Flip My Florida Yard is a TV series created in partnership with Crawford Entertainment, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and University of Florida/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping program. The show is filmed in locations throughout Florida. The goal of the series is to show homeowners how to create a landscape that is environmentally-friendly. The themes revolve around the nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Each yard flip features installation of low maintenance Florida-Friendly plants that are drought-tolerant and attract wildlife. Efficient irrigation such as microirrigation or high efficiency rotor spray heads are often installed to help with plant establishment and mulch is applied in a 2 – 3″ layer to help conserve moisture and create an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping agent Tia Silvasy helped to coordinate activities related to the flip of the Lindsley’s yard, which was recorded in Central Florida in Dec. of 2020. The exciting part of the show is that the yard must be completely renovated in 8 hours. Tia Silvasy helped to recruit landscape designer Rex Zimmerman on Exotic Landscape Designs to perform the flip. Rex Zimmerman was one of the first to earn a certificate as a Florida-Friendly Landscaping Certified Professional. Tia also helped to introduce the idea of ecological landscaping during the segment and explain how the plants attract beneficial insects to eat garden pests. This reduces the need for pest control and promotes an eco-friendly yard.
This show leads by example and empowers people to know they can start taking care of the environment in their own back yards. In spring of 2021, the episodes were broadcast on many local TV stations throughout the state. Watch by searching “Discover Florida Channel” on your streaming device such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecase, or Google play or online at Discover Florida Channel.
After the show aired, we got a lot of positive feedback at our UF/IFAS Extension Orange County center and many inquiries about Florida-Friendly Landscaping. It is estimated that the show reached over 2 million viewers. Want your yard flipped? Check the website for the next call for participants.
Want to learn more? Check out horticulture classes offered by UF/IFAS Extension Orange County at www.ocextension.eventbrite.com. Read about Florida-Friendly Landscaping™. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and visit our website.
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