Last week, the area in front of Henderson Mental Health Center’s facility on SW 27 Avenue in Fort Lauderdale looked like an un-tended sandy patch, over-grown with weedy sword ferns, oyster plants and other plants of unknown origin, all non-native to South Florida. Several months earlier, Henderson removed an exotic, invasive Ficus Tree (actually a Laurel Fig) from the area, which now looked like a pitcher’s mound of ground up decomposing wood. A Shefflera had grown up uninvited, but persistently, hugging the building and beginning to invade the wall and pipes. That, too, was removed and the sprinkler system was updated – all in preparation for the new plants made possible by the Broward County Board of County Commissioner’s and the Broward Beautiful Committee.
This week the front of the facility is adorned with a drought resistant, bird and butterfly attracting, array of Florida native plants, flowers and trees! Several of Henderson’s clients volunteered to tear out the gnarly undergrowth and two days later Green Horizons delivered and planted a most beautiful and natural arrangement of plants. The area is divided by a walkway to the front door which was lined with low Viburnum hedges. To the left of the walkway the wall is lined with Firebush which will grow to about 8 feet tall. In front of that is a mini-field of Wild Coffee which will be kept at about a four-to-five foot height. Blue Porterweed now surrounds the flag pole – virtually creating a natural Florida flora area with no grass to have to tend to or cut!
To the right of the walkway there are two rows of Red Tip Cocoplums which will hug the roofline once fully grown. In front of them are Wild Coffee, edged with a gently curved section of Beach Sunflowers reaching towards the street-front. This is all framed by a cluster of Florida Gamagrass to the left and to the right of these plants. Almost directly center, an existing palm tree is now surrounded with a splash of color of Blue Porterweed.
To add a finishing touch to our all natural and native garden, a Florida Live Oak Tree was planted in front of the section to the right of the walkway, and it is surrounded by more Florida Gamagrass. Our fence line along the street is full of large, gorgeous Florida Live Oak Trees and Mango trees – except for one barren area on the north end of the property – in which we now have a newly planted Florida Live Oak to complete the full line of trees along SW 27 Avenue. A side-benefit to having removed the Ficus Tree was an abundant source of mulch to help the new plants maintain moisture until the rainy season begins.
We invite you to drive by to view our newly planted, lush native grounds – all made possible by a Broward County grant through the “Broward Beautiful Program.” Thank-you Broward County Commissioners and the Broward Beautiful Committee - We love it! |
