Plant or nursery suggestions for Brooksville area?

Hey FL people! You left the door unlocked and I invaded your forum hehe. I really like what you've done with the place :)

I'm coming to Brooksville in August to visit my favorite aunt. She lives on a fairly good size piece of land but not much landscaping. I'd like to help her get something going. I don't know what zone that is but from looking at that little usda map, I'm guessing 8b or 9a?? I'd like to take her some things that I have if they would work- tropical hibiscus??? I was wondering if their are any 'must haves' for a garden there. For instance, as Sidney and I were discussing, I think it is illegal to not have azaleas in NC, lol. So some suggestions for some good starting plants would be greatly appreciated. Also any special planting tips to remember?

I'm going to look up all of my tender perrenials and see if they can survive there, and if so, I'll take them along. I was hoping for a nursery recommendation so we could look around, but I'm also hoping some of my small collection will work.

Thanks for any advice, I really appreciate it.

Rachel

Hi Rachel - What a great thing to do for your aunt, but what type of area are you looking to plant in - full sun - shade? Let us know little more detail and we can come up with plants. I try to push zone both ways - I've tried growing "northern" plants down here as well as "tropicals" have had some success with both.

I think a tropical hibiscus is an excellent suggestion, assuming you have a full-sun spot in mind. Another way you might generate ideas is to go to your local nursery and go inside to look at the house plants. 75% of them can be grown outside in most of Florida and that is just a cool thing to me. I love it when I go up north to visit people and see things growing in their houses in pots that I have around my yard... Or I go to Target or some place, stop in the houseplant section and see half my landscape sitting there in pots. One of my favorite palms came from a $0.97 "houseplant" that turned out to be an Areca Palm... purchased at Kmart in Cleveland, Ohio. LOL

Other very "Floridian" plants: bananas, pineapple, Many palms including areca and ponytail palms, bird of paradise, angel wing begonias, alocasias, colocasias (elephant ears - the obligatory Florida landscape plant), sago palms, any of the cupheas which are drought tolerant (mexican heather, cigar plant, batface/mickey mouse ears)... Note that almost all of these require full sun, although some can do with part shade.

A nice native cycad (not a palm) is the Coontie, which is a larval food source for the Atala butterfly, which is endangered and only lives in South Florida.

Thanks juja, it is full sun, I forgot to mention that sorry!

Dogzilla, thanks for you suggestions, I really appreciate the time you took to tell me all of that. I'll have to go checkout some houseplants, had no idea about that. Sounds like she is getting elephant ears and hibiscus for sure, I'll look up the rest when I get home today.

This has given me a lot to think about, thanks again you guys, Rachel

I don't remember the name, but isn't there a good native plant nursery somewhere over around Brooksville?

Mary

Rachel, what Dz, Diane said above is very true. Sunday in Charlotte I got a big fern, (not like my wild ones) a pot with 5 small pony tail palms, and another huge fig leaf plant with purple on the bottom of leaves. All for $2.50 each at WM. I'm saving all spare change right now, but couldn't resist these bargains.
Some will be gifts.
sidney

Hickory Hill Native Nursery 27212 Hickory Hill Rd. Brooksville, Fl 34602 shorels@atlantic.net 352.754.9701

NewMoon Nursery . 6258 Kurt St., Brooksville, FL 34609. Tel: 352-796-7821,
Products And Services Offered:
flowers, plants, feng shui, foliage, gardens, plant, herbs, basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme, lavender, fountains, azaleas, azalea, Horehound, Spearmint, Chocolate Mint, LIME MINT, PINEAPPLE SAGE, herb, fresh cut herbs, mint, cuban oregano, mother of thyme, savory, pink lavender, gargen, camelia, camelias, native azaleas, arrowhead plant, split leaf philodendron, rock paintings, table fountains


This message was edited Jul 14, 2005 7:00 AM

Wow you guys have really helped me with some great ideas. I already have a few things ready and I can't wait to visit that nursery! Thanks so much, Rachel