Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Stories from The Yard: Stewardship and Florida-Friendly Beauty in an HOA Community

by Lorna Bravo
November 30, 2025

Growing a Garden with Purpose: Commitment to Stewardship As a UF/IFAS Urban Horticulture Agent, I work with passionate homeowners and Master Gardener Volunteers who are reshaping what Florida-Friendly landscaping in HOA communities can look ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Broward, Florida-Friendly Landscape, Invasive Species, Master Gardener Volunteer, Protect Waterfront, Right Place Right Plant

Stories from the Yard: Creating Florida-Friendly Outdoor Spaces You’ll Love

by Lorna Bravo
October 22, 2025

Growing a Garden with Purpose: Creating a Space to Enjoy and Relax Join us as we share real stories from local gardeners and homeowners who are transforming their yards into Florida-Friendly landscapes. Discover useful tips, successes, and ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: #IFASWater, #urban, Florida-Friendly Landscape, Invasive Species

Stories from the Yard: Our Path to Florida-Friendly Landscapes

by Lorna Bravo
September 1, 2025

Growing a Garden with Purpose: Teaching, Sustaining, Inspiring Join us as we share real stories from local gardeners and homeowners who are changing their yards into Florida-Friendly landscapes. Learn helpful tips, successes, and challenges ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conserve Water, Florida Gardening, Florida-Friendly Landscape, Invasive Species, Master Gardener Program, Storytelling, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Urban Environments

Career Paths Around the Tree of Life

by Donna Corbelli Castro
August 6, 2025

Agriculture literally is the tree of life for everyone on the planet. Without agriculture, we could not support the population as it exists now. In fact, it was agriculture that enabled many countries to establish. Previously in history, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Arboriculture, Careers, Certifications, Ecology, Green Industry, Horticulture

Growing More Than Gardens: The Transformative Journey of Master Gardener Volunteers

by Lorna Bravo
July 5, 2025

Introduction: Sowing the Seeds of Change Volunteerism holds a unique power—the ability to transform not only landscapes but lives. When people unite with a shared purpose, fueled by a passion for learning and a commitment to service, the ... READ MORE

Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Broward County, Build Community, Community, Giving, Growing Food, Journey, Master Gardener Program, UF/IFAS, Volunteers

Our Passionate State Butterfly

by Donna Corbelli Castro
June 25, 2025

It's a butterfly world! Sometimes, my garden is literally bursting with butterflies. If you feel this way too, then you may have planted many butterfly host plants. A butterfly host plant is one which they lay their eggs on. You must ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Tags: Butterflies, Butterfly Gardening, Maypop, Newsletter, Newsletter2, Passiflora Incense, Passiflora Suberosa, Passion Vines, Pupal Mating, Zebra Longwing

Surprises in Your Garden

by Donna Corbelli Castro
April 29, 2025

I love a good surprise! Who doesn't? I have been gardening personally and professionally for over 50 years and my garden never ceases to amaze me. If you have a Florida Friendly garden with native plant diversity and especially flowers, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, , Wildlife
Tags: 9 Principles, Cosmos, Florida Friendly, Long Horned Bees, Native Bees, Newsletter, Pollinator Gardens, Pollinators

Planting for Our Future

by Donna Corbelli Castro
March 3, 2025

Broward County celebrates its annual Water Matters Day, March 8th at Tree Tops Park. Question: When is the best time to plant a tree? Answer: 20 years ago Time is our most precious resource and when it comes to planting trees, the time ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Broward County, Florida Friendly Landscapes, Free Trees, Native Trees, Urban Canopy, Water Conservation, Watter Matters Day

Do You See What I See?

by Donna Corbelli Castro
December 12, 2024

Let Heaven and Nature Sing As 2024 draws to a close, and as we reflect on the past year... do you see what I see? I see trees, plants and flowers growing that weren't there last year. Hopefully, you planted some too, and are enjoying ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Management, Horticulture, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Birding, Calliandra, FFL, Gardening, Herbs, Nature, South Florida, UF/IFAS, Veggies, Winter

Connecting Communities to Water: A Journey of Discovery and Conservation

by Lorna Bravo
November 1, 2024

Article by Urban Horticulture Agent Lorna Bravo & Commercial Horticulture Educational Specialist Giuseppe Di Giacinto The Water Ambassador Program In 2019, our Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program collaborated with UF professor Dr. ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife
Tags: #IFASWater, Bodies Of Water, Community, Conserve Water, Culture, Everglades, Extension Education, Miccosukee, Tree Islands, Water

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