Harris
I have used the FFL Principles since 2013. I never realized how much I had applied them in our yard until recently when I decided to go for FFL Certification.
Right Plant, Right Place- Our yard is small and has little or no shade. That rules out a lot of plants and trees. I love and use native plants, but not a weedy over grown look. I plant some in containers and deadheaded them regularly. This controls self-seeding.
Water Efficiency, Runoff & Fertilizer- Using water barrels which are fed by house gutters. We have two 50 gallon linked barrels and one 250 gallon tote. All containers are raised up on wooden bases 18” high, allowing water hoses and gravity to help with distribution. We camouflaged one of the barrels painting it the same color as the house. We have no in ground irrigation and don’t water the lawn. Rainwater runoff does not go on hardscape surfaces. We don’t water or fertilize, we use a multicultural turf approach using different types of grasses and groundcovers. Cow manure and slow release fertilizers are used for plants, and shrubs not the lawn.
Mulch is used extensively in beds for weed control and aesthetics. Pea gravel, pine bark and Melaleuca is used to add texture and color contrast.
Pest Management- We used pesticides and then only biologicals. Glyphosate is used occasionally following manufacture’s recommendation on weeds around the pavers in hardscape.
Recycle- We have an active compost bin for food waste but yard trimmings go into paper sacks for curbside pickup.
FFL Highlights
Principle #5: Attract Wildlife
The yard is littered with Flowering and fruiting plants (Beautyberry, Left Image) as well as a couple birdhouses and bird feeders (Right Image). A Florida-Friendly landscape utilizes plant material and other landscape structures to provide habitat for birds and pollinators throughout the year. All types of wildlife (birds, lizards, a black snake and lots of butterflies) frequent our flowers, shrubs and Magnolia tree.
Principle #8: Reducing Stormwater Runoff
To reduce stormwater runoff and to water more efficiently in their landscape, the Harris family used different rain barrels and cisterns. Water collected from their rooftop not only limited stormwater from leaving their landscape, but they used the collected water to irrigate the plants throughout their landscape.
Images from the Harris Property
Top Left: Roselle, a wonderful flowering hibiscus. Bottom Left: Blooming native Firebush (Hamelia patens). Right: Container with Blue-Eyed Grass and a patriotic bird.
Left: Blooming frogfruit, a Florida native groundcover. Top Right: Blooming daylilies. Bottom Right: Compost bin.
Top Left: Flowering perennials make wonderful additions to any landscape. Bottom Left: A Southern Magnolia goes to seed. Right: Grapes climbing upon a fence provides shelter to a small rain barrel.