Florida-Friendly Landscape Designs

     You may be wondering what qualifies a Florida-Friendly Landscape and why they are important to everyone living in Florida.  In 2009, the Florida Legislature passed 373.185 Local Landscaping Ordinance, instructing every water management district to implement and design an incentive program for all local governments and homeowners’ associations within their districts, to adopt the Florida-Friendly Landscape principles to conserve and protect Florida’s water supply.  The residential Florida-Friendly Landscape program is Florida Yards & Neighborhoods and offers certification when you design with the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping Principles in mind.  Everyone can do their part protecting Florida’s natural resources and beauty by adopting some or all of these principles.

1.      Right Plant, Right Place:  This principle is the cornerstone of every landscape design and is important for the success of your plants.  There are many items to consider when selecting locations for your plants.  Soil, sunlight, proximity to structures, irrigation, surrounding plants and fertilization requirements are all important to investigate when creating your landscape design.  Testing your soil can help you choose plants that will be successful.  Choosing low-maintenance plants will help reduce fertilization, pesticides, and irrigation requirements.  Encourage pollinators and wildlife by planting flowers and fruits.  If you decide to select some high-maintenance plants, group them together for easier care and increased appeal.  It is important to select healthy plants for the best success, inspect roots for disease or if the plant looks rootbound (dense mass of roots formed into a ball).  The size of the plant will also be a primary factor during location selection.  Oftentimes you will purchase a smaller plant that will grow into its location, make sure it has the proper space to flourish.  Florida-friendly plants do not have to be native; they just cannot be listed as an invasive species in Florida.  We typically recommend a mixture of native and non-native, low-maintenance plants.

 2.     Water Efficiently:  There are many benefits to utilizing this principle by reducing water bills, maintenance requirements, and pest problems.  Florida’s freshwater supply is a limited resource that everyone can help to conserve.  Poor watering practices can lead to leaching and runoff that are detrimental to your landscape and the environment.  Leaching occurs when water moves downward through sandy soils quickly, taking nutrients or pesticides to our water supply.  Runoff can occur from poorly placed sprinklers that pool water on sidewalks or driveways and would later lead to our storm water drains.  By using updated water-saving technologies, regularly inspecting your irrigation system and selecting plants that are drought resistant, you can make a huge impact on your water bills and help protect our natural resources. 

3.     Fertilize Appropriately:  Before fertilizing, you should investigate if it is required.  Some plants are known for certain mineral deficiencies.  You can test your soil to know the best fertilizer to purchase.  When purchasing fertilizer, check the three numbers on the front of the bag.  The first number is the percentage of nitrogen, the second number is the percentage of phosphorus and the third is the percentage of potassium.  These numbers are important in determining the best fertilizer for your plants.  Slow release fertilizers are great for providing nutrients for an extended time period and causing less nutrient runoff into our waterways.

4.     Mulch:  A great way to prevent weeds and runoff is adding a layer of mulch around your plants and flowers.  Mulch helps keep the soil moist, reducing water requirements and will add nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.  It makes a great ground cover in areas where turf isn’t successful.  Mulch will help prevent soil erosion and offer protection to plants from disease and pests.

5.     Attract Wildlife:  By selecting plants with flowers, fruits and seeds, pollinators and birds will frequent your outdoor space.  Our state has seen rapid development over the years along our coastal areas that is reducing the habitat for our wildlife.  By creating an outdoor space that attracts, feeds and protects our wildlife, we can help protect the diverse and unique ecosystems in Florida. 

6.     Manage your Yard Pests Responsibly:  Scientists are now recommending Integrated Pest Management (IPM) over the use of chemicals due to health concerns and safety of the environment.  This strategy helps use the least amount of chemicals to prevent and manage pest problems.  Keeping your plants healthy and happy is the best way to prevent disease and impact from pests.  Check out plant care tips and organic compounds available when deciding on a pest control tactic for your yard. 

7.     Recycle:  Did you know that all your yard waste can be recycled and used to deliver nutrients back to your plants?  Creating a compost bin or a selected space in your yard for plant waste is a great way to reuse old plant material to deliver nutrients or create mulch for plant beds.  The compost will make a great addition to soil when planting and over the top of soil of existing plants for nutrients.  Pine bark, pine needles, leaves can be used as mulch to help keep the soil moist and reduce weed growth. 

8.     Reduce Stormwater Runoff:  Everywhere in Florida seems to have a body of water nearby whether it be a lake, pond, stream, river or ocean.  Because Florida’s groundwater is close to the surface, it’s important to keep our waterways healthy, to prevent polluting our aquifers.  Pollutants can enter our waterways through runoff from homes, streets, sidewalks and yards.  By reducing impervious surface areas, we can help reduce runoff and keep the water in our yards.  Adding a rain garden, gutters or a rain barrel can help collect, store and direct the water to needed areas, allowing the water to soak into the ground vs. running into the storm drainage system.  This is a great way to reduce watering requirements and store water for seasons with less frequent rain.

9.     Protect the Waterfront:   The riparian zone is located along the edge of freshwater.  Some areas in Florida will require a buffer zone along this area, if it’s not required, it should be implemented to protect the freshwater.  Adding aquatic plants and removing invasive species can help promote a healthy buffer zone that attracts wildlife.  This area should be a fertilizer free zone and have a 10 foot maintenance free zone.  No pesticides or chemicals should be applied in this zone.  A living shoreline can help prevent erosion in our saltwater areas.  Grass clippings, fallen tree leaves and other yard debris should be collected to prevent fertilizers or pesticides from entering waterways.  This helps prevent algae blooms and will protect our waterways for future generations to enjoy.

​     Following the Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles is the best way to preserve our natural resources and beauty.  As a certified Florida-Friendly Landscaping Professional, we can help you create a Florida-Friendly design and receive certification for silver or gold level Florida-Friendly practices.  This helps create awareness and encourages others to participate to protect our valuable resources.  If you would like more information on the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Principles, email or call for a copy of The Handbook for Home Landscapes, provided by the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program.  Together we can improve the quality of our drinking water and keep our waterways stunning.