Want to build stronger relationships with your clients and team members? Discover how McHale Landscape Design, Inc., empowers people and has crafted a company culture rooted in success at NALP’s Field Trip in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on Sept. 23-24, 2025.
McHale is a high-end residential landscape design, build and estate gardening firm. With an annual revenue over $48 million, the company employs 375 across six locations. They also have a dedicated nursery farm in Maryland.
“Our reputation focuses on excellence and creativity,” says Kevin McHale, co-founder and principal of McHale. “The company specializes in delivering the highest levels of design, craftsmanship, execution, and customer service. Every project is approached with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that clients receive not only beautiful, functional outdoor spaces, but also an exceptional experience from start to finish.”
McHale says their team of seasoned professionals is their most significant strength, driving a high level of creativity, production and innovation.
“McHale Landscape Design’s success is rooted in a culture that empowers its people to make the best decisions possible every day,” McHale says. “By trusting and supporting employees at every level, the company fosters an environment where initiative, creativity, and accountability thrive.”
McHale’s leadership team plays an active role in removing obstacles for their team. McHale says their foundation of trust and collaboration has cultivated a team that not only takes pride in their work but also genuinely believes in the brand and McHale’s mission.
“This thoughtful and human-centered approach has nurtured a culture that is both competitive and compassionate,” McHale says. “While the team is driven to be the best in the marketplace, there is no competition among colleagues — only collaboration and mutual respect. Managers are committed to understanding the personal and professional challenges their team members face, and they work hard each day to be empathetic, approachable, and supportive, creating a workplace where people feel valued and empowered.”
Marty Grunder, CEO of Grunder Landscaping Co. and The Grow Group, will host this Field Trip and lead attendees through an interactive company facility tour and education sessions across two days. During the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to learn firsthand the structure and intricacies of how a large residential landscape company operates. McHale says their operations division is a key profit center for the company.
Expect to gain takeaways on how to improve your design process to expertly capture your clients’ vision for their property and improve handoffs from sales to operations, as well as construction to maintenance.
Additionally, Field Trip sessions will cover the secret to award-winning landscapes and how McHale delivers exceptional landscape maintenance.
“Leadership can take away insights into how to foster a company culture where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to make decisions, leading to greater innovation and a higher standard of work,” McHale says.
In recent years, McHale has strived to become a single-source design/build firm to ensure control over quality, timelines and outcomes. This includes developing an in-house turf care team, growing their own inventory of plant material and investing in soil screening equipment to make their own topsoil from landscape debris and fill soil.
“Our in-house teams of designers, masons, carpenters, and horticultural experts allow us to offer a seamless, high-quality experience from design through construction and ongoing care,” McHale says. “Clients trust us because we listen, we deliver, and we stand by our work with integrity and pride.”
McHale is focused on developing clients for life. Their ideal customer base is individuals who desire a thoughtful dialogue about their vision.
“We believe the best outcomes come from collaboration, so once we present an initial concept, we encourage a healthy back-and-forth to refine and evolve the design until it perfectly reflects their goals,” McHale says. “Over time, we’ve refined this client-focused process into a key part of our sales approach — by listening deeply, building trust early, and demonstrating our commitment to both artistry and execution, we consistently turn first-time clients into long-term partners.”
McHale has expanded this client for life concept by embracing maintenance services as an add-on to their design-build model.
“The addition of a subscription business added stability to the design/build branch of the company and satisfied a strong desire from our client base to continue the relationship,” McHale says.
The top source of McHale’s leads comes from their reputation and word-of-mouth.
“These satisfied clients, who have experienced the full McHale landscape design process, often return for additional projects and are our best advocates in recommending us to others,” McHale says.
Registration for Field Trip includes education, a hotel reception on Tuesday evening, breakfast and lunch on Wednesday and transportation between McHale Landscape Design and the hotel.
Spots are limited, so register for the NALP Field Trip today. The discounted hotel room rate for this event expires on Monday, Sept. 1.
