The Rutenberg Park FYN demonstration garden is exploding with ‘BRIGHT RED’ thanks to the native wildflower, Tropical Sage. It’s a very Florida-Friendly plant….. literlly covering the ground right now. Gardeners can forget about mowing yards. This plant is very low maintenance thanks to the Sage plants continually dropping seeds, rejvenating old stems, plants getting taller and wider with time, etc. Tropical sage covers the ground. And best of all, tropical sage requires no irriagation, no fertilizer in order for it to bloom continuously and this plant has shown to have no major pest problems. I rarely see this wonderful wildflower used as a meadow planting. It works wonders for keeping the weeds down. Tropical sage blooms constantly through our wet summer and Fall months. The wildlife love it…… butterflies use its flower for nectar. It is a perfect plant that people should be made aware of for using as an alternative for lawns. We had a Red Shouldered Hawk simply screaming at us this morning in the garden. We must have been on its turf. I recall the same type of hawk sitting in the same tree when the garden was opened for tours seven years ago. The hawk is also quite showy…. With its reddishness on it shoulders and breast. This park planting is a demonstration for all resident of Lee County to enjoy. The solitude walking in this small and easy walking garden with a great view………… being just a stone’s throw from the lake water’s edge at Rutenberg makes my work day seem like a ‘walk in the park.’ This garden is so simplie, beautiful and showy right now. I wish everyone could see it. This is the best the garden has looked since it was installed eight years ago. The garden is an FYN program success story that’s been under-reported by the media. The garden remains a place transformed from being once a play lawn into its native plant wonderland of garden beds and walkways. Over 120 types of native plants inhabit the grounds. All are labeled. Everyone can enjoy the wildlife the garden now draws……. rabbits, squirrels, ducks, ibis, egrets……… We will continue to offer a 10:30AM Wednesday morning educational walking tour each week in the month of Sept. We usuallly attract new resident for the walking tour. Often, new homeowners want ideas for getting started redoing their high maintenance lawns into a more interesting and diversified planting that environmentally friendly. Those who attend the tour often thank us repeatedly for showing them a low maintenance landscape using alternative plants, especially Florida natives. Thankfully this Florida Friendly demonstration garden will not disappoint. Invite the public to walk on their own or call an arrange a group tour or drop in on a Wednesday morning during the month of Sept. The garden is at 6490 South Pointe Blvd. Ft. Myers. For info., people can call me at 770-8642. Sincerely, Thomas Becker Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Extension Agent ph: 239-533-7515 tbecker@leegov lee.ifas.ufl.edu/FYN/FYNHome.shtml
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:41:08 +0000
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