Designing Florida-Friendly Landscapes for Water Management

Workshop Overview

Description:
Florida’s unique climate and frequent heavy rains require thoughtful landscape design to manage water effectively. This workshop will focus on rain gardens and other Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) practices that help homeowners reduce runoff, prevent flooding, and improve water quality while creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces.

By the end of this workshop, participants will:
✅ Understand how water moves through the landscape and why water management matters
✅ Learn the key principles of rain gardens and how they capture and filter stormwater
✅ Explore other water-wise strategies such as swales, permeable surfaces, and native plant buffers
✅ Gain hands-on experience designing a water-smart landscape for their own property

💧 Florida’s Water Challenges & Why Landscaping Matters – Understanding stormwater runoff, flooding risks, and pollution prevention
💧 Rain Garden Basics – How they work, site selection, design considerations, and plant choices
💧 Swales & Permeable Surfaces – Redirecting and slowing water with smart hardscaping
💧 Drought-Tolerant & Native Plants – Selecting the right plants to manage both wet and dry conditions
💧 DIY Water Management Solutions – Practical steps to apply these principles at home

Participants will:
🔹 Learn how to assess their landscape’s drainage patterns
🔹 Use site maps to design a rain garden for their property
🔹 Explore plant selection and layout strategies for maximum water absorption

🏡 Homeowners looking to improve drainage and reduce maintenance
🌱 Gardeners interested in creating pollinator-friendly, water-efficient landscapes
🏢 HOA board members & property managers seeking sustainable solutions

This workshop provides practical tools and inspiration for anyone looking to make their landscape more resilient, eco-friendly, and water-efficient. Join us and learn how to work with water, not against it! 💧🌿

Host or Publisher UF/IFAS Extension Indian River County