ABOUT
“I don’t just design landscapes — I create real gardens that feed people, support wildlife, and reconnect us to the land.”
— Cameron Maletto, Founder of Longleaf Design
After over a decade of firsthand experience in Florida’s landscaping industry — and witnessing the damaging effects of conventional practices that rely on synthetic chemicals, constant irrigation, and shallow aesthetics — I knew I had to do things differently.
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Poor landscape management and industrial agriculture are destroying our soils, contaminating our water, and weakening the ecosystems we depend on. We walk across pesticide-treated lawns and eat food grown in depleted, chemical-laced fields. Monoculture farming, chemical runoff, and short-sighted landscaping have become the norm — but they shouldn’t be.
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I believe it’s time to return to something more honest, more resilient — and more alive. I create real gardens — places with layered plant diversity, healthy soil, natural food production, and habitat value. My designs use native, Florida-friendly, and edible plants to create self-sustaining ecosystems that reconnect people to the land beneath their feet.
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By planting for biodiversity and ecological function, we create gardens that attract wildlife, support pollinators, defend themselves from pests, and thrive without synthetic fertilizers, daily irrigation, or constant upkeep. These are gardens that give back — to the earth, to your health, and to future generations.
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There is a deep disconnect between people and nature — and I believe we can restore that connection one yard at a time. This work is more than landscaping. It’s stewardship. It’s regeneration. It’s about creating places that heal.
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Let’s bring life to your land — for real.
HEY THERE!
I'm Cameron, but you can call me Cam!
I’m the owner of Longleaf Design — a landscape designer, land steward, husband to Elena, and proud father to Carmelina and our son John.
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With over a decade of experience in Florida’s landscaping industry, I’ve worked across a wide range of environments — from traditional install and maintenance crews to tree work under a certified arborist, golf course management, and native landscape restoration. I also had the opportunity to apprentice with a landscape architect focused on Florida native design.
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Before founding Longleaf Design over two years ago, I spent years designing and installing gardens independently — building a foundation rooted in hands-on experience, observation, and a love for the land.
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I hold a degree in Plant Science: Garden Design & Management from the University of Florida, with a focus on residential landscapes that honor native ecosystems and Florida-Friendly principles.
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When I’m not designing or installing landscapes for clients, I’m working in my own garden — growing food, observing wildlife, and tending to the same kind of living systems I help others create. Gardening isn’t just my work — it’s my way of life.
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At Longleaf Design, I believe a landscape should do more than look good. It should function as an ecosystem, reflect your values, and reconnect you to nature — beautifully and intentionally.
