by Troy's Tropics | Jan 23, 2026 | Florida-Friendly Plants, Pollinator Gardens, Seasonal Color
Some plants add color. Pentas add life. If your goal is to see butterflies at breakfast and hummingbirds at lunch, start with Penta ‘Graffiti’, Penta ‘Beebright’, and Penta ‘Lucky Star’—three nonstop bloomers that handle Sarasota’s bright winter sun now and keep going... by Troy's Tropics | Jan 16, 2026 | Cool-Season Gardening, Florida-Friendly Plants, Seasonal Picks
January in Sarasota is peak “garden again” season—bright days, cooler nights, and containers begging for color. If you want blooms that stay cheerful from now through spring, reach for vinca (Catharanthus roseus), especially the Cora XDR series we grow on our benches... by Troy's Tropics | Jan 9, 2026 | Florida-Friendly Plants, Seasonal Color, Shade Gardening
Shade spots don’t have to settle for “just green.” Begonia ‘Dragon Wing’ turns low-light corners into lush, blooming focal points—right through our Sarasota winter and into spring. Add fragrant Begonia odorata/alba and ultra-reliable Wax Begonia to the mix and you’ve... 
by Troy's Tropics | Mar 21, 2025 | Florida Friendly Landscaping Principals, Florida-Friendly Plants, Sarasota Gardening, Sarasota Trees, Uncategorized
Sarasota’s stunning coastline and numerous waterways are treasures worth protecting. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principle of protecting the waterfront focuses on minimizing the impact of landscaping practices on local bodies of water, from the bay to the canals... 
by Troy's Tropics | Dec 18, 2024 | Florida-Friendly Plants, Gardening for Health, Growing & Planting, landscape designer Sarasota
Gardening in Florida comes with unique challenges: sandy soils, unpredictable weather, and the constant need to conserve water. That’s where Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) comes in. Developed by the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension, these nine... 
