Florida Friendly Yard Recognition
In participating counties, the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program recognizes homeowners who use environmentally friendly gardening and landscaping practices. Florida Friendly Yards minimize the use of potable water for irrigation, avoid the runoff of excess fertilizers and pesticides from the yard and provide habitats for wildlife. Florida Friendly Yards can take any form, from more conventional and manicured to more natural. It’s how you maintain your yard that ultimately determines if it’s Florida-friendly.
Yards are evaluated based on a checklist of Florida-friendly landscaping practices. By meeting the minimum requirements and collecting at least 36 inches, you can have a Florida Friendly Yard. If you go beyond that, you can achieve a higher level of recognition, up to the Golden Oak status. Owners of Florida Friendly Yards receive a sign to display in the yard and a certificate.
For help in making your yard more Florida-friendly, contact your county’s Extension office or see our on-line materials. If you think your yard is ready for an evaluation, you can assess it yourself with the FYN checklist and then ask your county’s FYN program to schedule a yard visit if your county offers that service.. The yard recognition program is not offered in every county.
For examples of Florida Friendly Yards, see our photo gallery.
