Florida lanai gardening suggestions

Question

This is not my house...it is the model home like the one we are building.  We are moving from the Atlanta area to Venice, FL in November.  I don't know much about gardening in this climate...I've lived in Zone 7 my whole life until now.  I would welcome some ideas or photos for plants to grow inside my pool screen, and also some easy-to-care-for shrubs to plant around the outside of the screen for privacy.  Thanks!

Hannah V · Answer

I bet @Douglas Hunt can help!

Douglas Hunt · Answer

Debra, I suggest you start by poking around this web site: http://www.floridayards.org It's a very good introduction to Florida landscaping and has a database of Florida-friendly plants, so you can search for palms, shrubs, trees etc for your area. You will probably almost never see a freeze in Venice, so you have a lot of options that I do not have here in New Smyrna. Hometalk member @Alice G has some beautiful plantings around her pool. You might also want to check out her posts for some inspiration. Here's one: http://www.hometalk.com/diy/love-gardening-in-florida-1382119

Jeanette S · Answer

I see those house plants that look like palms all around and a mai tai in my hand as I lounge beside the pool! A tip from a friend of mine that had a pool with this same cover...do not plant too close to your screen (remember plants get larger) and put in a border of rock as a ground cover around whatever you plant so the rain won't splash mud up on the screen and into the pool area.

Deb Gallagher · Answer

Hi Debra. My Mother in-law lives in Venice. We looked at the very same homes you are having built, lucky you. We're facing a blizzard today! 
Anyway.  You can plant anything you want down there. Around the pool I would recommend potted hibiscus, Bird of Paradise, anything potted that is heat tolerant and vibrant.  There's a beautiful nursery on Highway 41 to browse through.  
    Wish you well. Debra  G.

Debra · Answer

Hey, I hate to tell you, but it's 66 degrees here today, breezy and sunny.  I'm sitting on my lanai in capris and bare feet.  All the ladies in the water aerobics class this morning who are from up north were all abuzz about the impending snow storm.  Hunker down and stay warm!
I've been in my new house for about 90 days now.  I have dwarf lemon and lime trees, both of which have little fruit on them. I've got a yellow bougainvillea in a pot with a trellis, some bright green cannas and some dark red ones in pots, an elephant ear in a pot two big palms, a sago palm, 2 orchids and a desert rose.  My favorites are my pitcher plant and the staghorn ferm.  I've also got some herbs, 2 tomato plants and 2 jalapeño plants.  I was worried that moving away from my big yard in Georgia would leave my green thumb wanting
for something to take care of, but this is all working out very nicely.

T

Florida lanai gardening suggestions

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Florida lanai gardening suggestions

Love gardening in Florida

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