About
Lisa Tompkins is a lifelong North Carolinian, born and raised in Mt. Holly and lived in Charlotte for 20 odd years before moving to Mineral Springs in 2005. She earned a BA in Psychology from UNCC and an AAS in Horticulture Technology from CPCC. Since earning her Horticulture degree, she has been working as a landscape designer, horticulturalist and garden coach in Mecklenburg, Union and surrounding counties (It’s Elemental Landscape Design).
Lisa became interested in native plants after attending the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference in 2003. That experience opened her eyes to the natural beauty of her home state. So much so, that she began a small native plant nursery in 2012, Carolina Heritage Nursery, which sells native and heirloom plants at two local Farmers Markets and at special events. In addition to earning certificates from NC Cooperative Extension in Residential Rain Gardening and NC Plant Professional, she is also nearing completion of a certificate in Native Plant Studies from UNCC Botanical Gardens. In 2013, Lisa completed training as a trainer for Landscape for Life, a program developed by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the US Botanic Garden to teach sustainable gardening practices to homeowners.
Lisa has also served as Chair of the NC Native Plant Society – Southern Piedmont Chapter, which represents Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, given talks and presentations on gardening, landscape design and native plants to garden groups, HOAs and at regional gardening events. When not gardening professionally, she loves to tend her own gardens and scout for native plants.