Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Two Wildflowers: Tropical Sage and Butterfly Needles, Reclassified as Non-Native to Florida

by Forest Hecker
October 12, 2026

Two common and familiar wildflowers have gone the way of Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella) in recent weeks. The Atlas of Florida Plants as well as other sources like the Florida Wildflower Foundation now lists Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea) ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes

Living Fences and Thorny Hedges in Florida

by Forest Hecker
October 6, 2026

Every hurricane season leaves the same debris along Suncoast streets: snapped wood pickets, cracked vinyl panels and leaning posts. Since Hurricane Ian in 2022, and again after Milton in 2024, many homeowners and HOA communities have paid to ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Hurricane, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes, Sustainability

New Natives Take Root at Shamrock Park’s Demonstration Garden

by Forest Hecker and Ashley Ellis

September 24, 2026

The Demonstration Garden at Shamrock Park and Nature Center in Venice has had a major makeover. Today September 24th, we planted 35 large trees and shrubs, 52 small shrubs, 215 native wildflowers and understory plants. We also spread ~690+ ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Nature, Pgm_HortRes

Grow with Confidence at the 20th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale

by Ashley Ellis
September 14, 2026

Imagine your are about to buy a lovely little plant from a store and suddenly you wonder…is it healthy? Will it survive in my yard? Will I be able to take care of it? Most of us who love plants have experienced this. Coming up soon ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pgm_HortRes, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

Suncoast Grown and Gathered: Longans for August

by Forest Hecker
August 31, 2026

At the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension Office, we've been cultivating a Food Forest to showcase the most productive, unique, and often underutilized fruits and crops suited to our distinctive southwest Florida climate. Through this ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes

Visit Our Bug Bungalows

by Jackie Lebouitz and Erin Petersen

August 7, 2026

Bugs are an incredibly important part of the environment. Many pollinate plants, including fruits like berries and melons, help make the soil healthier by breaking down leaves, wood, and other organic matter, serve as food for wildlife like ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Art, Beneficial, Bug, Bungalow, Entomology, Fairy, Game, Good, House, Insects, Pgm_Chemicals, Pollinator

Red, White, and Blooming: Master Gardener Volunteers Revamp the Flagpole Garden for America’s 250th!

by Forest Hecker and Ashley Ellis

July 2, 2026

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, the Master Gardener Volunteers of Sarasota County are marking the occasion in the most fitting way they know how — with plants! This July 4th, visitors to Twin Lakes Park ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pgm_HortRes

Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Restrictions Extended Through October 1

by Mike D'Imperio
June 29, 2026

Last week, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) voted to extend the current Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Restrictions through October 1, 2026.Before officials enacted these restrictions earlier this year, we had ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, Water, Work & Life
Tags: Drought, Featured, Landscape, Pgm_Water, Water

Blue-Green Algae Are Blooming

by Mike D'Imperio
June 8, 2026

Here in Florida, we are no strangers to algae. It occurs naturally in both saltwater and freshwater ecosystems. Our warm climate, ample sunlight, and slow-moving, shallow waters provide excellent habitats for many algal species. If you have ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: Algae, Algal Bloom, Blue-green Algae, Cyanobacteria, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Harmful Algae, Pgm_Water, Sarasota, Sarasota County, Water Quality

Suncoast Florida Drought Update: What It Means for Your Landscape, Water Supply, and Fire Risk

by Forest Hecker, Valeria Yon and Mike D'Imperio

June 4, 2026

How Bad Is the Current Drought? Since the end of our rainy season in early fall, rainfall totals across west-central Florida have dropped dramatically. Local meteorologists report this has been one of the driest fall–winter periods in over ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Drought, Fire, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes, Pgm_Water

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