There is truly nothing quite as pleasing as a beautifully landscaped house. Choosing to landscape your yard is a great decision and adds value to your home. However, landscaping in Central Florida presents its own unique challenges.  You might be asking yourself some of the following questions:

• How does the climate and weather in Florida affect my yard?
• What will grow here in Central Florida?
• What plants are budget friendly?
• Where do I even begin?​

Natural green thumb or not, you can create a front yard in Central Florida that is both beautiful and sustainable. Here is a list of ideas to get you started.

Budget-friendly landscaping options should always include perennials. Perennials are plants that flourish long-term. Florida native perennials that are good for the residential landscaper include the Florida boxwood shrub, yellow elder flower, silver buttonwood hedge, firebush shrub, Dwarf Podocarpus, bay cedar shrub, and the Live Oak tree.  These are all affordable plants that would thrive in the Florida sun. ​

One of the best ways to design a small yard is to omit the lawn entirely. No more lawn mowing. This can be done through landscaping flower beds. Flower beds add great texture and depth to your front yard. They are also great for reducing surface area. The issue for many front yards, is the constant need for upkeep and maintenance. By making the decision to garden a large part of your yard, you are saving yourself money and upkeep down the line. Using the space in your yard to fill with beautiful plants and flowers will have your lawn mower thanking you for giving it a break! Flower beds will transform your front yard from being an ordinary plot of green land to a land full of color. That’s why it’s very important to pick the right plants that would work for your yard. Some flowers that will flourish in Central Florida include: Lantanas, Tickseed, Petunia, Buttercup, and Blue Daze. These are great flowers to choose from because of their hardiness and ability to bloom year round. They are also very durable and Florida-friendly. ​
​

"Just put some aloe on it."

Fans of the TV sitcom "Seinfeld" will recall this advice as being the call of the unconcerned dermatologist. While we certainly value the work dermatologists do and, in no way wish to minimize their vocation, you have to admit that this is a pretty good line. Aloe vera has been used for centuries by humans around the globe to treat wounds, burns, and reduce fever. In modern times, aloe vera is cultivated and widely used in lotions, creams, cosmetics, and even foods. Let's take a closer look at this wonder-plant and how it can dramatically improve your Central Florida garden space. 

Aloe vera is one of the oldest mentioned plants in written history. Ancient Egyptian and Chinese writers have commented on the plant's healing and soothing abilities. The legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra is rumored to have used the plant in her daily skin treatments. Macedonian military might Alexander the Great conquered the island of Socotra (an island off the coast of modern-day Yemen) for the sole purpose of securing enough aloe vera to treat his soldier's wounds.  Indeed, aloe vera has been important to humans since the beginning of civilization.

If you break off a piece of the fleshy stem of the aloe vera plant, you will see a gel-like liquid that the plant naturally produces. This "wound" will quickly heal over at the point of the cut and will eventually grow back to its original state. The portion of the plant that has been cut off can be maintained in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Multiple skin issues, (including the dreaded poison ivy) can be treated using this gel as well as the resinous yellow "aloin" that is found when you cut a piece off of a plant.​

Aloe vera originated in the Arabian Peninsula, but grows well in arid climates around the world. In addition to its commercial and medicinal benefits, it is also a really attractive plant that makes an excellent addition to any landscaped garden. Additionally, aloe vera plants require very little water to thrive. In fact, experts recommend that you water your aloe vera plants once every three weeks and even less frequently during the winter months. Even gardeners whose thumbs are far from green can successfully maintain these wonderful plants.

Aloe plants can be a perfect fit for your yard. In addition to being practical and attractive, these plants even attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Aloe vera plants like sunshine. That's great news for us here in the Sunshine State. Incorporating a few aloe plants into your yard's garden is an easy way to make it look better without the fuss of more high-maintenance plants.

If you're interested in adding aloe vera plants to your home's garden, give us at Aventura Nursery & Landscaping a call at (352) 799-3200 today. We are currently offering special prices on all types of aloe as well as discounts on bamboo, jasmine, and jade. We look forward to helping you make your yard look its absolute best. 

The weather here in Florida made headlines around the country last month. Temperatures in the low 40s across the state not only lead to an increase in jacket sales, it also saw an additional strange phenomenon: iguanas falling out of trees! While this change in the weather and the subsequent happenings surrounding it was a silly anomaly to most, it did bring about an interesting question for the Central Florida landscaping community: is is a good idea to prune trees when the temperature drops? The answer to this question is an unqualified...yes!

For most trees, winter is the perfect time for pruning. This is because most trees enter a state of dormancy when the weather gets cold and lose most of their leaves. The branches of these trees become exposed and it becomes much easier to see the actual structure of the tree. This means that any troublesome spots such as branches hanging too close to any structures are also easier to identify. Furthermore, winter months are usually drier than warmer months. When branches are drier, they weigh less and are easier to cut. A definite win-win.

Fruit trees such as cypress, juniper, and spruce are ideal candidates for winter pruning and should be cut during colder months. Sap producing trees like elm, maple, and birch are best left until late summer or early fall however. This is because freshly exposed limbs are susceptible to seepage. 

It's a good idea to make a plan before you start doing any work. Survey your property to decide which trees need to be trimmed and what equipment you will need to get the job done. Do you have extremely tall trees that will require special ladders and equipment? If so, it may be a good idea to hire a professional landscaping company as opposed to trying to go it alone. The last thing we want is for anyone to be injured while trimming from high places.

We recommend that larger branches be cut in stages. This will reduce the likelihood of injury to both you and the tree. Using your handsaw and/or snips, make a series of cuts beginning at about 18 inches from the trunk. Make an additional cut a few inches closer to the trunk and a final cut close to the trunk of the tree, just outside the branch's collar. Remember to dispose of all branches in accordance with local laws and regulations and please be safe while working.

If you want to take the stress and danger out of tree trimming, please give Aventura Nursery & Landscaping a call at (352) 799-3200 today. We are standing by to help you make your yard look its best.