Landscaping for Specific Sites

A shady pine covered landscape

Florida's unique features can make gardening a challenge for new residents and first-time gardeners.

Design with Florida in Mind

Sandy soil, limestone bedrock, dense shade, wetlands, numerous pests, and four different growing zones—Florida is a biologically rich state with many different kinds of ecosystems, some found nowhere else in the United States.

Coral reefs, dunes, saltwater marshes, and mangroves are all found along the coast. Further inland, some Floridians live near wetlands like freshwater marshes, which typically have an open expanse of grasses and standing water. Freshwater swamps are wooded, with trees such as cypress, sweet gum, or oak. These wetlands act as natural water filters. Hardwood hammocks are thick stands of trees, and scrubs contain mostly pine, oaks, and saw palmetto. Pinelands are the most common plant communities in Florida.