““Teresa is so passionate about what she does. When we first met her we could see that she clearly loves what she is doing. She took notes on what we do for hobbies, where we grew up, what plants we like, and what we wanted our yard to look like. We didn’t have a vision but when Teresa present her first draft we fell in love with it. She included in the plans pine trees to match where my husband grew up, we didn’t even think of that. When my husband saw them in the design, he was very pleased. She designed a combo spot for my yoga hobby and lounging. We will be using her recommend contractor and I can’t wait for the end results and our design to come to life.””
“Glorious! We SO treasure the mesmerizing garden experience you’ve given us, Teresa. Thank you again...and forever. Our souls connect with our Maker in this beautiful garden with its charming creek. Wow! ”
“Happy St. Patrick’s Day! These pictures don’t do it justice but the landscaping is just stunning right now. So much color and everything has filled in so beautifully! Everything is so pretty, you’re welcome to pop over anytime! ”
“Teresa did the landscape design for my modern lakefront house and helped selecting from three landscape companies. Once we decided on the company that implemented the design, she was extremely involved in the process and kept the landscaper on his toes. Her knowledge base of plant material is extensive and while she emphasizes a Florida-friendly approach approach, she is not dogmatic by using only Florida native plants, as some nursery owners are that sell Florida native plant material only. While I was initially worried about being "overpowered" by her (she is a strong woman with strong opinions), she is flexible enough to accept change and opposite opinions. An additional positive aspect is her being very accessible by text message, email, or phone. The project was challenging and unique but Teresa delivered 100%. - Klaus, Winter Haven 2020 Client
Teresa is a very gifted landscape designer that works with her clients needs. She is passionate about what she does and extremely knowledgeable about native plants. She has an eye for the details, which is what makes our yard stand out. When her landscape plan was complete, our house looked exactly how we had envisioned it. - Sarah, Winter Garden 2020 client
We cannot speak highly enough about Teresa. We recently purchased a property (1.25 acres) that had been very poorly landscaped/maintained. We had very specific requirements with regards to the plan we had in mind (i.e. low maintenance, native plants, bird & butterfly attractors, shade/sun issues, irrigation challenges, hiding "unsightly" elements, etc.). Teresa spent a great deal of time with us, listening to everything we did (and did not) want and answering our numerous questions. We were so impressed with her knowledge, and her ideas - the plan she produced exceeded our expectations. She then returned to walk our property once again, to refine details. Her final landscape design was beyond anything we could have dreamt of. She then provided us with binders filled with information as to how to care for our trees, plants etc. Teresa is an absolute pleasure to work with, goes above and beyond and we highly recommend her. - Genelle, Lakeland 2020 Client
Happy Homeowners
“Teresa has a great eye for detail, color and balance which were perfect skills needed to achieve the look we were striving for. We look forward to working with Teresa on other landscaping design projects in the future.” - Mary, Lake Nona, 2018 Client
"With Teresa's guidance and support, I am happy to say that my landscape design is one that my wife and I enjoy every day. It is beautiful and one we're most proud of. In addition, I have received compliments from neighbors and my homeowners association on how nice my landscaping looks. From a maintenance perspective, the amount of time I spend maintaining the yard is significantly less than other homes with comparable sized yards. Finally, the amount of irrigation my yard requires is substantially less than most other yards."
-Roberto Carrion, Montverde, FL, Client
“Teresa was a pleasure to work with. She transformed our 1980's landscaping that was in terrible condition to a beautiful, modern design. She worked with the contractors and nurseries to find us the plants and materials we needed. Her contractors were hard-working and did an amazing job. I have already recommended them to others . At the end of the project, Teresa provided us with a maintenance guide for each of the plants along with several other pieces of information in one easy to use binder. This will help us know how to care for our plants, though, Teresa is always a call away if we need a little extra guidance. She really does care about the health and longevity of your plants and comes back to check in on you well after the project is over.” - Nick Newell, Orlando ,FL Homeowner
"I’ve collaborated with Teresa for several years on the green landscape and irrigation designs for many of my green certification projects. She is extremely knowledgeable, capable, and a joy to work with. Her focus is always on creating a beautiful yet water-conserving, low-maintenance exterior environment. I highly recommend Teresa to anyone building a new home or wishing to improve an existing landscape.”
-Tracy DeCarlo, CAPS, CGP, Owner, One Stop Green Certification, Apopka, Florida
"Fabulous concept, Fabulous design, Fabulous results.
Thank you! We love our landscape!
-Susan and Jack Follick, Plantation, Leesburg, FL
"I can’t say enough about Teresa Watkins and her amazing creativity. When we met to discuss my frustration with creating a beautiful space along our lakefront, Teresa had some thoughts but mostly she spent time listening to me describe gardens I enjoyed visiting. She took several photos and spent a great deal of time studying the space I had in mind for my new garden. When she returned with a plan, I was amazed.
Since my husband and I enjoy gardening, we chose to take Teresa’s plan and gradually create Teresa’s vision on our own. We added soil, we raked and killed weeds and we planted according to Teresa’s plan. The transformation from a boring space to a park-like setting has not only given us the pleasure of a beautiful space to admire; but neighbors have actually left notes at my door thanking me for the garden. One neighbor said, “It’s the highlight of my morning walk”. Thanks Teresa for making me look so good!" -Violet Irminger, Homeowner, Mount Dora, FL
Pleased Professional Colleagues
"I have been working in the water conservation field for 11 years and have worked with Teresa on many projects and events. Teresa Brings the “Wow” factor to every endeavor and project with her knowledge and expertise on Landscape/Irrigation and Conservation. I would highly recommend her and plan on working with her on future projects."
-Jay Stainer, Water Conservation Coordinator, Oviedo, Florida
"I have had the pleasure to work with Teresa on various projects in Florida. Teresa's knowledge and abilities have always made working with her a pleasure. I highly recommend Teresa to anyone in need of Florida WaterStar expert and/or a very knowledgeable Environmental Landscape Consultant/Designer.”
-Russel "Russ" Prophit, Irrigation and Water Management Director,The Brickman Group, Atlanta, GA
"Teresa’s passion and professionalism provides a palette for the audience to draw from to imagine vibrant landscaping ideas for their homes and businesses, while adhering to important environmental principles like water conservation."
-Bill Marcous, Utility Manager, Sanford, FL
"Teresa is passionate about the works she does. If I were recommending her to a friend, which I would, I would describe her strongest attribute as her willingness to immediately communicate with her clients. This enables her to adapt to client needs on-the-fly and also keeps the client informed of the daily progress of the project.”
-Rob Manjura Orlando, 2017 Client
Florida-Friendly Landscaping Expertise
"For Florida-friendly landscaping, there is no better "go-to" than Teresa. She can name any flora or fauna you come across. She is a great talent on a hiking trip and will find obscure yet intriguing and beautiful plants in places one would never think to look! Teresa's enthusiasm is infectious. She loves what she does so much, it just rubs off on everyone!
The best thing about Teresa is her unwavering commitment to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with everyone. This makes her invaluable in any setting, from indoors to outdoors."
-J. Leslie Corcelli, FMNP, NRLI Fellow Class X, Orlando, FL
"As a civil engineering consultant and as a homeowner, I've had the pleasure of working with Teresa Watkins for over 9 years. Throughout this time she has continued to prove herself as an expert in her field. It is evident that she is passionate about what she does as she is always eager to share her knowledge. Attending her popular workshops, Teresa has been a great asset to the residents of Central Florida and to me personally. I rely on her for advice and information on a variety of landscaping related issues both personally and professionally."
-Chris Germana, President, Germana and Associates Engineering, Clermont, FL
"I have had the opportunity to work with Teresa Watkins for over 10 years...I became aware of Ms. Watkins through our local Extension service and as the UF/IFAS Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program Coordinator. Upon meeting her I was impressed with her knowledge of Florida-friendly landscaping principles and water conservation issues affecting Central Florida. We were even more impressed with her ability to communicate with different age groups on topics that some would consider dry. Because of her dedication, good communication skills and background knowledge, the Lake County Water Authority contracted with Ms. Watkins to conduct FYN workshops throughout Lake County and host a weekly radio show highlighting water resource issues within the county.
I...highly recommend her as an asset to any project, program, or organization."
-Patricia Burgos, Environmental Program Manager, Lake County Water Authority, Tavares, FL
Fantastic Speaker
"Teresa Watkins has been a featured speaker at our garden club meetings and appeared for many years as an Expert at our annual Spring Fever in the Garden Festival. She generously donates her time and she does a fantastic job of educating our members and the public on numerous horticultural topics – in fact, Teresa can, and does, intelligently answer any garden–related question put to her. She is able to suggest tons of helpful ideas, and always goes the extra mile to help people solve their gardening issues, and do so in an environmentally-friendly way.
We highly recommend Teresa for her tremendous knowledge and for her ability, and willingness to share her knowledge with us."
-Lynn LaBerge, Ask the Experts and Entertainment Chairperson for "Spring Fever in the Garden Festival"
"After reading about my plight with my Home Owners Association and their ire over my Florida Friendly Landscaping, Teresa contacted me wanting to help. She inspected my yard and pronouncing that despite the HOA charges and threatened lawsuit, my yard was being maintained and definitely was not a breeding ground for rats and snakes.
Teresa went a step further and offered to come to the Association whenever they would like and speak about the benefits of and how to implement a water friendly landscape. What is so endearing about Teresa Watkins is even though she has a long list of credentials and a wealth of expertise she is down to earth, easy to talk to and work with."
-Mo O'Connor, Artist, Homeowner, Tavares, Florida
Teresa is considered a foremost authority in the area of Florida Friendly Landscaping and the new regulations established by the Florida Legislature. She has helped design resource-efficient landscapes and has won numerous awards. Teresa is one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the area of water and energy conservation in residential and commercial landscapes. I often recommend her as a consultant in the area of Florida Friendly Landscaping.
-Tom MacCubbin, Extension Agent Emeritus, University of Florida IFA, www.betterlawns.com
Commercial Design
“Teresa was wonderful to work with. She is so knowledge in horticulture and knew exactly what to recommend to help create the picture I was trying to paint. She created a fresh, warm, inviting look for the Microtel Inn & Suites Leesburg location. I have already recommended her to others and will continue to do so. Thanks Teresa for all you do!” ~ Alona Bice, Microtel Inn & Suites
"Teresa Watkins is so much more than we dreamt of as a landscaper. After meeting with my husband and myself, Teresa knew exactly what we were wanting and better yet, she discerned what we needed, without our realizing more was possible... All of Teresa's plans were executed with precision. Her referrals for installers, tree trimmers, and irrigation proved to be companies of excellence. Upon watching her interaction with them, I was pleased to see her kindness and respect for the laborers, even digging in the soil with her own hands to show them how she wanted it done. Although we have had many obstacles to work around, such as mucky soil, a water retention swale, a neighbor's dock to hide, and lastly, the difficult rules enforced by the City of Winter Park's arbor department, you would never know it by viewing our yard now... I have referred her to many dear friends, telling them of her vast knowledge, expertise, passion, and genuinely happy spirit."
-Darlyn Fecudnaus Jimenez, Homeowner, Winter Park, Florida