Workshops
A Guide to Transforming Your Yard into a Florida-Friendly Landscape
Learn how to make your yard into a Florida-Friendly Landscape which will require less water, fertilizer and pesticides!
Saturday, November 19, 10 am to noon
South Dade Regional Library
- Please RSVP to Laura Vasquez
- lavasquez@ufl.edu
- 305-248-3311 ext. 239
In addition, if your bathroom fixtures have not been upgraded since 1996, the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department will be exchanging up to two showerheads per household for a more cost-effective high-efficiency one. Participants can also bring up to three of their incandescent bulbs and exchange them for energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) for free. In order to qualify, you must be a Miami-Dade County resident.
The event will conclude with a raffle and some lucky attendees will go home with new plants for their yards.
Florida Yards & Neighborhoods

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) provides education on principles throughout the county to homeowners, landscape maintenance firms, municipalities, and other groups.
The nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping:
| Right Plant, Right Place | Manage Yard Pests Responsibly |
| Water Efficiently | Recycle Yard Waste |
| Fertilize Appropriately | Reduce Stormwater Runoff |
| Mulch | Protect the Waterfront |
| Attract Wildlife |
For additional information, videos, and interesting updates please visit the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods website titled Green Yards Miami.
New publication!
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design
Florida-Friendly Yard
Florida-friendly Yards can take any form, from highly
manicured to more natural. How you maintain your yard is what ultimately determines if it is Florida-friendly.

Think your yard may be Florida-friendly?
Yards are evaluated based on a checklist of Florida-friendly landscaping practices. By meeting the minimum requirements and collecting at least 50 points, your yard can be certified. Owners of Florida-friendly yards receive a sign to display in the yard and a certificate. You can review the requirements of a Florida-friendly yard using our online version of the Florida Yardstick Workbook.
Irrigation Retrofit Rebate Program
Sign up and receive:
- a free irrigation assessment
- a rebate for retrofitting your irrigation system to improve efficiency
Irrigation assessments are performed by the Urban Conservation Unit for homeowners and Homeowners Associations. Participants can receive rebates for retrofitting the irrigation system to improve water efficiency. Homeowners can receive up to $400 for up to 3 years and Homeowners Associations can receive up to $2,850 for one year.
Participants must fill out the application form below and receive the irrigation assessment before retrofitting the irrigation system.
Join today and commit to protecting our water resources
To apply click here:

Guides to improving your irrigation system:
Steps to Retrofit: adding an irrigation control device
Steps to Retrofit: improving irrigation system design
Florida Backyard Wildlife Habitat
The University of Florida "Backyard Wildlife Habitat" Program is a second yard certification available. The certification is for residents interested in attracting or providing a refuge for wildlife in their own yards.
If you are interested in having your yard certified as a “Florida Backyard Wildlife Habitat” just click here to download the application. Since this program is not local there is a $5.00 fee for the cost of the sign once you have been certified. Please make check payable to: University of Florida
For more information about any of these programs, please feel free to contact:
Laura Vasquez FYN Coordinator |
305 248-3311 x 239 | lavasquez@ufl.edu |
Barbara McAdam FYN Program Assistant |
305 248-3311 x 245 | bmcadam@ufl.edu |
Jesus Lomeli UCU Technician |
305-248-3311 x 246 | jlomeli@ufl.edu |
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FFL Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design
Florida
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