If you are looking for a cost-effective and safe way to illuminate your landscape, consider adding low voltage outdoor lighting. Low voltage or 12V landscape lighting comes in a variety of options and is easy to relocate if you make any changes to your landscape or home in the future. The low voltage wiring does not need to be in conduit or buried and can safely operate in wet areas. Low voltage lighting is a great option if the safety of pets and children is a concern. The installation of low voltage lighting will be less expensive than high voltage and is more energy efficient resulting in lower monthly electric costs. LED bulbs can be utilized for more energy efficiency and a longer lasting life, resulting in lower maintenance as you will not have to change the bulbs very often. Research the variety of options available to create a lighting design that brightens your pathways and highlights the best features of your landscape. Spotlights Installing spotlights in your design is a fantastic way to highlight landscape features and brighten your outdoor spaces. Adding spotlights to the base of trees, shrubs, statues, or water features is a great way to increase the security of your home while accenting the best parts of your outdoor spaces. Spotlights are easy to adjust and can be placed in any outdoor area where additional light is needed. Pathway Lights The addition of pathway lights can help brighten your walkways making them safer at night and illuminating the way to your home’s entrance. Pathway lights aim the light down and to the sides providing the perfect amount of light for a well-lit pathway or walkway. Pathway lights can also be placed within plant beds to add more visibility to specific features. Deck & Step Lights Walk with ease on your deck and steps at night by adding flush or surface mount lights to the area. Increase the ambiance of your outdoor spaces with dimmable step lights that will allow you to control the brightness that are perfect for entertaining. By increasing the nighttime visibility, your guests will be able to travel with ease up and down your stairs and along the deck. In-Ground Well Lights Draw attention to landscape features, decorative columns, pathways, or trees by utilizing in-ground well lights. These lights are placed in a well that is dug below the surface, allowing the light to set recessed into the ground. These lights come in a variety of options, some of the lights have adjustable direction, some can be submerged in water such as a pond or pool, and some offer different colors. Now that you know the variety of options available to brighten up the exterior of your home, you can create a low-voltage lighting design. Walk around your property and look at the features, trees, pathways, stairs that you want to be incorporated into your outdoor lighting project. Next research the various products available and style for your property. We recommend choosing a product that offers an extended warranty. Investigate your power supply options and reach out to a licensed electrician if you need to add the proper GFCI exterior outlet. A low voltage transformer will be needed for the power supply, these come in several options and can even include the timer. If you would like a consultation to discuss your outdoor lighting options, give us a call or send a text and we will schedule an onsite appointment and create a custom design for your specific outdoor lighting needs.
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A thriving, colorful landscape design can consist of drought-tolerant, non-invasive plants that will require little annual maintenance. Depending on your location and preferences, you can add plants that will require little attention but offer vibrant color all year long. There are a variety of options available for low-maintenance plants in our area of Florida. You will want to consider the mature size of the plant; sunlight requirements and irrigation needs when selecting plants for your design. Choosing plants at different heights is a terrific way to create layers of complimentary colors and textures. Check out some plant ideas below if you are looking for minimal-maintenance recommendations for your landscape.
Agaves are a type of succulent that are easy to establish and will require little attention throughout the year. Agaves come in several assorted colors and sizes, some growing 7-9 ft tall with 16-20 ft stalks that produce flowers. These plants are typically slow-growing, most do well in full sun while some will do better in partial sun or filtered light. Blue and Americana Agave are larger popular agave plants that require little water and perfect for full sun locations. Caribbean Agave is typically a little smaller, maturing at about 3-5 feet with greenish / yellowish variegated leaves. Agave Striata has narrow spiny leaves that grow to a height of about 15-8 inches, requires little water, does well in full or partial sun and will offer year-round greenery. Agaves are a great option to add color into full sun areas with little to no irrigation. Palms are throughout Florida and are drought-tolerant once established but may need occasional watering during extreme dry periods with low humidity. Your location will be a crucial factor in selecting the best palm specimen for your space. Some palms can grow quite large and should not be placed close to structures, driveways, or pathways. Some palms will do best in full sun while others will prefer indirect, bright light. Choose the right palm for your design by researching the mature height and growth rate, there are several options available that come in all shapes and sizes with different sunlight preferences. Check out the Coontie and Sago palms for smaller, drought-friendly plants that require minimal maintenance and stay green all year. Some larger palm options include the Foxtail, Alexander, and Christmas palms that will require little irrigation and self-maintain by shedding their own fronds once they turn brown. Seagrape, Clusia, and Cocoplum are some great drought-tolerant options if you are looking for a shrub or a privacy-hedge plant. These plants are found throughout south Florida and range from moderate to very salt tolerant. The Seagrape produces edible fruit and can often be found along coastal areas in Florida. Clusia is also known as the autograph plant, you can engrave designs on the leaves that will stay until the leaf falls from the plant and can be shaped to form a hedge, tree or individual shrub. Dwarf Clusia is a smaller option for smaller round green leaves all year long. The cocoplum also produces an edible fruit and is a popular hedge shrub throughout South Florida. Flowering plants bring beautiful colors and an array of pollinators. If you are looking for low-maintenance and minimal irrigation flowering plants, check out Crown of Thorns that comes in pinks, reds, and yellows. This slow growing plant is a great option for full sun areas. Beach Sunflower is a great ground-cover option for coastal areas in full sun locations. This plant will produce bright yellow flowers all year long and is very salt and drought tolerant. An Ice Plant produces daisy-like flowers and is a great option for boulders and dry areas. This vibrant succulent can succeed in many locations and can even be combined with other flowering plants for a stunning display. The plants listed above are just a few options for our area of Florida, which are minimal-maintenance and drought tolerant. When creating your plant design you will want to consider the exact location, make sure the plant will not overgrow the space or encroach on other plants or structures. Research the watering requirements, fertilization needs, and plant growth rate to choose the best plant for your design. If you would like help selecting plants and designing a low-maintenance and drought-tolerant landscape, give us a call or text to schedule an onsite appointment. If you are someone that enjoys the soothing sounds of a babbling brook or small waterfall, adding a pondless water feature may be the perfect addition to your outdoor oasis. A pondless water feature will recirculate water from an underground basin, so there is no pond, inviting less insects and lower maintenance requirements. The water will disappear into the underground basin to be recirculated, limiting the need to add water frequently or other chemicals. Create a waterfall design with several large or medium boulders for a natural look or add an elegant water fountain that matches your exterior décor. Depending on your space and preferences, these water features are custom designed so you can have dramatic waterfalls or the serene sound of babbling water over boulders and stones. Single or Multiple Waterfalls Enhance your outdoor space with a dramatic single or multi-level waterfall feature created with large or medium boulders that will offer a natural look with the soothing sounds of water. The water will seemingly appear from nowhere, cascading down the rocks into a hidden, underground basin where it will be pumped back to the top and recirculated. This option is very versatile and can be custom designed for your desired location. A pondless waterfall is a great option for smaller areas or homeowners that desire a low-maintenance, natural-looking water feature. Long Rock / Boulder Stream If you have a large space you are looking to enhance, creating a longer arrangement of boulders and rocks is a fantastic way to add a stream-like effect to your location. Construct a pondless creek or small stream with natural elements to add a babbling water sound effect. Adding colorful vegetation around the rocks and driftwood to the stream can help enhance the natural feel of the water feature. Fountain There are many varieties of water fountains available that come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes. Fountains can be added to enhance an existing water feature or as an independent striking focal point. If you like the more natural look, there are many available options such as small to medium rock waterfalls or bubbling rocks that will blend into the surrounding nature. There are several benefits to installing a pondless water feature rather than a traditional small pond. Typically, a pondless water feature will cost less than a full pond, use less space and require less maintenance. If you have children or animals that are a concern, the pondless water feature may be the right option for you. Constructing an outdoor waterfall, stream or installing a fountain can be a wonderful way to drown out the surrounding city noise. Enjoy relaxing to the peaceful sounds of water streaming, gurgling, splashing, or trickling by installing a pondless water feature in your outdoor sanctuary. In our area of Florida, February is a great time to start thinking about installing new plants prior to their spring growth period. Celebrate Valentine’s Day by creating a display that will last through the seasons with flowers and new plantings. Allow your new plants to settle into their new location in late winter to ensure healthier plants come springtime. Create a plant design that incorporates different levels and complementary colors that will be successful in the selected location. If you have mature plants, you will want to consider pruning and trimming so that your existing landscape will be ready for their new spring vegetation. If you are contemplating installing turf grass, February is a great time to select the type of grass you want and prepare for installation prior to spring. Adding plant specific fertilizers will increase your plants’ blooms and growth by providing important nutrients for them to grow.
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AuthorPlant and Flower enthusiast who enjoys creating Florida-Friendly landscape designs. Archives
May 2024
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