Jamie
Palm Bay
Designed By: Homeowner
Installed By: Homeowner. Occasionally, some help is done with some of my siblings and spouse. My kids like to help me count caterpillars and do some guided weed pulling though the weed pulling usually only lasts 10 minutes or less because swinging or sliding is much more fun.
Started: 2020
Percentage of Native Plants: 90% of garden area, 50% of lawn
Square Footage of Land Available on Tour: Front 2,000 sq ft; Back 3,040 sq ft.
Years on the Landscaping Tour: First one!
Amount of Sun and Shade: Almost no shade although trees planted.
Unique Features and Animals: Created wetland that is fed water from the overflow of my front rain barrel. Many birds and pollinators, snakes, racoons, rabbits, possums, and gopher tortoise.
Landscape Description: Standard .23 acre lot in Palm Bay in a non HOA neighborhood. I plant as many host plants as I can for the butterflies in our county. I really want the zebra swallowtails to visit my yard.
Challenges: I want at least one of everything but it’s not possible in my space based on both size and growing conditions. I started planting shortly after moving in to our house in May 2020 and found once the rainy season ended that my yard was not as wet as I thought originally. It’s recommended by some to observe your space for at least a year before starting to plant but my impatience got the better of me (and my bank account).
Certifications: NWF Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Keep Brevard Beautiful Lagoon Friendly Yard Gold, Monarch Watch Monarch Waystation, Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard, Homegrown National Park, Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat, North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Garden and Habitat.
