The demand for landscaping design has been rising, especially during the pandemic as it will transform your garden to a beautiful location where you will be able to unwind, contemplate and ultimately— relax. However, only a few landscaping companies will provide you with the best landscape design and there’s even less that will collaborate with you to fulfill the vision you have for your garden.
We at Tending To His Garden, a FNGLA-certified company, who has a passion for landscape design is here to make sure that your vision for your garden come to fruition. If you are looking for tips for your Florida native plants or looking for Florida landscaping ideas then we will help you by providing you with our “10 Essential Tips For Florida Landscaping” article. Let’s start!
Group Plants with Similar Needs
Make your gardening life easier by considering the light, soil, and water requirements of plants then group them with other plants of similar needs. As an example, place a cluster of Black-Eyed Susans along with other drought-tolerant plants such as Lantana, in a sunny, well-drained location. Not only does this process make watering and fertilizing your garden easier, but clustering colorful flowers draws butterflies, birds, and other critters better compared to just having single plants.
Plant for the Birds and the Bees
When you garden with wildlife in mind, you are helping to provide a balanced and healthy ecosystem. What is the payoff? Your garden will greatly benefit from the insect-eating birds, bees, and dragonflies drawn to your yard. This also helps control plant damage from harmful pests. Additionally, many of these critters aid in the pollination process, helping them to reproduce.
Aim for a diverse mix of vines, flowers ground covers, shrubs, trees, and palms. You might ask why and the answer is that different plants provide food (nectar, seeds, or berries), water, and shelter for wildlife. For instance, Milkweed attracts Monarch butterflies, while American beautyberry shrub bursts with clusters of purple berries—a perfect snack for Cardinals and Sparrows.
Preserve Water
Florida experiences a dry season from November through April and wet season from May to October, with scorching temperatures in the summer. To preserve soil moisture that occurs as a result of rainfall and irrigation, top off gardens with a thick layer of mulch. This also helps deter weeds. Also, we recommend replacing hard surfaces like concrete sidewalks with porous materials like brick or gravel so rain can trickle into the soil.
Do Not Forget to Compost
Florida’s sandy soil could use a nutrient boost. Add compost, which you can make yourself—think of this as a natural recycling process. Instead of throwing away kitchen scraps like banana peel, wilted lettuce and yard waste, throw them into a compost pile. I use a compost bin that I can easily rotate to help add oxygen to the decomposition process.
After several weeks, it produces “black gold”—a soil amendment chock-full of essential nutrients. Just add it to your garden before planting or mix into the soil for established plants. Florida might have different rules for making the most of your landscape but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of fun to be had. Follow these principles and you will surely love and enjoy the yard you create.
Do Not Skimp on Color
A well-placed burst of color can make a real impact. An unexpected infusion of vibrant color—whether that’s a spring bloom, a flowering tree, or a bit of seasonal foliage—adds life to your garden. It draws the eye in, infusing your green space with contrast and depth.
Cramping a Garden Style
You’ve seen it: a garden crowded with too many plants. Flowerbeds with too many tight rows, trees tangled together, yearning for some space to breathe. Do not cramp your garden. Give your plants some space. Learn exactly how much space your plants need in order to thrive and care for them accordingly.
Not Considering Scale
If it is a large space, tiny shrubs will not make an impact. Teensy blossoms will be swallowed up by a big plot if they were not carefully incorporated. Likewise, massive trees can overwhelm a tiny space. When planting, if you do not consider the sizes of both your plants and your space, it would not be eye pleasing. Study the scale of your unique plot, and choose plants that will fill it. It should neither be not too big, nor too small—just right for your particular garden.
Disregarding Shade and Water Requirements
This is the worst of landscaping mistakes. When you’re buying seeds or plants, take note of its tending requirements and think about your space, do you have a space that’s shady? Also, does it get good morning light? Plants won’t thrive if the conditions are not right. Planting shade-loving plants in direct sunlight (and vice versa) will cause your plants to wither, not perform well and ultimately die.
Not Mapping Out Your Plantings
We know how exciting it is to bring new plants home from the garden store. You’re itching to put on your gloves and get to digging, but your time does not permit you to do so. If you just start planting, things can get messy. However, if you make a landscape plan, create a pattern, and draw it out, you will be much more prepared to bring to life the vision you have for your garden.
Pairing Incompatible Plants
Pretty gardens make the most of interesting plant combinations. Pairing plants together because of unusual colors and textures will elevate a flowerbed to a piece of living art; however, it’s important to pair plants together that have similar sunlight and shade requirements. This step will ensure that your whole flowerbed thrives. The same goes for water requirements, planting water-loving plants next to ones that need less is a no-no. If their requirements are too divergent, one or both plants won’t thrive.
Thank you for the time reading our 10 Essential Tips for Florida Landscaping. We hope that you were able to learn valuable information for you to take care of your plants, garden, and the overall ecosystem as well.
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