Searching for Natives
Some Florida native plants may be tough to find at your local garden center, but demand is growing so the supply will follow. In the meantime, here are some tips on finding native plants that may be suited to your yard:
- Visit parks and preserves to view native plants in their natural setting. Undisturbed acreage near your home may serve the same purpose. See what grows well in your area. Take photographs to show to knowledgeable people for later plant identification, or carry a good field guide that includes color photos.
- Visit the library and book stores, particularly those at botanical gardens, to find good reference books on Florida native plants.
- Attend meetings and field trips organized by the Florida Native Plant Society. Members often swap plants and seeds, as well as knowledge on what grows best in your area. Attend meetings and field trips organized by the Florida Native Plant Society or other horticultural organizations.
- When buying your plants, order from a nursery or ask your local garden center to order the native plants you want. Provide a list with scientific names, specifying the size of plant you want. Be sure to request an estimate before placing the order and inspect the plants for vigor and signs of disease or pests before paying.
- If plants you seek are not available through local garden centers, visit plant nurseries that specialize in Florida native plants. For information on locations near you, contact the Association of Florida Native Nurseries.
- Consider hiring a landscape architect or contractor who is knowledgeable about native plants to survey your yard and landscape plan and make suggestions. This may be a wise investment, particularly if you are planning major changes.
Florida has the third most diverse wildlife population of any state in the nation. But rapid growth of human populations, particularly in coastal communities, is replacing native wildlife habitat with urban development. As our communities expand, we lament the loss of birds and other wildlife, yet our own yards are partly to blame.
A Florida Yard provides habitat for desirable plants and animals that have been displaced by development. As you consider objectives for your new or existing landscape, add a few features for wildlife to bring your yard alive with birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.
Basically, wildlife will be attracted by food, water and cover. Following are some considerations for providing wildlife habitat in your yard:
Food should be provided in the form of plants that bear seed, fruit, foliage or flowers that you are willing to have eaten by birds, larval butterflies (caterpillars) or adult butterflies. Berries, fleshy fruits, nuts and acorns are treats for wildlife.
Water sources may include a pond, creek or other body of freshwater if such a feature exists in or near your yard. A bird bath that captures rainwater or that you replenish can suffice. Dump and clean the container every few days and refill it to prevent mosquito breeding and bacterial contamination.
Birds are attracted to planted areas that include a tree canopy, smaller understory trees and shrubs, and grasses or flowers, particularly those that are allowed to go to seed on occasion. Meadow grasses can be especially attractive to wildlife, as well as adding a graceful and unique feature to your landscape.
warning: Pets that are allowed to harass wildlife will frustrate any efforts you make toward attracting wildlife.
Pesticides used in the landscape will reduce insect populations, an important food source for birds. Some chemicals also may poison birds that feed on affected insects.
Caterpillars on plants may be the larval form of butterflies. Each species of butterfly lays its eggs on a particular species of plant. For example, the queen butterfly lays its eggs on milkweed. If caterpillars are stripping a plant of leaves, take a sample of the offending insect to the University of Florida Extension Service for identification. If you want to discourage the insect, ask for suggestions on least-toxic controls.
Butterflies of different species are attracted to specific flowering nectar plants such as native wildflowers, shrubs and vines. The University of Florida Extension Service and Florida Native Plant Society can provide information on which butterflies are found in your area and which plants they use.
Snags or dead trees can be left in place if they don't threaten structures or parking areas. Birds use the snags for perches, nesting and sources of insects for food.
Literature from the Urban Wildlife Program of the University of Florida Extension Service can aid in your plans. The pamphlets list scores of plants and their wildlife-attracting characteristics, plus they describe which birds, butterflies or mammals use various plants. In some counties you can apply for your yard to be certified as a Florida Wildlife Habitat.
Here's a basic concept of a Florida Yard: Rain that falls in your yard should soak into your yard. After all, rainfall is an excellent source of water for your landscape, and reducing runoff will help protect waterways. Retaining rainfall long enough for it to percolate through the soil is particularly challenging in neighborhoods built before the late 1970s, when storm-water treatment ponds were not required. Please consider a few practical tips for reducing the amount of rainfall that runs off your yard.
Downspouts
If the roof of your home has rain gutters, make sure the downspouts are not aimed toward a paved surface. Turn downspouts into areas with plantings that will make better use of rainfall than letting it run down the driveway and into a storm drain. Be sure to choose plants for these areas that can adapt to having more water, and be sure water doesn't pool next to buildings.
Earth Shaping
Swales (small dips in the ground) and berms (raised earthen areas) can help divert runoff that is rushing from your yard. A bit of earth shaping can also be an attractive design element in your landscape. A berm-and-swale combination might be especially appropriate if your waterfront yard has a seawall. That, in combination with a maintenance-free zone of native plants, can make your yard more lagoon-friendly. Minor alterations to the lay of the land won't require permits or engineers, but any major e arth work should have the professional touch and will require regulatory review. Some cities and counties have natural resource departments that can provide advice on earth shaping. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts also may provide assistance.
Rain Barrels & Cisterns
These ancient "technologies" are making a comeback as water shortages and environmental ethics lead homeowners to use rain that falls on their property. Large, plastic rain barrels are now available at home and garden stores. The barrel looks much like a garbage can, but has a hole in the top where a roof downspout can fit snugly.
A valve near the bottom allows you to fill a watering can or connect a hose. These barrels are great for hand-watering, and they aren't mosquito-attracters as long as the downspout fits tightly. The barrel is not unsightly, and a four-foot shrub could easily shield it from view.
"Cistern" is really just a fancy word for rain barrel, but it implies a bit more engineering and greater storage capacity. Water is collected from the roof, filtered and stored in a container made of concrete, metal, wood, fiberglass or plastic. Water travels from the cistern upon demand by either gravity feed or pump action.
Porous Surfaces
Whenever possible, use bricks, gravel, turf block, mulch, pervious concrete or other porous materials for sidewalks, driveways or patios. These materials allow rainwater to seep into the ground, helping to filter pollutants and reducing the amount of runoff from your yard. In some cases they may even cost less to install than typical paving materials. Here's a comparison of surfaces for a 15-foot by 30-foot driveway. They are placed in order from most porous to least porous:
- Recycled mulch costs $0.16-0.40 per square foot.
- It requires occasional replenishing.
- Cypress mulch not recommended because harvest depletes wetlands.
- Washed shell costs $0.30 per square foot.
- It eventually compacts and hardens.
- It needs periodic additions and may alter soil pH.
- Gravel costs $ 1.33 per square foot.
- Pervious concrete costs $ 2.50 per square foot.
- Shell rock (limestone) costs $0.94 per square foot.
- It hardens.
- It is prone to erosion.
- It may alter soil pH.
- DOT-approved shell costs $0.25 per square foot.
- It may alter soil pH.
- Concrete costs $ 1.50 per square foot
- Asphalt costs $ 1.17 per square foot
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