Old Florida: Florida's Magnificent Homes, Gardens and Vintage Attractions

Old Florida: Florida's Magnificent Homes, Gardens and Vintage Attractions Review

Although today Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, many of the architectural landmarks that reflect its colorful and diverse history remain unknown. An adventuresome group of pioneers were drawn to the uncharted and exotic landscape of late
nineteenth-century Florida, creating buildings of extraordinary imagination and beauty. Since then Florida has experienced a century of remarkable architecture, from the ornate Italian villa Vizcaya to the Venetian Pool of Coral Gables to the Art Deco hotels of South Beach to the the Ringling Museum house, called Cad'Zan.

This book is the first to capture the full range of styles, from the ornate, opulent, and spectacular, to the charming, country "Old Florida," which is now becoming so popular. Residents and tourists alike will appreciate both the renowned sites and a private glimpse of such amazing attractions as the orange-grove cottage where Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote The Yearling and Thomas Edison's winter home, which has a fascinating laboratory.

Tough Plants for Florida Gardens

Tough Plants for Florida Gardens Review

Tough Plants for Florida Gardens is for gardeners who want low care, no care, tried and true plants for their gardens. This is the book for gardeners who want plants they can plant and forget!

Tough Plants for Florida Gardens is written for novice and accomplished Florida gardeners alike, for all gardeners who value their leisure time. They also value the appearance of their home and appreciate the benefits of well-placed landscaping…however; they do not want to devote too much time to keeping it beautiful.

Tough Plants for Florida Gardens includes over 180 of the toughest plants for Florida gardens, including annuals, perennials, shrubs and small trees, ornamental vines, and grasses. Each featured plant is noted for its ability to thrive with minimal care. Many of the selections can withstand drought, poor soils, and minimal (or no) pruning, while providing beauty and charm in the Florida landscape.

Each selection provides specific information on the plant's use in the landscape, mature size, flowering characteristics (if applicable), varieties, soil preference, and propagation. Each chapter also contains informative essays covering topics such as: companion planting tips, pest avoidance, and handling invasive plants.