1.Flowers, flowers and more flowers. You can never go wrong with adding flowers to your landscaping – especially in Florida where there are many choices and a long growing season. Plant flowering vines on latticework or along a low wrought iron fence and take advantage of the versatility of terracotta pots.

2. Deer-proof your garden. Did you know that there are certain flowers that deer find disgusting and will not eat? Look into attractive perennials like butterfly weed, globe thistle or purple

cornflower.

3. Choose blooming shrubs. North Florida offers a wide variety of blooming shrubs to accentuate any landscaping. Add brightly colored azaleas, Crape Myrtle, hydrangea or hibiscus. Remember to prune the shrubs regularly, so they grow back full and blossom often.

4. Hide outdoor structures. There is nothing more unattractive than a water heater or air conditioning unit sticking out from the side of your house. Cover outdoor structures with latticework and flowering vines like jasmine to make your space more peaceful and relaxing.

5. Plant fruit trees. Is there anything better than walking out into your back yard to pick a fresh lemon or lime from the tree? But don’t fixate on citrus. There are varieties of everything from apples and figs to peaches, pears, persimmons and plums that grow well in the mild winters of North Florida.

You would have a hard time getting your local city government on board with this one. According to a recent article in The New York Times, the City of Paris (France, not Texas) just approved four shaggy black sheep as the newest lawn mowers for the city’s municipal archives building.

Apparently, the archivists requested a donkey for groundskeeping and were instead given four sheep by the mayor’s office. Since his election in 2001, Mayor Bertrand Delanoe has made the environment a priority. As a part of his initiative, Mayor Delanoe is handing out livestock to city-owned entities.

“City Hall refers to the project as ‘eco-grazing,’ and it notes that the four ewes will prevent the use of noisy, gas-guzzling mowers and cut down on the use of herbicides,” The Times article states. “The eco-grazing project began as an initiative to attract the public to the archives, and informational panels have been put in place to explain what, exactly, the sheep are doing here.”

Did you know that Florida’s widely varied environment includes four different growing zones? This means that whether you’re a novice or have an expert green thumb, there’s a lot to consider when selecting flora and fauna.

While there are plants that grow easily across the entire state, others need specific conditions in order to thrive. Let’s take a closer look at Northeast Florida’s growing zone.

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Extension is a great reference to learn more about growing zones. According to Edwin R. Duke, a faculty member at Florida A&M University, and Gary W. Knox, a faculty member at UF, it’s important to select proper palms for your North Florida landscape.

“While many of the palms used in the southern parts of the state are not cold hardy, there is still a good selection of palm species that will grow in more northern regions,” the authors advise in Publication #ENH1094 on the IFAS website.

A few of the palms Duke and Knox say will thrive in a Northern Florida environment include the Senegal date palm, needle palm (a Florida native), Scrub palmetto, Dwarf palmetto, Cabbage palm, Saw palmetto and the Blue needle palm.

If you’re unsure of what zone you live in, then check out The United States National Arboretum’s USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map at: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-se1.html.