Florida Landscape Design

Baxter Digs His Hammock

                                            
Busy, busy, busy I am used to a landscaping season Florida just flip flops the time of year making this job my first steady winter gig in years.  Sure doesn't seem like winter with sunny skies and salt in the air, doubt that I will ever miss shoveling snow.

Garden Space Before Photo

                                           

Transformation In Progress

                                              
This was a fun design project, I have always been extremely fond of designing small spaces. It is a pleasure to work with a client who has the ability to see the vision and the good sense to let a designer lead the way.  The paver walk will unite the spaces in the backyard.

Before Photo Behind The Pool Cage

                              

No More Mowing

                                                   


Pavers install a bit easier in Florida, using the triangle of concrete as edging really locks in the sides, a little more difficult to hide but mulch works well.

Raphael Mulching Among The Crape Myrtle

                                 


Landscaping really changed the look of this house, the finishing touches of a make over that began almost two years ago.  A new design for the entire backyard and a
complete foundation planting of the road side, now screams curb appeal.

Clean Lines And Great Color, Oh Yeah

                                
Designing in Florida has it's challenges, I am still experiencing a learning curve. Having a great support team at Hazeltine Nurseries,  sharing ideas with five skilled designers, cad techs, an extremely knowledgeable nursery staff and  dedicated, professional installation crews makes for a smooth transition.  Hooray Hazelteam!



We Got It All

                                                      

Ready To Party

                                                       
Today Sean and crew will be on site to finish up some odds and ends on this project.  The clients have added on and tweaked a bit more to achieve the look they have dreamed about. They are having a bit of a battle with Florida's large birds of prey feasting on the fishes in their pond, the fake gator doesn't seem  to fool the cranes and herons.

Charm And Balance

A new paint job and landscaping all four sides of the house increase the charm of this canal side home in Port Charlotte.  Beds that were once full of weeds, dead or over grown shrubs are now filled with colorful, proven winner plants that will grow quickly and be easy to maintain.  Getting the irrigation system up and running again required a new pump and a major overhaul but ace technician Tony was up to the task. I can't wait to see this one fill in.

Ixora Will Add Drama

We transplanted the big Pony Tail Palm on the right side and extended the bed to include the existing Queen Palm on the left.  The clients work and travel so stone
and weed barrier were installed to keep down the chores, they love the new look.
The pool deck concrete wall is a dark gray and soon the newly planted white Ixora will stand out with glorious blooms against the background.

Hazeltine 12th Annual Fall Festival

The 12th Annual Fall Festival took place last week at Hazeltine Nurseries and it was a smashing success!  Activities began on Thursday and continued through Saturday and included a variety of speakers and events.  Florida Master Gardeners were on hand to answer questions, a citrus expert, a butterfly garden expert provided crowds with information on those topics.  In house speakers included Stephen Hazeltine, (owner) who engaged crowds with a talk on Outdoor Rooms, Tyler Rubley speaking on Right Plant, Right
Place and a great talk from our maintenance department.

Our large greenhouse was decked out with pumpkins, orchids, bromeliads and palms adding to the festive spirit of the occasion, we even had a great Chicago style hot dog truck that offered delicious fare including polish sausage, Italian beef and chili dogs a great respite form my normal cold lunch.

Sharon sure knows how to please the lunch crowd, yum...yum.


The nursery is full and the stock is looking great, in Florida as in many parts of the country Fall is a great time for planting.  Snowbirds are on the wing in SW FL and Hazeltine is ready with a great selection of plants and pottery.





Sales are going well for me, my bigger current job is beginning to take shape, the pond is nearly complete, the pavilion is scheduled to start next week and the pavers are sitting on the dock ready to ship out of Arcadia next week.

This is one of the two cabbage palms being removed from a job I designed in Venice, the palms were removed to make room for the hardwood Flamboyant Tree that will eventually fill the yard with beautiful red blooms.  The men make short work of the tasks at hand installing jobs as fast as I can sell them.

If you follow my blog you know I chased Sandhill Cranes on my IN property trying to capture them on film for many years, in this part of FL they are common as lizards but I still find them fascinating, they are so used to people down here that they do not flee when pedestrians stroll past.

What a fabulous creature, their
vocalizations seem to be less in this
urban environment, I guess they do not feel the alarm or fear predation as
they do in more rural areas.












I was out measuring a paver job in Sarasota this week and the potential customer certainly had a green thumb, this gorgeous Staghorn Fern was one of three strung in the trees, a plant your will certainly find strung from a tree in my yard once I landscape.  This one was an exceptional in size and owners had it displayed front and center of their yard.

The first job I sold three months ago was to a sweet, retired school teacher residing about three miles from our shop, I am now bidding another job in her development so I was able to photograph our installation, I must say it looks good.  On of the objects was to hide the electrical box and these varigated
Scheffelara did the trick.  The boulders also provided homeowner Jodie with a great spot for her Halloween pumpkins.

The tropical foliage and exciting new plant pallet is a welcome change from my 30 years of landscaping in NE IN, the opportunity to just design and sell is also a welcome change from the all encompassing challenge of owning your own business.  I admit to missing the personal freedom but the last 90 days has been full of learning and excitement for me.