Florida has one of the nation’s most beautiful landscapes, with unique ecosystems you don’t find anywhere else in the world. The swampy Everglades, pristine white beaches, and fertile inlands make Florida an incredible habitat for plants and animals. However, trying to grow your own Florida garden can prove tricky even for the experienced gardener.
Most of Florida is in zones 8-10, with a subtropical climate and heavy rainfall throughout the year. This means that plants accustomed to cooler climate, richer soils, or dry terrain will not survive, even with the most careful cultivation. If you want your Florida garden to thrive, you need to play to its strengths.
Characteristics of an Average Florida Garden
If this is your first time growing a garden in Florida, you may want to observe the natural seasonal changes in your yard before making any drastic changes. Florida winters are very mild, with heat waves as late as December in some cases. The summers are hot, humid, and rainy, which means your plants need to be able to withstand a lot of heat and moisture. Other characteristics of Florida landscapes include:
- Average rainfall in most Florida cities is over 50 inches/year and over 100 days/year
- Average high/low temperature in July is 72-91°F with over 10 hours of sunshine
- Sand- and clay-rich soils are most typical across the state
Best Plants to Grow in Florida
With these conditions, it can be difficult to grow some of our favorite plants even when cultivating them in container gardens or hiding them from the intense sun. If you want your Florida garden to thrive, choose some of these plants that will love Florida’s climate:
- Beach sunflowers
- Black-eyed susans
- Blanket flowers
- Saw palmettos
- Star jasmine
- Canna
- Beach morning glory
- Azaleas
- Beautyberry
- Firebush
Protecting Your Plants from Wildlife
Many of these plants will attract natural wildlife like birds, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden. However, not all wild animals are welcome in most home gardens. If you want to keep deer, rabbits, and other wildlife from eating all of your fresh blooms, a privacy fence is a simple fix that will keep your garden safe. If you are interested in a new fence installation for your garden, contact FloriFence today!
FloriFence LLC. 