“NPLD is terrific to work with, from design through installation. We hired them for a major backyard renovation: a full design and planting of over 500 native Virginia plants, large and small.
Principal Designer Elisa has an encyclopedic knowledge of Virginia plants, and her design document was superb — covering planting locations, species, hardscape elements, and which existing plants were worth saving. The installation crew was timely, thorough, and left the site clean when they finished.”

Gary Dayton / July, 2026

“Thrilled with our gorgeous, low maintenance native plant garden by Native Plant Landscape Design! Elisa and her team were incredible to work with. They provided experienced guidance throughout the design, installation, and after care process. They really listened to our needs and far exceeded our expectations. We’re so happy to support this locally owned and operated business and we can’t wait to work with them again in the future!”

Katia Bennett / June, 2026

“We have done three landscaping projects with NPLD at our home and every single one has been a wonderful, positive experience. We worked with Elisa who is knowledgeable and creative and very responsive to questions and concerns. Her teams are friendly and do very high quality work. Communication is top-notch. If you are considering a native landscaping project, they are definitely worthy of your consideration.”

Ibis Jacquel / June, 2026

“If you are looking for a cookie cutter landscape design and install, then Native Plant is NOT the company for you. But if you want a fresh design incorporating native plants, color, and thoughtful touches, then I can't recommend Native Plant highly enough. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Elisa and her team. She listened carefully to what we were looking for (updating a tired looking 20-year old Arlington front yard), educated us on the benefits of native plants, and designed an outstanding plan that incorporated elements of our landscape we wanted to maintain and that was tailored to our moisture and light levels. The attention to detail was outstanding -- I was particularly impressed with the personnel that came to test the soil and observe the light at different times of the day. Elisa personally oversaw the install and the entire team was professional and knowledgeable. We couldn't be happier with the outcome. We can't wait for spring!”

Laura Cressey / December, 2025

“Elisa and her incredible team at Native Plant Landscape Design have transformed our yard from an empty lot to a vibrant seasonal garden that has become our favorite part of our home. She and her team are experts at what they do, and really listen -- and truly welcome -- their client's feedback. Her vision for our outdoor space was even better and more beautiful than we imagined, and nearly three years on we continue to work with the Native Plant Landscape Design team for maintenance, and to add more trees and plants to bring even more vibrancy and texture to the yard. Her crew is prompt, knowledegable, and truly a pleasure. I highly recommend.”

Shannon Gilson / August, 2025

“Elisa and her team just completed a big install for us in Burke. They were all a pleasure to work with from design to finish and flexible in changing to meet our preferences even as the planting went forward. I found it particularly impressive how friendly and positive every one of the installers themselves were. After working long days in the hot sun, I wouldn't be so nice and it says a lot about the company leadership. Without even being asked, they all kindly gathered for a moment of silence while planting a tree in memory of my mother. All the plants were top quality, and when one dogwood wasn't up to her standards, Elisa had two more brought out without our asking to make sure we received the best quality -- extra work and cost for her we didn't even expect or request. We could not recommend Elisa and her company more highly.”

Edward Grass / May, 2024

“We had a huge area of our yard re-landscaped in native plants. We are so glad we chose NPLD to do the work. Everything about the process was so well done - design, demolition, installation. Elisa Meara and her team were a joy to work with. I will definitely use them again. Our gardens are gorgeous!”

Joan Feerick / June, 2026

“This company was doing some great work for my neighbor, and were willing to work with me for a small job while they were here. They were very flexible on pricing, and did the work the same day we agreed to it. Elisa is a great person to work with, and she very clearly know the science of the area's plant ecology around here!”

Greg K. / November, 2025

“I had the pleasure of working with Elisa for a consultation. She gave great advice for my tiny city garden. I appreciated her warm manner as well as the information she was able to share with me.”

Gillian Economou / November, 2025

“Since the initial installation was such a wonderful success, we have expanded our project. Once again, the experience was amazing. As we were going through the design, it was clear that both Rasa and Elisa could "see" what I wanted in the design. Anyone who loves spending time in their garden should have the chance to experience the pure joy of working with this team and turn their dreams into a reality. Thank you again.”

Heidi Allen / October, 2023

“It was a pleasurable experience working with Elisa, the landscape designer, and her coworkers. They are very professional and knowledgeable and worked diligently to come up with the landscape design that met our vision for our backyard. They subcontract workers to install the plants and do the landscaping. They were on site during the installation to make sure the work is done in accordance with our approved design and to their high standards. They communicated with us often to check that we were okay with project as it proceeded. The total cost may have been above average but so was their work and our newly landscaped back yard.”

Frank Stanonik / May, 2023

“We had a significant part of our yard redone, removing tired old ground cover, replacing it with beautiful native plants. NPLD communicated well and included our needs in the plan; the plant selection was fabulous and they made sure all the plants were healthy when delivered. The crew did a great job moving or removing the old plants, and making sure the new ones were off to a good start. Follow-up care information is great too. Two months on, the plantings are in good shape, always something in bloom to attract insects and birds. It makes me happy just to look at it all. The photos are shortly after installation, most of the plants have grown quite a bit since, and of course will fill in more each year.”

Eileen D. / April, 2023

“If you are thinking about a garden of native plants — and you should — then read more on this website about Elisa Meara and her team. Then give her a call.

We came to Native Plant Landscape Design having grown unhappy with both the design and the plants that came from working with a major local garden center.

We wanted a garden that provides more than hillside drain-off control as the earlier one did, not only to have an attractive landscape, but also to have a garden that supports plants native to NOVA. With native plants, we could build an ecosystem that provides food and shelter to bees and other pollinators. Once we committed ourselves to getting rid of the old, we quickly found the NPLD team through the Plant NOVA Natives website. In August, 2022, we gave Elisa Meara a call, and she invited us to her own garden to show what is possible.

We must emphasize Elisa Meara’s thought, planning, and resource preparation. After a site survey and soil analysis, we received a detailed multi-page garden design last fall, 5-6 months before work started. When the time came, Meara didn’t leave the dirt work to others. We saw her working in the soil, planning where each plant should go and then digging in. After a week of intense work in April, Elisa and her team stood back and watered. And now our large garden is thriving, and passers-by make us happy with their unsolicited compliments.

Thank you Native Plant Landscape Design.”

Phillipe duChateau / March, 2023

“Native Plant Landscape Design completed a backyard project for us in the fall of 2021 and we couldn't be happier. After years of battling bamboo, a lawn of weeds, dying trees and so many other invasive plants ourselves, we finally had a blank slate and reached out to Elisa for help.

She is brilliant. She created the most beautiful design, recommended a company for the install, and kept close communication throughout the whole process. It's been about a year and we are continuously blown away by the thought she put into each and every plant selection. We have seen so many different butterflies that we purchased a Northern Virginia butterfly and skipper guide to keep up. We also have at least 6 different kinds of bees and we see goldfinches, dragonflies, and hummingbirds regularly now.

Elisa helped transform our backyard into something truly special. We are looking forward to seeing how things grow and change with the seasons in the years to come.”

Rosalyn Linshaw / March, 2023

“Native Plant Landscape Design Corp. provided us with a design for a native garden for our front yard that is easy for us to maintain (per our request). We wanted native plants that would attract pollinators. Elisa also recommened a landscaper to install the design and ordered the plants for us. And all we can say is "wow"! We installed one part of it in the fall and the second part the following spring. This is our first full summer with both parts and we have hummingbirds, at least four different kinds of butterflies, including monarchs, and four or more types of bees, as well as other types of birds we have not seen before and dragonflies. Elisa and her team are very easy to work with. We did have a couple of plants that did not do well for various reasons, and Elisa came to look at the plants so she could help us troubleshoot or try some different alternative plants. We are very pleased with the garden and we constantly receive compliments from passer-bys. We can not recommend Native Plant Landscape Design Corp highly enough.”

Jennifer LaRoche / March, 2023