The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program is used to giving out the gold, but earlier this month it was the recipient.
The television series “Flip My Florida Yard” won an Emmy® for best magazine program at the 47th Annual Suncoast Regional Emmy® Awards, held Saturday, December 2 in Hollywood, Florida. The Florida-based gardening show travels to yards around the state and gives them the ultimate Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ makeover all in eight hours. Using the nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL), this transformation creates yards that protect and conserve Florida’s natural resources through science-based landscape practices. Each transformation is led by a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent. Crawford Entertainment produced the series, with Chad Crawford as the show creator and host, with on-air help from UF/IFAS Extension faculty and staff. The FFL program and “Flip My Florida Yard” are funded by the Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with UF/IFAS Extension.
Both Tom Wichman and Jennifer Marvin were able to attend the ceremony, held at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood. Wichman is the FFL assistant program director and Marvin is statewide coordinator for the Florida-Friendly for Home Landscapes program, formerly known as the Florida Yard & Neighborhoods (FYN) program.
“Working on the ‘Flip My Florida Yard’ television show over the past three seasons has been a dream come true and winning an Emmy was just so exciting,” said Wichman. “The show is bringing research-based landscape information to a huge audience and the result is that people will have a better idea of how to get started and where to go for more information.”
The Florida-Friendly for Home Landscapes Program helps teach people how to design and maintain their landscapes sustainably. They also recognize yards and gardens that use these environmentally-friendly landscaping practices. Florida-Friendly landscapes minimize the use of potable water for irrigation, avoid the runoff of excess fertilizers and pesticides from the landscape, and provide habitats for wildlife. Qualifying home landscapes receive a yard sign to display and a certificate of recognition at either silver or gold level.
Season three of “Flip My Florida Yard” just wrapped shooting in the fall and Wichman says that viewers can expect more of the things they loved. “Season three brings 10 more homes from across Florida to the table to show viewers how attainable a Florida-Friendly Landscape can be,” he said. “I hope people enjoy the show.”
Watch full episodes of “Flip My Florida Yard” on the FFL YouTube channel. Learn more about the television series and ways to watch at flipmyfloridayard.com.
The Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a nonprofit Florida corporation and hosts the annual Regional Emmy® Awards for television markets in the state of Florida, as well as select markets in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Puerto Rico. You can learn more about the awards at their website, suncoastchapter.org.
You can watch the moment the “Flip My Florida Yard” win was announced at the Suncoast Chapter’s YouTube channel.
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