As a resident of Volusia County, Florida, you may be wondering where the best nurseries are located. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available to you when it comes to finding high-quality plants for your home or garden. With the fall gardening season approaching, and more people staying at home than ever, locals are looking to spruce up their yards and gardens. If you are … Continue reading Top 5 Best Nurseries in Volusia County
Now that we have completed our pollinator gardens and we’ve amended or rebuilt great soil, we are on our way to controlling some of our outside pesky bugs like the infamous mosquito. Here are five of my favorite mosquito repellent plants that you can plant in your garden. #5 – CATMINT: Honestly, any type of mint plant is amazing in your quest to eliminate mosquitoes. … Continue reading Mosquito Repellent Plants that will Thrive in Your Garden
Isn’t it wonderful to live in a state that is home to a huge variety of butterflies? Florida is home to over 180 species of butterflies. This means spring is the perfect time to plant your own butterfly garden! I’m not talking about a garden that will be labor-intensive or expensive (hey, that rhymes), but a small attempt to provide basic butterfly needs that will … Continue reading Planting your own Butterfly Garden
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters When you picture a Floridian landscape, what do you think of? Perhaps sandy beaches, sprawling flatlands…maybe some wooded forests? Rolling hills and tumbling waterfalls probably didn’t come to mind, right? In Williston, just south of Gainesville, you’ll fi nd just that. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is a gardener ’s dream project over 100 years in the making. Cedar … Continue reading Chasing Waterfalls at Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters McKee Botanical Gardens – Vero Beach We’ve been very fortunate this past winter in Florida to have mild weather with just a few dips into the colder temperatures but no hard freezes. Because of this, crops and plants everywhere are thriving and even blooming a little earlier than normal. Thanks to our sunny days and comfortable temperatures, anything outside … Continue reading Botanically Speaking
A few years ago my grandmother, mother, some concerned citizens and I set out on a quest to potentially change our community, the Historic Westside of New Smyrna Beach, forever. Based on a lot of surveys and community meetings we realized that the only way we could be proactive in changing the generational diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes would be to make a … Continue reading Growing Great Kids That Grow Great Food
Photos by Kelsey and Scott Walters Kanapaha Botanical Gardens – Gainesville, Florida Back in 1513 when explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon (yes, the same namesake of Ponce Inlet and De Leon Springs), stumbled across our southern state in his search for the elusive Fountain of Youth, he was overwhelmed with the land’ s budding tropical beauty. When he laid claim to the territory for Spain … Continue reading Summer in Bloom
Put Some Spring in your Step! Spring is not a long season in Florida, and some of the days already feel like summer. Spring is a time of growth and renewal. It makes you want to be outside enjoying nature. I always say I’m going to start a garden or plant something. It’s in my blood after all. In reality I am not so sure … Continue reading Get Sprung!
The city received state recognition at the annual Florida Festival and Events Conference in Naples, Florida, for two of its programs. With over 500 applications and only 50 award winners, the Enviro Camp placed first in the category of Educational Programs. Originally a four-week summer camp program for children ages seven to 10, Enviro Camp has grown in popularity and now runs for eight weeks … Continue reading City of Ormond Beach Receives State Recognition for Two Programs
Bees are more necessary than most folks think. Our reaction to a bee tends to be the same as the reaction to a spider or snake – or whatever makes you jumpy. It is understandable if you have ever been stung or are allergic. It is extremely unpleasant. Truth is, we need the bees. They play a vital role in our lives. When they pollinate, … Continue reading To Bee or Not To Bee
