Winter in Florida! Warm weather, swimming every day, theme parks, watching the waves… Not exactly, at least not every winter.
Like many southern states, Florida does have a winter period. It usually doesn’t last more than a month, but temperatures can drop at night to the 30s, sometimes even below that. As a result, iguanas freeze and drop from the trees, sometimes clunking an innocent tourist right on the head.
Iguanas freeze? What? Yes. Like many tropical animals and plants, they don’t do well in freezing weather.
When to plant?
So, everything is not all warm and cozy in central Florida sometimes. Although we don’t have snow very often (every 50 years or so), the temperature changes might still be too harsh, for a short time, to have new plantings in gardens or bedding.
Most tropical plants need at least 50° but do better in the 65-75° range. So maybe we can’t plant yet, but we can plan!
Planning bedding and ornamental plants
Your landscape specialists at Custom Acres will be able to help you with planning and selecting new plants for bedding and gardens, whether you want ornamental plants or edible plants.
Start with a rough plan of your lawns and gardens, and add the basics:
- Plant and bedding locations
- Size and shape of bedding or raised gardens
- Sunlight or shade
- Watering schedule
- Tolerance for low or high temperatures
Getting those basics on paper will help you visualize what you’re trying to accomplish. Once you know the characteristics of each area, you’ll have a better idea of what plants are best for each location or environment.
This is also an excellent time for planning some changes in the color or texture of the mulches you want to use. For example, do you want to contrast your house color in the bedding closest to the house? Do you want to add a little hardscaping, following the natural paths people leave when walking around the lawns and gardens? Will you need more sprinklers in any new beds?
Flowers, anyone?
Your rough plan is done, and things are looking pretty awesome. Some small floral bushes near the front doors will give it a beautiful pop of color. The ornamental beds at the corners and other areas near the house will be spectacular. And adding vegetable and herbal raised gardens in the back will add so much to your cooking and dining experiences!
If you’ve been thinking of adding hedges or fences or other privacy installments, now is the time for that as well. They should be added to the basic plans, too,
Take the temperature
You are keeping track of the temperature, especially at night, so once things steady to typical spring and summer temperatures, it’s time to choose the plants, shrubs, bushes, and trees you envision.
Your landscape people can help you make fundamental decisions about the best plants for sun, shade, and dry or watery conditions, while you look for favorite colors and scents.
Installations
Many things had to happen at once to make your trip to the garden shop such a productive one. First, beds had to be revised or installed to match the new plan. Then, the soil had to be turned over and mixed with nutrients, leaving holes in the ground for the larger plants, trees, and bushes to be installed.
Power had to be installed for the ground lighting and the extra lighting around the house and gardens. In addition, sprinkler systems had to be revised and modified to best suit the types of grasses, potential bedding plants, new bushes and trees, and the hardscape walkways so they won’t get too wet or slippery.
Hardscaping had to be installed, as well. New walkways, raised beds in the back, maybe a fountain.
Let’s go to the Garden Shop!
If you’ve never visited a garden shop before, and you are a fan of the look and scent of plants, soils, and other garden smells, then you’re in for a treat.
Out on the shop’s grounds, you’ll find all kinds of plants, bushes, and trees that are best for our climate and type of soil. You’ll also find fertilizers, additives, pots and planters, mulches, and several types and colors of pavers and blocks. And much, much more.
Inside, you’ll find many of those extras that personalize a garden, as well as the attire and hand tools that make gardening such a pleasure. You’ll find garden shoes and boots, other protective clothing and gear, buckets and hand tools, wind chimes, garden gnomes, and fountains.
Once you get over the first impression, you should have a great deal of pleasure in finding the perfect plant for the corner beddings and the floral bushes for the front door. The scents of the herbs in pots, already started for your raised gardens, are heady. You can already picture yourself taking cuttings of your favorites to add to the pot or sprinkle on a plate.
The garden shop attendants are very knowledgeable if you’re unsure of a specific plant. If you have more questions, your Custom Acres advisor will be able to help you make a decision.
And… Bravo!!
What a fantastic adventure! Transforming lawns and gardens was a lot of work for your landscapers and you. Constructing new beds for more color and scent was an exciting idea and even more exciting once executed.
Many trees and plants were already there when you purchased your property and hadn’t been changed much since. Making decisions about such significant changes was difficult, but the results are stunning.
You and your family will really enjoy discovering new things as your gardens settle in and some of the less apparent changes start being noticed. The hidden gnomes, and miniature fairy gardens, delight the kids as they explore. The added lighting is always a significant advantage, especially now that the established pathways across the lawn have been hardscaped and lighted.
It’s all a little like finding your home, again.