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.
