Team

Mike is the heart and soul behind Bella Terra Landscapes & Garden Center. He keeps his finger on the pulse in every aspect associated with the business, promotes a favorable company culture, and continues to expand and refine the company vision. He grew up in Middletown, Delaware and attended Hodgsen Vo-Tech where he pursued Culinary Arts and Horticulture. After spending summers with family in Rehoboth and Bethany, he decided to move south in 2000 where he continued cooking in restaurants; most notably Restaurante Zebra and The Buttery. In 2003 he and his wife Katie started Bella Terra Landscapes and the company has continued to grow and thrive ever since. In his spare time, he enjoys being a scout leader with Troop 186 in Milford, boating, fishing, and going to the beach with his wife and their two sons, Nicholas and Christian.

Keith has served in many capacities at Bella Terra since 2008. He is proud of the evolution Bella Terra has experienced. He is a firm believer that the organic culture Bella Terra promotes with both employees and clients has been instrumental in the company’s growth, adding a cohesiveness that brings out the smiles of team members, which in turn creates happy clients. Keith holds National Recognition as a Certified Landscape Technician and is also a certified Delaware Commercial Nutrient Handler. He oversees all aspects of the landscape maintenance and snow removal departments while nurturing Bella Terra’s reputation of customer service and satisfaction. Like Bella Terra, his motto is “meeting and exceeding customers’ expectations.” Any free time Keith has is dedicated to his family. He can often be found on the baseball diamond, football field, and enjoying the beach.

Carri started at Bella Terra in 2013 when we were working out of Mike and Katie’s home office. Over the next several years the business grew, her position grew with it, and we eventually moved to the property on Spicer Rd. Carri left in 2017 to pursue another opportunity but has recently returned and is excited to see what Bella Terra can become in the future. Her extensive experience in finance combined with her familiarity with the business makes her an invaluable member of the Bella Terra family. Carri lives in Milford with her husband, three boys, two dogs, and a cat. In her downtime, she can be found at a ballfield, the beach or just hanging with close friends.

Since 2017, Lana has played a supporting role in the day-to-day operations of the company. This has offered her the opportunity to learn various aspects of the business. From billing and receivables to human resources to marketing (and most things in between), Lana loves wearing the many hats required of her and the versatility that brings. She takes pride in representing Bella Terra and acting as a spokesperson for the team. A native of Cleveland, OH, Lana moved to Delaware in 2015. She still makes frequent trips back to see her family, but these days she can be found enjoying the slower pace of Southern Delaware – at the beach, gardening, reading a great book, or quilting. And just to make sure their life doesn’t become too quiet, Lana and her husband have adopted 3 dogs, all rescued from various locations.

Jimi is the project manager for Bella Terra’s Install and Hardscape Division. He brings 10 years of experience with him along with Stihl Equipment Bronze & Silver level training. He spends most of his days on job sites, ensuring that the minute details of your projects are completed with client satisfaction as a priority. Jimi loves the challenge of fulfilling the ideas and dreams of clients. When he is not working, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family.

Alex Hambleton has just joined Bella Terra in Jan 2023 and is focusing on nightscaping.  Alex, is the founder of Allure Outdoor Lighting and made the move to Bella Terra to continue his passion for lighting. “When lighting is done properly there is no better compliment to a home”. “Lighting evokes emotion and sets an amazing tone.   As a lifelong resident of Delaware he truly enjoys anything involving the water, kayaking, paddleboards or waving running are all activities he enjoys.

Ken’s roles in our Irrigation and Lighting division have helped keep the department running smoothly. He joined the team in 2017 as a technician and is now responsible for all of our Irrigation & Lighting projects. Whether it’s a new installation or monthly maintenance, Ken’s dedication and integrity are clearly visible in any interactions you may have with him. His customers love him, his crews love him, and we all love Ken! His free time is spent in the company of his beautiful wife Amy, playing volleyball or golfing with their daughter, and/or playing softball with their 2 sons.

Becca is a plant geek through and through with a diverse background in both plant science and landscape horticulture. She graduated with two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware in 2009. While in college, Becca studied landscape design abroad in Brazil and served as the president of the Horticulture Club. Becca is a firm believer in continuing to learn and jumps at the chance to participate in educational workshops and industry trade shows. She is a Certified Nursery Professional through the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association with additional accreditation in Landscape Design. She has a passion for wildlife and native plants that is apparent in her design aesthetic. That passion carries over into her personal life as she spends her weekends hiking with her husband, dog, and three kids. Becca also enjoys dabbling in photography and is the “voice” behind our social media accounts.

As a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Landscape Architecture program, Austin finds his passion in designing functional outdoor spaces. While in college he dove into a variety of extracurriculars, leading the design team on two award-winning displays in the Philadelphia Flower Show, managing on-campus grant projects, conducting research, and helping other students as a teaching assistant in several plant science courses. Austin has retail garden center experience and has also worked as a private estate gardener. As a Sussex County native himself, he utilizes plants that are indigenous to the region as the backbone of his plant palette, while adding the creative flair that he is known for. Austin also has a gift for container garden design and loves creating artistic textural combinations. Outside of work, he spends his time traveling, going to concerts and music festivals, or on the beach.

Danny Kelso has been with Bella Terra since 2012 and currently serves as an account manager for our Maintenance Division. Danny is a certified member of Nursery and Landscape Professionals, specializing in ornamental and plant maintenance. Not only does Danny have a great rapport with clients and go above and beyond to ensure client satisfaction, he is also an environmentalist at heart, and cares deeply about preserving the beauty and sustainability of nature. When he’s not working, Danny can be found mountain biking, hiking or camping with his wife and two children.

Deb joined Bella Terra as a maintenance account manager in 2020 after relocating to the Lewes area from South Central Pennsylvania. She has 25 years of industry-specific experience, 12 of which were spent in Ground Maintenance at Gettysburg College. Deb has also owned her own landscaping business, which contributes to her knowledge of every facet of the industry. As an account manager at Bella Terra, Deb takes pride in her customer service skills, with response time being a priority for her. She strives to return all calls and emails within 24 hours. Her attention to detail and compassion for the environment makes her a perfect fit for the team. Deb is a true advocate for animal welfare and the LGBTQ+ community. She has two dogs, two cats and three goldfish, all of which are rescues. She is also active on the board of directors for The Linda Kranias Memorial 5K, which is a charity that raises funds in Adams County, PA for breast cancer patients.

Julio comes to us with over 30 years of experience in supervision, grounds maintenance, landscaping, and hardscaping. His vast knowledge of maintaining high-end residential and commercial properties allows hm to mentor the crews and provide great attention to detail. In his spare time, Julio likes to spend time with his wife and grandchildren.

Garret got his first landscaping job at age 16 and absorbed as much information as possible from all of his mentors along the way. He joined Bella Terra in 2019 as an installation crew member and quickly moved through the ranks to become a maintenance account manager. Garret’s customer service skills and work ethic are top notch and his passion for the industry is apparent.

Steve is our resident grower. From seeds to cuttings, he ensures that the magic happens in the greenhouses, and puts stock in the term “green thumb.” Steve is passionate about plants. In fact, he has been working in greenhouses since 1974. His profession as a grower has taken this native Virginian to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and finally Delaware. Prior to coming to work for Bella Terra Landscapes, he worked at Lowes Garden Center as a plant specialist. Although we do order in some annuals and tropicals at Bella Terra, most of them are planted and propagated in-house by Steve. In his spare time, he enjoys working on his vast collection of HO model trains.

Joining us in the Fall of 2022, Jay is the newest member of the Bella Terra family as the Garden Center General Manager. He is a true Delaware native, graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in Plant Science. Jay brings nearly 30 years of valued experience in the Horticultural and Garden Center industries with many of those years being in a management and supervisory role. Jay is passionate about his customers, enjoys building lasting relationships, and becomes personally vested in his customer’s home garden and landscaping projects. When you don’t see Jay at work, you may want to try and find him wherever a cruise ship or road trip has taken him.

Tricia started at Bella Terra in November 2019 as a front desk office assistant. As our retail business grew, she quickly transitioned out to the Garden Center and is now our Assistant Garden Center Manager. Her bubbly personality makes all our customers feel welcome. In fact, that very trait has earned her the nickname of ‘Bubbles’!

In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family at home, at the beach, or in New Mexico.

Stephanie and Lauren are our administrative support duo. Among other things, they handle the daily task of ensuring customers are provided excellent customer service and that communication about quotes and design projects are facilitated to the correct department.

Stephanie is an Ohio native, (Go Bengals!) and moved to Delaware in 2021 as a military veteran with her husband and son. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the farm with her horse Dixie, is a huge nature enthusiast, and loves crafting and DIY projects.

Lauren was born and raised in Delaware. At the age of 19 she moved to Nashville, TN and got a publishing deal at the age of 20 but took a break from music to start a family. She is back in Delaware and enjoys going out with friends on the weekends, playing music with her newly formed band “Calypso’s Revenge” and spending time at the beach with her daughter.