Florida Friendly landscaping is in Florida law and allows you to integrate the nine principles into your yard. Those nine principles include
- Right plant right place
- Water efficiently
- Mulch
- Fertilize appropriately
- Recycle yard waste
- Attract wildlife
- Control yard pets responsibly
- Reduce stormwater runoff
- Protecting the waterfront
Follow the Rules
When we think about landscape design, we want to integrate these nine principles in every aspect of our landscape planning. Another aspect to consider in the beginning of the planning stages are if the Water Management District has irrigation rules set in place. If they do you will need to select plants that are going to be compatible with those irrigation rules. Additionally, your county or city might have a fertilizer ordinance that prohibits you from fertilizing certain times of the year; another key thing to consider in plant selection. If you live by a lake front, you’ll want to be sure to pull any lakefront permits needed by the county or state.
Get Inspired!
When starting to plan our landscape we want to get inspired! We can go online to look at pictures or drive around our neighborhoods to think about what we want to implement. However, before you purchase anything it is really important to consider function, the environment and the aesthetics of the landscape.
Think Like a Pro
You can do this by embracing the six basic principles of landscape design which include
- Proportion
- Scale
- Balance
- Rhythm
- Dominance
- Contrast
Match Your Site to Your Needs
Think about the aspects of your site. Each landscape and property are unique and it is important to think about what features you currently have. For example, what is the orientation of the home or building? What is the soil composition, as shown by a soil test for pH, macro and micronutrients? How does the site drain after a hard rain? Are any current invasive species on the property?
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