressive invasive plants that had taken over the property, opening up room and light for healthy native growth to return.

Spring Yard Cleanup
2
Gardening

Spring Yard Cleanup

A full spring cleanup — cleared winter debris, cut back the beds, and edged and tidied the property so it's ready for the growing season.

Deck Revamp
4
Handywoman

Deck Revamp

Tore out the old, worn decking and installed all-new boards — a full deck rebuild, ready for summer evenings again.

Custom Fence Build
Handywoman

Custom Fence Build

Built a custom fence from scratch — posts set true and panels made on site — giving the yard privacy and a clean, finished line.

Fence Replacement
Handywoman

Fence Replacement

Replaced failing fence panels using the existing posts — new panels hung for privacy and a clean, sturdy line, without the added cost of re-setting posts.

Custom Gate Build
Handywoman

Custom Gate Build

Designed and built a custom wooden gate to fit the opening exactly — measured, made, and hung so it swings true and latches clean, built to last.

Patio Cleanup
4
Handywoman

Patio Cleanup

Cleared and refreshed a neglected patio — swept, weeded, and staged — turning an overgrown corner back into a space worth sitting in.

Patio Design & Build
Handywoman

Patio Design & Build

Designed and built a new patio from scratch — laid out the space, prepped the base, and set the surface for a durable outdoor room to gather in.

Wood Shed Build
4
Handywoman

Wood Shed Build

Built a sturdy wood shed from the ground up — framed, sided, and roofed to keep firewood dry and stacked through the winter.

Stock Tank Pool
4
Handywoman

Stock Tank Pool

Set up a stock-tank pool — leveled the site, placed the tank, and plumbed it with a filter for an easy, affordable way to cool off all summer.

Kitchen Cabinet Refresh
Handywoman

Kitchen Cabinet Refresh

Refreshed dated kitchen cabinets — cleaned, prepped, and refinished the doors and frames for a brighter kitchen without the cost of a full replacement.

Ceiling Fan Replacement
Handywoman

Ceiling Fan Replacement

Replaced an old ceiling fan with a new one — handled the wiring and mounting safely so it runs quiet, balanced, and wobble-free.

Custom Window Shelf
Handywoman

Custom Window Shelf

Built and installed a custom window shelf, measured and made to fit the opening exactly — perfect for plants or display right where the light is.

Custom Lattice Privacy Screen
3
Handywoman

Custom Lattice Privacy Screen

Designed and built a custom cedar lattice screen to close in a covered patio — framed, fitted, and set in place for privacy and shade without blocking the garden view or the breeze.

Custom Wall Art
2
Custom & Art

Custom Wall Art

A one-of-a-kind piece made from driftwood I gathered on the banks of the Hudson — the river of blue running through it traces the Hudson itself. Custom work like this is some of my favorite.

Bigfoot Lawn Cutout
Custom & Art

Bigfoot Lawn Cutout

A custom Bigfoot silhouette I cut and finished as a lawn ornament — a little woodland whimsy for the backyard. The visiting hawk picked the pose himself.

Barn Quilts
4
Custom & Art

Barn Quilts

Handmade barn quilts — traditional geometric quilt blocks painted on board to hang on a barn, shed, or fence. A piece of Hudson Valley folk tradition, made to order (and the inspiration behind our logo).

Garden Art Design & Install
3
Custom & Art

Garden Art Design & Install

Designed and built a handmade garden structure — a functional piece of art that anchors the bed, gives climbing plants a home, and adds character all year.

Custom Upholstered Headboard
Custom & Art

Custom Upholstered Headboard

Designed and made a custom upholstered headboard — built the frame, padded it, and wrapped it in fabric for a boutique-look centerpiece in the bedroom.

At work
Who's behind the work

Hi, I'm Alex Dubroff — the hands behind Hometown Handywomen.

I'm a handywoman and gardener serving homeowners across the Philipstown area, from garden design to deck repairs to one-off custom builds.

I grew up beside my father in his basement workshop, watching him fix everything in the house and build original beauty through his cabinetmaking. I loved every minute of it — but it never occurred to me that the trades could be a career for a woman, so I went to college and into technology at an investment bank instead.

Years later, raising a family, I did the work myself anyway: redid our kitchen, laid a patio, rebuilt the deck, built wood sheds, replaced lawn with garden beds, hung shelves, drywalled and painted every room in the house. I had the skills all along. I just never saw them as a livelihood.

That changed when I found myself starting over. My landlord asked if I'd take on a gardening job because he'd seen what I could do — and everything clicked. I'd been building toward this my whole life without knowing it.

Fully insured, women-owned, and always happy to talk through what you have in mind.

Read my journal, One Ordinary Day →
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Reviews

What neighbors are saying.

I'm grateful for every homeowner who's trusted me with their place. If we've worked together, I'd love to hear how it went.

So far we have hired Alex to do two jobs for us; a general garden cleanup in late spring, and to build a decorative lattice barrier on our back porch. Alex is wonderful to work with; she listens, collaborates, is hardworking and delivers exactly what she promises. She is very knowledgeable, organized, fairly priced, provides detailed estimates for all work discussed, and completes her projects on time. In addition- Alex is creative, open to new ideas, and loves Dash, our Jack Russell Terrier. I would not hesitate to recommend her for any household or garden project, She also comes with her own tools and supplies. We've gotten many compliments already on the jobs she's done for us and look forward to working with her again.
Sally and Pete Smith · Cold Spring
Alex did an amazing job reviving my garden, digging up vines that had taken over while still preserving multiple plantings. My garden is now thriving! Thank you, Alex!
Linda B.
Alex is the best! Incredibly hardworking, knowledgeable and skilled, and a delight to work with. So far, she has done mostly yard cleanup for me. Weeds were overtaking my yard. She cleared along a fence and on my patio, which had weeds springing up between pavers. I have many more projects in mind, when she has the time to fit me in!
Elizabeth G.
Alex puts her heart and soul into every project. She is professional and hard working and delivers everything you ask for and more. She has true expertise in her field and is environmentally conscious. Most of all she is a joy to have around!
Karen K.
Let's talk

Want work like this at your place?

Serving homeowners across the Philipstown area. Reach out about your project and I'll get right back to you.

Are you a skilled craftswoman?

Some jobs need more than one woman. If you work with your hands — carpentry, gardening, painting, tiling, and everything in between — and you'd like to team up on bigger jobs around Philipstown, I'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch about working together