If you could plant something in your yard called Fakahatchee Grass, why wouldn’t you?
Not all native Florida plants are as much fun to say, but there are lots of other great reasons to add these sturdy, drought-tolerant, and pretty plants to your landscape.
Florida is famous for its bright, cheerful tropical sun.
Grab your sunglasses! Set up the lounge chair! Soak up the warmth!
But after a while, it gets pretty hot. Really hot.
Shade! Where the heck is some shade?
Florida isn’t exactly known for its shade trees, which is pretty ironic, right?
So, what are the best trees for shade in Central Florida?
Ground Source landscape designer Eric Frisch shares a few of his favorites.
Unless you want to fill your yard with plastic plants (hmmm, there’s an idea) you’ll have some maintenance.
But some plants are happy with bare-bones care. Just make sure they don’t die of thirst, and they’ll happily show off pretty leaves and bright blooms while you spend your time relaxing instead of toiling in your yard.
Nothing against your neighbors, but some days you just want a little privacy.
Maybe you want to weed the garden in your pajamas. Or practice your new yoga moves without an audience. Or play air guitar without the kids next door laughing at you.
You’re too tired to build a fence. But the right plants can offer just the privacy you need.
Have you seen any great birds in your backyard lately?
A warbler, maybe? Blue grosbeak? Blue-gray gnatcatcher? Boat-tailed grackle? Brown thrasher?
No? No offense, but maybe you need to be more friendly.
Or at least, you need a more bird-friendly garden design.
Maybe you’ve noticed your pool or lanai area needs some pizzazz.
It’s understandable. These leisure areas are so popular here in Florida can be tough to spruce up.
Pools are often covered with large screens that are great for keeping bugs out but pose pool landscape design challenges.
If you’re getting ready for a whole bunch of new landscaping plants at your house, you’re really excited.
You can’t wait to have your plants installed.
But please wait, just a minute. A bunch of new plants is a big deal. You should ask landscapers some questions before you sign that contract.
You wouldn’t think a driveway would be the centerpiece of a stunning Orlando residential landscape design.
How great can a driveway be, right?
At this Spanish Colonial home in an Orlando gated community, a paver driveway made all the difference.
So, you’re ready to do some landscaping! We can sense your excitement way over here.
Got your plan in place? Considered the one-third rule? Varied your colors and textures? Planned for staggered bloom times?
If all you’ve done is bought three azalea shrubs, you’re reading this just in time.
Let these seven Florida landscaping ideas get you off to a great start.
“I love that big prickly pine tree by your pool.“
That’s a sentence you’ll never hear.
Not every plant is perfect for planting around a pool.
No spines, dripping sap, or falling burrs, please.
Ground Source landscape designer, Eric Frisch, shares a few of his favorite pool landscaping plants — and a couple of other pool landscaping tips.