View ChannelsFeatured: Finance
View ShowroomsFeatured: Radiantec - Radiant Solar Heating

BobVila.com

Home

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

Angela Polo from the University of Florida's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is on hand to show how the Punta Gorda yard exemplifies the nine principles of their program: right plant, right place, efficient watering, recycling, protecting the waterfront, reducing stormwater runoff, attracting wildlife, managing fertilizers, and managing pests. Bob and Angela discuss the soil in Punta Gorda, which is typical of new Florida construction and is sandy with no percolation or drainage. Bob talks about the native palm of Florida, the Sabal Palm or Cabbage Palm as it is commonly called, as an example of selecting the right plant for the right place. Brian Kendzior from Sun Scape Landscaping explains the landscape design for this large corner lot with screening for privacy, minimized functional lawn areas, and large beds. Kendzior talks with Bob about addressing hurricane issues and landscaping so that the home and surrounding areas are protected from damaged landscaping and wind-borne plant debris. He explains how landscapers have reduced the size of plantings near the house and moved to sturdy, native plants to reduce hurricane damage. Kendzior also talks about plant selection and maintenance. Sustainable planting tends toward native plants that require low maintenance and thrive in natural conditions. To that end, the irrigation system provided by Toro uses a pressure compensating watering system that uses weep holes to water perimeter plants. Polo also adds that raised beds will be installed by the canal, preventing turf from going right to the edge of the bulkhead. This reduces the chance of runoff from fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides into the waterway.

Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

Chapters from this episode

Sustainable Planting for Florida Landscape Now Playing

Sustainable Planting for Florida Landscape

Now Playing

Controlled Water Use for Lawns and Gardens

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida Now Playing

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

Sustainable Plantings, Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides Now Playing

Sustainable Plantings, Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides

Low-Dose Termite Protection Now Playing

Low-Dose Termite Protection

Clip Transcript For:

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Angela polo is with us today from the University of Florida neighborhood and yards program and it's going to be a lot of fun. Gardening today now what are some of the principles that your program tries to promote."

" Okay we have nine principles that the Florida yards and neighborhoods program. Promote its. An air right plant right place in the lottery efficiently. Recycling protecting me waterfront reducing storm water runoff. I attracting wildlife to your landscape. And manage keen -- your fertilizers."

" And your past that's a lot to remember and senate and the program -- now let me go back to the First Amendment right plant right place everybody assumes you come to Florida which is one of the fastest growing states in the country and anything you throw in the ground is gonna take off fly while truck but in many in many of these places that you have new developments and old developments this is the soil is sandy -- bridge."

" Yes and this so well is very typical of new construction and new residential construction in Florida -- And we also have compaction issues that we're dealing with here we won't percolate -- it will not calculate -- right there water just comes and it stands there."

" Yes so one of the favorite plants seems to be that a single bomb which we're gonna see later in the show you planet."

" And this is a cat the native palm of Florida is stable Compton yes the cabbage now did you do the overall design. I would be ever are designed. I weren't -- writing Ken Starr from the sun state landscaping Bob franken is there how aria good."

" Tell us a little bit about the the overall planning here is this is it's a small lot that is not a big -- and is on its core a lot of it has a lot."

" After that we typically are typically you have. Well we dreaded this Christmas -- screening issues of privacy for the homeowners in the certain areas that we need it. If you give them some functional lawn areas for where they need that cut that space and you can minimize lawn don't you yes in the Florida yards -- we want to minimizing the lawn and the turf areas as much as possible yes. Provide larger bed areas which will allow you to have. A larger landscaping as far as more beautification right and would give you some nicer things here."

" Excellent now the -- the choice of plant material is very important a lot of people. Will buy a development house and start going to these beautiful garden centers and coming back with these gorgeous specimens and then next thing you know you've got a huge tree growing up next your house in a hurricane comes on your trouble. The idea of how do you plan against that."

" Well with the hurricane issues that we've had that's something that we're now dealing with and where we're learning to take our landscaping away from the houses and use more functional plants -- this wax myrtle over here. This gives us a nice plant that. Provides us an evergreen shrub. Does to screen our Stucco yes we also have some native -- this is a native plant retains its foliage throughout the years well does it -- Does not bloom does have some berries that are that attract the wildlife it's a great color against our kind of terracotta Stucco over there. And then what what are these little ones here this is vibrant suspense of this is used to hide did air conditioners we've gone with -- dwarf variety here because that's going to allow us to get a long term exposure out of it. -- advantages that this went on just get a big full grown one religious right -- it reduces our maintenance for Bob purposes of something that you don't have to trim three to five times a year only one to two times a year to keep them maintained while life makes a lot of sense we also have here. Our irrigation system as well. This is was donated by -- this is a drip line it's coming -- it's a pressure compensating drip line and you can see this little weep hole here yes how all the plants -- water."

" Okay it's and I know we've got our friend Greg around isn't just a little bit about how this whole system works right on. This is Greg Peterson from the logic and he's gonna talk about a soil moisture in the air. So how does that work -- I mean normally see an irrigation system on a bagel line and little sprinkler heads come up when they spraying a lot of water gets wasted down the road side. What's this sensor do."

" For so what we're doing with Lawnlogic it's a soil moisture monitoring and control system it overrides the irrigation timer. When there's enough moisture in -- these things are stuck into the ground this would be an underground sensor in this case Bob and Teresa have an eight zone system so there's eight of these wired around the house and that's correct to. A control center that's correct. Each of the zones is individually set for moisture level. If at the time when the irrigation. Timer comes on if there's enough moisture in the soil because it's been raining the day before or whatever -- It will override that particular zone that's excellent so it's not organized like rain gauge or anything it's actually measuring the moisture underneath. The church that's right wherever it happens to be. That's correct and does it also worked for further shrubs that Brian was just pointing out where we've got this kind of drip. Irrigation stuff yes it -- with turf -- works with -- and also works with any type of -- sand -- long or clay fantastic so this is a responsible thing to be doing instead of just having sprinkler heads all over your house. That are it's."

" Wasting yeah -- every day rain it's measuring the water down at the root system where the plants need it yet so that they written consent is why. We don't need water."

" Now the last question I had was when you're in an area like this we've got waterfront you got canals people like to grow the turf right up against."

" Yes -- look at any Florida yards program. Try to discourage the turf coming right up to the -- had read they downside of that is runoff of pesticides and fertilizers and is now yeah that's the best way to avoid it is best way to avoid it would be to make a low shrub bed there used ground covers or any type of alternative plant that's going to require less fertilizers less water less pruning great thanks guys."

[-]

More Videos »Related Videos

Review of the Landscaping Design

Bob takes a tour of the completed landscaping in this episode. Landscape designer Ruth Foster has created a Colonial-themed design. Foster chose to keep a magnificent white pine at the front of the yard and combined it with birch trees in the nearby less formal capability garden. Along the front of the yard Foster had planted a half dozen crabapples that will bloom white in the spring. The centerpiece of the landscape is the Elizabethan garden, guarded by two cedar trees at the front of the yard, almost like sentries. The garden itself is edged with flowers, such as rhododendrons and lilacs, as well as favorites like the roses. In addition, Foster has constructed a raised diamond-shaped bed with a topiary in the middle of the garden.

Discussing the Home's Landscaping and Hardscaping

Bob discusses the landscaping of a home with Kevin Kalman, general contractor of I'On, and Josh Garvin a Low Country landscape contractor.

Landscaping Safety

Take a look around your home. The landscaping can be attractive but is it as safe as it can be in the event of a natural disaster? Every year falling trees and limbs cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage as well as personal injuries and deaths. In Orlando it's estimated that more than 20,000 trees were lost in that city alone due to Hurricane Charley. Whether it's a hurricane, tornado, ice storm or wildfire - trees that are old, weak, diseased, not properly maintained or just in the wrong place can be a dangerous hazard to your home. But there are ways to protect your home and family from damage and injury caused by trees. Here are some suggestions. Choose the Right Tree Some varieties of trees are more prone to storm damage than others. Thousands of homes have been damaged because nearby trees were wrong for the soil or region where they were planted. A strong wind can easily topple a shallow rooted tree growing in soft soil. City foresters, county extension offices, local nurseries and landscape firms can provide advise on tree selection for your area and soil conditions. Learn how to care for your trees Regular and proper pruning can strengthen the health and vitality of your trees. Removal of dead, diseased or damaged parts of the tree will also stop the spread of disease and harmful insects that can significantly weaken or destroy your tree. Avoid pruning branches flush to the tree. Doing so removes not only the limb but part of the trunk, opening the tree to possible decay or insect damage. Learn how to spot potential problems early Homeowners are the first line of defense against problem trees - regularly check for signs of damage or disease including: Cracks in the trunk or major limbs Insect infestations Trees that look one-sided or that lean significantly Branches hanging over the house or near the roof Limbs in contact with power lines Mushrooms growing from the bark signaling decay Crossing branches that rub or interfere with each other Tree care professionals including arborists, can examine trees for more subtle signs of weakness and take care of problems including pruning limbs that may be too big or too high for a homeowner to take down safely. Plant with Wildfire in Mind In recent years, thousands of homes have been burned and lives lost because of wildfire and in many cases improper landscaping has contributed to the problem. In areas of wildfire risk, landscaping should be considered an essential part of fire protection. Create a defensible space around your home using this rule - clear at least 30 feet around your home, 50 feet if your are in a heavily wooded area or 100 feet if you live on a hillside. Plant fire resistive, native vegetation. Space trees at least 10 feet apart. Remove dead or dying trees. Keep trees properly pruned. Branches of mature trees should be at least 6 feet from the ground and shrubs under the trees should be no more than 18 inches high. Trim branches so they don't extend over the roof or near the chimney. Properly dispose of cuttings and debris. Plant with Crime in Mind Burglars enter a home in the United States every five seconds. You can avoid becoming a statistic by making sure your home doesn't look like a target of opportunity. Trim shrubs and trees back to avoid a hidden entry into your home and trim lower limbs of trees that could help a thief climb into a second story window.

Victorian House Landscaping

Bob discusses landscaping and the stone terrace with Ruth Foster, landscape consultant. They stand in the diamond shaped courtyard with a series of diamond shaped planters. The first is filmed with herbs, the second with roses and the third a perennial garden. The fourth and outermost garden is a white garbed with maroon accents to match the trim on the Victorian�s windows. Ruth added sandy loam from a farm, as much of the soil on Martha�s Vineyard is almost a sandy beach type soil. In the herb garden she plants Lavender, Thyme, Basil, Parsley, Chives and Artimesia, which is in all the beds to tie them together. Ruth also selects a Japanese Red Maple and �New Dawn� climbing roses to highlight the garden. Bob then meets up with Fred Portinier, the hardscape consultant. He started with a baseline and worked his way out from the house using bluestone and a base of native island stone dust, gently sloping out to the driveway.