Landscaping isn’t just supposed to sit there and look nice. It has a job to do.
When planning a Bradenton landscape, especially one that extends throughout your property (rather than just up against the front of your house), you can choose different types of plants for different areas and activities. That way you can enjoy your yard year-round, no matter what you feel like doing!
Whether you want to add shady spots or a beautiful stretch of greenery that also keeps out prying eyes, Big South can put together a design that makes the most out of your property—while, yes, looking great, too!
Florida Landscaping for Shade
Everybody has shade on their mind this time of year. That summer sun is brutal!
While you have options for a structure like a pergola or pavilion, nothing beats the naturally made shade of a great big tree. Fortunately in Florida, you’ve got great shade tree options!
- Live oaks are an ever-popular option. These native species of oaks stretch their branches out wide horizontally, for a beautiful, classically Southern appearance.
- Gumbo limbo, though not quite as thick as a live oak, is another great native option. It can also hold up to high winds.
- Magnolias are another classically Southern tree, and talk about a show-stealer. In the springtime, their big waxy leaves are punctuated by bright white, fragrant flowers.
- Mangoes are big for Florida shade—big trunk, big leaves, and big yields when it comes to their delicious orange fruit. (Just keep in mind, they do tend to drop a lot of leaves year-round, and especially in late winter.)
Another thing to consider when planting a shade tree is where to put it. Not only do you have to give a tree a lot of room to grow, you also want to position it so that it casts its shade where you can enjoy it (instead of, say, mostly in your neighbor’s yard). This will depend on how your property is situated to the sun at different times of year.
Florida Landscaping for Privacy
Again, you could always use a fence or other structure for privacy. But a natural hedge is a beautiful way to enclose your property without feeling too much like a barrier. (Alternately, you can use hedges to hide or minimize the appearance of fences.)
As always, you’ve got options!
- Sea grapes really emphasize that beachy Florida flavor. And the big leaves and big spread make them great for creating private, tropical spaces. While they can be shaped through trimming, they maintain a charmingly rumpled appearance.
- Wax myrtle grow lots of small leaves in a thick grouping, close to the ground—great for a nature-made screen. They also double as great plants for pollinators. (However, they do need regular pruning to maintain a tidy shape.)
- Crape myrtle, see above. Beautiful, heat-loving flowering plants in tree and shrub varieties.
- Cocoplums are more natural barrier-makers that grow well alongside each other to make seamless hedges. Their fruits are technically edible (some people make jelly with them) but they can create a little mess when they fall and rot.
- Clusia, like cocoplums, are commonly seen in hedges throughout the area—residential as well as commercial and urban landscape designs. That can look untidy if not regularly maintained.
You can also consider less-traditional plants for privacy, like areca palms and even certain types of bamboo—though the latter can get out of control quickly. Your choice will ultimately come down two how much maintenance you want to do, and how much of your property you want to devote to hedge growth.
Choose a Bradenton Landscaper Who Works for You
In this tropical environment, we can grow almost anything—so long as we do it right. Don’t settle for a local landscaper who can only give you some of the things you want. Big South provides a comprehensive landscape plan that can provide for every possible use and activity!
