Are you tired of the same old lawn and looking for a way to make your Florida landscape more sustainable and beneficial to wildlife? With a Google search for “native plants” returning nearly 700 million links, it’s clear many people are looking for alternatives! Growing native plants in Florida presents unique challenges and opportunities. Fortunately, “A Step-by-step Guide To A Florida Native Yard,” by Ginny Stibolt and Marjorie Shropshire, provides a comprehensive roadmap. This book guides readers through the process of transforming a conventional lawn into a thriving, native landscape that attracts wildlife, reduces water consumption, minimizes the need for fertilizers and pesticides, and lowers energy bills.
With over 6,300 square miles of lawn in Florida, making even small changes to landscapes can have a significant impact on local wildlife populations. This guide is an invaluable resource for Florida homeowners seeking to create beautiful and eco-friendly yards.
Assessing Your Yard and Planning Your Native Landscape
The first step in creating a Florida native yard is to conduct a thorough assessment of your existing landscape. Stibolt recommends carefully evaluating your yard, locating underground utilities, water lines, and irrigation systems. Analyzing soil types is crucial, as well as identifying low-lying areas that tend to retain water.
As you develop your plan, consider future needs. Think about incorporating spaces for stormwater retention, outdoor recreation, privacy screening, and low-traffic zones where wildlife can flourish undisturbed.
Drainage and Stormwater Management
A dedicated chapter addresses drainage and stormwater management, emphasizing the importance of landscapes acting as “sponges.” Proper management is crucial in a state where stormwater runoff is a major source of pollution. The book recommends implementing various methods to capture stormwater before it leaves your property. These include rain barrels, rain gardens, swales, dry wells, and ponds. The guide provides detailed instructions on how to effectively plan, construct, and maintain these features.
Alt: Rain barrels connected to a downspout, collecting rainwater for sustainable garden use.
Transitioning to Native Plants
One of the book’s strengths is its flexibility. You can embark on a complete landscape overhaul in a single season or gradually integrate native plants into existing lawns. When starting from scratch, prioritize trees, considering their mature size to ensure proper placement. Visiting local parks and preserves can offer valuable insights into how native trees look as mature specimens in natural settings.
If you already have established trees, adding an understory of native shrubs and herbaceous plants is an easy first step. Foundation plantings can be replaced with natives like native blueberries and coontie, along with perennials and self-seeding annuals like native salvia for year-round color.
Alt: Vibrant blanket flowers, Gaillardia, showcasing their bright yellow and red petals in a Florida garden.
Benefits of Native Plantings
Native shrubs offer multiple benefits. They can reduce energy consumption by shading air-conditioning units or west- and south-facing walls. Creating hedgerows with diverse shrub species provides privacy while offering food and shelter to local wildlife. Furthermore, native plants require less maintenance than traditional lawns, as highlighted in the PowerPoint presentation “Why Native Landscapes are Important“:
- Less expensive than colorful annuals
- Non-toxic
- Less maintenance
- Attracts wildlife including birds and butterflies.
Creating a “Freedom Lawn”
Another step is to establish a “Freedom Lawn.” This involves mowing and irrigating less frequently, without using fertilizers or pesticides. As the traditional lawn gradually dies back, new plants, whether naturally occurring or from purchased seeds, will fill in the gaps.
Alt: A bee pollinating a native firebush, Hamelia patens, demonstrating the plant’s attractiveness to pollinators in a Florida landscape.
Additional Resources for Plant Selection
While the book provides excellent planning guidance, it’s not a standalone solution for plant selection. You’ll need additional resources, such as books or online tools, to choose the specific plants that suit your landscape. Start by exploring local chapters of the Florida Native Plant Society:
- Pinellas: www.pinellas.fnpschapters.org
- Hillsborough: www.suncoast.fnpschapters.org
- Manatee: www.serenoa.fnpschapters.org
- Pasco: www.naturecoast.fnpschapters.org
Nurseries Specializing in Native Plants
Visiting nurseries specializing in native plants is another excellent way to gather information and select the right plants for your yard:
- Pinellas: Wilcox Nursery, www.wilcoxnursery.com, also offers design and installation services.
- Manatee: Sweet Bay Nursery, www.sweetbaynursery.com, one of the oldest and largest native nurseries in the state.
- Hillsborough: Little Red Wagon Native Nursery, www.littleredwagonnativenursery.com, the first native nursery to open in Tampa.
Online Resources for Florida Native Plants
Several online resources can further assist in your plant selection:
- www.plantrealflorida.org, the website of the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, provides information on where to buy native plants locally.
- www.floridawildflowers.com, the website of the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative, offers growing requirements for many native wildflowers and links to purchase seeds.
- https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/native-plants.html, the University of Florida’s site on native plants with separate links to many of the state’s most popular plants.
- https://www.facebook.com/Sustainable-Gardening-for-Florida-116356781286, Stibolt’s Facebook page.
Conclusion: Embrace a Native Florida Landscape
Transforming your yard into a native Florida landscape is an investment in the environment and your local ecosystem. By following the step-by-step guidance offered in “A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard” and utilizing the additional resources mentioned, you can create a beautiful, sustainable, and wildlife-friendly outdoor space. Take the first step today and unlock the beauty and ecological benefits of a Florida native yard! Consider purchasing “A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard” (https://upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813064635) to begin your journey.
