This is one of my favorite resources. I use it at home, work and many times when on site visits. It is easy to use, understand and makes finding the right plant for the right place a simple process.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design is intended for homeowners who want to design their own Florida-Friendly Landscapes and make informed decisions about planting the right plant in the right place based on site conditions and other factors.
The beauty and functionality of a Florida-Friendly Landscape depends on the mix of trees, plants and turfgrass chosen for their specific location and maintaining it according to the University of Florida/IFAS recommendations. Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles encourage the use of both native and non-native species of plants. Invasive exotics should be removed, where possible, and never planted.
This guide is available for online viewing at: http://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FYN_Plant_Selection_Guide_2015.pdf. You can also order a free copy, which will be mailed to you, from the Southwest Florida Water Management District if you live in this district. Go to the website at www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/, click on ‘Resources’ and then ‘Free Publications’ to view free publications under Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ and order your personal copy.
This must-have resource provides a number of landscape design scenarios, including front entry, along walls, sidewalks and fences, under windows and trees, etc. Information is included on how to convert your yard to a Florida-Friendly Landscape, ecological considerations, five common gardening mistakes and the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Plant List of trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, grasses, perennials, annuals and turfgrasses.
This guide thoroughly covers each of the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles. These principles are: Right Plant, Right Place, Water Efficiently, Fertilize Appropriately, Mulch, Attract Wildlife, Manage Yard Pests Responsibly, Recycle, Manage Stormwater Runoff and Protect the Waterfront.
For assistance with horticultural questions, contact the UF/IFAS Extension in Hillsborough County at 744-5519. Stop by to view the demonstration gardens at 5339 CR 579 in Seffner. We hope you will get outside and garden.
