Alex Testa

Alex has always been fascinated by wildlife, sustainability, and conservation. As a kid in Northern California, he spent most of his time trudging up and down rivers and creeks, learning about the different creatures and plants he came across. As he grew up, Alex carried his enthusiasm and dedication to the environment to Florida, where he obtained his degree in Environmental Studies from Eckerd College with a focus on Florida’s endemic flora, fauna, and environmental education. He even became a certified environmental educator through Project Wild and Project Wild Aquatic. While in school, he participated in countless conservation and wildlife research programs, while also volunteering with local wildlife preserves to maintain proper biodiversity and reduce invasive species.

Alex later became a permaculture farm manager for a sustainable urban ecovillage, where he learned to grow plants in Florida’s sandy and nutrient-poor soil. While there, he implemented native plants and sustainable design to maximize efficiency and produce the best organic produce and fruits. Alex became an expert in creating food forests, vegetable gardens, and sustainable agriculture. Next on his journey, he became a nursery technician at Wilcox Nursery and a foreman for a native plant gardening service. He focused on expanding his native plant knowledge further by studying all the plants he maintained at the nursery. Through the gardening service, he gained exposure to growth habits and design principles, allowing him to develop a complete understanding of how a garden will form, the growth habits of various plants, proper placement, lighting, and all the intricacies of creating and maintaining a healthy garden.

Wanting to take the next step, Alex began working full-time with Arnold Rutkis, an expert in Southeastern landscape design, who taught him various principles of design. Working closely with Arnold on projects allowed Alex to learn how to implement his design visions into reality. He takes most of his inspiration from the natural environment, aiming to work with nature rather than against it, resulting in low-maintenance, thriving gardens. His love for nature and design has developed into sleek coastal modern styles, natural forested landscapes, beautiful pond designs, stonescaping, natural dune systems, and lush tropical atmospheres—all incorporating, mixing, or using only Florida’s beautiful native flora. Alex believes that our future and preservation require implementing natural techniques in our lives, leading to a sustainable future where we can preserve our natural environment and bring some or all of it into our yards.