More and more Florida residents are deciding to replace highly fertilized, over-watered, pesticide-dependent lawns with native plants. They want to reduce their carbon footprints; save time, water, and money; and attract birds and butterflies. But where to begin? This illustrated guide helps readers get started creating new outdoor spaces that are both sustainable and beautiful. Taking the common 1/3-acre lot as an example, Ginny Stibolt and Marjorie Shropshire provide a sample layout for a basic native plant landscape. They use a grid system that allows gardeners to work on their yards in small sections instead of trying to revamp the entire landscape at once. And they break down the process into individual steps, making it manageable even for beginners. The first step is assessing your property and choosing which plants to keep and which to remove. Next, the book discusses how to handle rainwater, introduce trees, install a butterfly garden, use native plants as screening, make an outdoor ""room"" for entertaining, build wild areas into the landscape, and plan a smart maintenance program that relies on certain plants to keep boundaries neat and incorporates natural weed control. By following these methods, anyone can convert all or part of their yard into a more natural area without using pesticides or artificial fertilizers, which will save money and help support wildlife. Complete with detailed diagrams and lists of suggested plants for each step, this guide will help readers set up an environmentally-friendly habitat and give them the time and peace of mind to enjoy it.

What can we do, right now, in our own landscapes, to help solve climate change? Gold Winner, Foreword INDIES Book Awards: Ecology & Environment "Read this book carefully. Everything you need to know to help heal our relationship with planet Earth and empower you to make a much-needed difference is within these pages." - From the foreword by Doug Tallamy. Predictions about future effects of climate change range from mild to dire—but we’re already seeing warmer winters, hotter summers, and more extreme storms. Proposed solutions often seem expensive and complex and can leave us as individuals at a loss, wondering what, if anything, can be done. Sue Reed and Ginny Stibolt offer a rallying cry in response—instead of wringing our hands, let's roll up our sleeves. Based on decades of experience, this book is packed with simple, practical steps anyone can take to beautify any landscape or garden, while helping protect the planet and the species that call it home. Topics include: Working actively to shrink our carbon footprint through mindful landscaping and gardening Creating cleaner air and water Maximizing resource efficiency Supporting birds, butterflies, pollinators, and other wildlife. As climate change continues to intensify around the globe, the information in this second edition of Climate-Wise Landscaping is needed now more than ever. This book is the ideal tool for homeowners, gardeners, and landscape professionals who want to be part of the solution to climate change.

How to grow delicious produce in your own backyard In this guide, expert botanist Ginny Stibolt and Master Gardener Melissa Markham provide simple and accessible advice for successful vegetable gardening in Florida, where soil types vary and cool-weather crops are grown right through the mild winters. They offer advice on what to do with over-abundant harvests, strategies for developing a community garden, and suggestions for opportunities beyond the home garden. They also address integrated pest management, appropriate raised bed types, irrigation, seed saving, just-in-time harvesting, and food safety. This second edition is updated with the latest scientific knowledge and growing techniques; new crops for growers to try; more detail in the growing calendars separated by north, central, and south Florida regions; and color photos and illustrations throughout the text. Readers will appreciate this reliable resource that will help them and their families become more resilient by controlling some of their food from seed to table.