ABOUT
Wild by design.
The Wildstead® Company is committed to creating thriving habitats for all Earthlings. We call them "Wildsteads." We prioritize the needs of every creature, from soil microbes to plants to animals and humans. Through our unique and compassionate approach to design, we seamlessly connect human habitats to the beauty and abundance of the natural world.
Services we provide are:
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Wildscaping native plant landscape design, installation, and maintenance
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Vegetable garden design and maintenance
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Interior/exterior design
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Consulting services
Guiding Principles
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Your property is the piece of Earth that you're responsible for. Whether toxic or thriving, Earth's health on your land is your responsibility.
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Cycles are sacred. Designs should place equal importance on beauty, healthy shelter, and food - for both humans and the rest of nature - for all 4 seasons.
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Choose natural materials as much as possible, and respect the materials found on site. Both inside and outside, incorporate and reuse native natural materials in the design whenever possible.
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Soil is the first link in the food chain. Feed the soil first.
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Reduce the size of unused lawn.
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Fill every available space with intentional plants: native, medicinal, and edible.
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Create nutrient loops on the property by managing leaves, grass clippings, etc. instead of removing them.
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Be courteous to your community - human and wild alike. Use electric lawn care equipment when possible and keep maintenance appointments to a minimum.
Meet the founder.
“My favorite spaces to design blend interiors and exteriors, connect humans and wildlife to food and each other. In my designs I like to elevate natural materials normally seen as humble, rough, and common, into beautiful and unique designs that showcase spiritual presence, ecological service, and practical function."
-L.Be
L.Be Sholar is the founder of The Wildstead® Company. She began her journey in 2018 with Farm-Based Foodie, focusing on food-centric garden designs. Her work quickly attracted high-profile clients like Whoopi Goldberg and Laila Ali.
In 2022, responding to a demand for more diverse design elements, L.Be rebranded the company to The Wildstead® Company. Today, she leads as the principal designer and artist, crafting exceptional interior and exterior spaces, native plant Wildscaping, and vegetable gardens that seamlessly blend artistry with functionality.
Meet the Team
Kate Brashares is your contact for all things operations, finance and billing. Kate has a background in management, marketing and operations across for profit and non-profit companies. For nine years Kate was Executive Director of non-profit Edible Schoolyard NYC, working to bring gardens to New York city public schools. Kate is a passionate home gardener and native plant aficianado and is gradually transforming her traditional suburban yard into a true Wildstead. Kate holds a B.A. Honors in Classics from Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University (London) and an MBA in Marketing & Strategy from Columbia Business School (NYC). You can reach Kate at kate@wildstead.com.
Kate Brashares
COO
Sarah Hunt is an Industrial Design major who quickly realized after graduation that her passion for the outdoors would guide her career path. Following volunteer work with environmental organizations and community gardens, Sarah decided to return to school to study biology, and got a job in water quality and environmental education. At the same time, Sarah began maintaining and planting native gardens for residential clients. These experiences gave Sarah an understanding of ecology and the importance of sharing our "human" landscapes with the natural world, rather than attempting to separate the two. While planting and maintaining Wildstead projects now, Sarah ensures these spaces remain beautiful to our eyes, while supporting a diverse ecosystem and natural world. You can reach Sarah at sarah@wildstead.com.
Sarah Hunt
Wildscape & Eco-Restoration Manager
Becca Jones has been an enthusiastic gardener for over 17 years. Before joining the Wildstead team, Becca worked as a garden designer promoting the planting of natives, organic gardening, and more earth-friendly watering practices. Trained as an educator, she brings a passion for helping others connect with the natural world. She helped found New Jersey’s first sustainability-focused charter high school where she taught and served as curriculum advisor, supporting teachers in the development of service-learning projects in conservation biology and serving as liaison for hands-on field experiences with organizations such as Duke Farms and the New Jersey Watershed Institute. Becca holds a BA from New York University, an MA from Bard College, as well as coursework in horticulture and landscape design from Rutgers Master Gardener Program and New York Botanical Garden School of Horticulture and Design.
Becca Jones
Veg Garden Tech
Omar is an experienced gardener and landscape designer. He studied landscape architecture at Rutgers university and has been on the landscape scene for 10 years now. He has interests in native design and vegetable gardening.
Omar Elshafi
Installation & Maintenance
Brian Crann is an environmental engineer from West Orange, NJ with sustainable gardening experience around the world. Whether in a desert, the tropics, or amongst the rooftops of a crowded urban area, Brian knows that plants have the power to turn any space into a place. He has previously worked with the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies, Barefoot College International - Zanzibar, and Planting Hope in Palestine completing projects focused on innovative natural resource management and community empowerment and resilience. Outside of work, Brian loves to read, exercise, and travel - and can farm in five languages! He holds a B.S. in Bioenvironmental Engineering from Rutgers University and a M.A. in GLOCAL International Community Development from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.He holds a B.S. in Bioenvironmental Engineering from Rutgers University and an M.A. in GLOCAL International Community Development from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (March 2024).
Brian Crann
Installation & Maintenance
Jordan worked for her father’s landscaping company for the past several years and is currently an environmental biology major at Providence College (Class of 2027). Her goal is to promote and help people obtain more sustainable “greener” lifestyles and properties. In the future she hopes to own her own company doing this work. In her spare time, she loves to spend time outdoors, with friends, and playing sports.
Jordan Linnett
Installation & Maintenance (Seasonal)
We've rebranded as The Wildstead Company to reflect our ever-growing range of services. While our roots were in designing food gardens, we now offer much more. Our expertise extends to creating "wildsteads" - complete properties designed to harmonize with nature.
No longer limited to food-focused services, we now specialize in native plant and edible garden design, installation, and maintenance. Our ultimate goal? To build habitats that foster a harmonious coexistence between humans and the rest of the natural world.