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HOME LAWN AND GARDEN

The Home Lawn and Garden program helps you to develop, maintain, and enjoy a Florida-Friendly Landscape. Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ is a cost-efficient method of landscaping that uses nine integrated landscape principles. You reduce maintenance and minimize the amount of water, fertilizer and pesticides in your landscape, while also protecting Florida's natural resources. Visit our Discovery Gardens to see Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in action weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, the plant clinic is staff by master gardener volunteers on these days. Bring your plant, insect and soil problems to our Master Gardener Plant Clinic for expert advice on Monday's and Wednesday's from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  You will still be able to drop off your soil samples, insects, weeds, pictures, and questions at any time, but on these days and times the clinic will be staffed by a Master Gardener Volunteer.

Discovery Gardens is a Certified Wildlife habitat. To protect the wildlife and plants, NO dogs or pets are allowed, only trained service animals are welcome. Service animals are trained to work or perform a task for persons with disabilities.  Comfort and/or emotional support animals are not service animals, and are not recognized by the ADA.

Discovery Gardens is a smoke-free property. We thank you for not smoking in the gardens.

2024 Public Schedule of Events

  • Home Gardening and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

    A front yard planted to be FFL

    The 9 Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles will help you to have a great Florida-Friendly yard.

    #1. Right Plant, Right Place

    2. Water Efficiently

    #3. Fertilize appropriately

    #4. Mulch

    #5. Attract Wildlife

    #6. Manage Yard Pests Responsibly

    #7. Recycle

    #8. Reduce Stormwater runoff

    #9. Protect the Waterfront

  • Discovery Gardens

    DISCOVERY GARDENS

    Visit our Discovery Gardens and see how you can implement Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in your backyard with beautiful results. 27 themed gardens in a 3.5 acre garden,  provide a variety of choices of plants and themes to consider for your garden.  Discovery Gardens normal hours are:  Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.  The Discovery Gardens are also open the THIRD Saturday of each month from 8:00am - 4:00 pm . Schedule a guided tour or use take an audio tour using a QR code located on the large map under the green arbor at the entrance.  For more information click here.. 

     

  • Events Calendar

 Master Gardeners

  • Master Gardener Volunteer Program

    MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

    Join the Lake County Master Gardener Volunteer Program to volunteer to work in the Discovery Gardens (in one of our 24 gardens), the Plant Clinic, greenhouse or Educational Programming for 2nd grade students. More information...
  • Plant Clinic

    Master Gardener Plant Clinic

    Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic

    Bring your plant, insects and soil problems to our Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic for expert advice Monday and Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the plant clinic is staffed by volunteers on these days.  You will be able to drop off your soil samples, insects, weeds, pictures, and questions at any time. Please call ahead to be sure that someone is in the clinic to assist you with your question. If no one is available, a staff member would be happy to take your sample to be looked at by the Residential Horticulture Agent or a Master Gardener Volunteer as soon as they are available. You will be contacted with information about your sample.

    You may also send photos of your local problems to Jamielyn Daugherty at jdaugherty@ufl.edu or to the plant clinic at lakemg@ifas.ufl.edu, for diagnosis as well as use the Distance Diagnostic and Identification System. We look forward to serving you. For more information...

  • Newsletter - Garden Scoop

    Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter

    Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter

    Please enjoy the UF/IFAS Extension, Lake County Master Gardener Volunteers Newsletter "Garden Scoop". Our newsletter is written, edited and produced by  UF/IFAS Extension, Lake County Master Gardener Volunteers. 

    If you would like to be added to our email list to receive information on the newsletter and upcoming events, please contact JuWanda Rowell via: 
    Phone:  (352) 343-4101 ext. 2714.
    Fax:  (352) 343-2767

    For more information and view the Newsletters click here...

  • Speaker’s Bureau

    Master Gardner Volunteer Speaker’s Bureau

    Are you looking for the perfect speaker for your next garden club meeting, library presentation or an event?  Our Master Gardner Volunteer Speaker’s Bureau could offer the keynote presentation that you are looking for.  Please review the Speakers Bureau Presentation List for a complete listing of presentations that we offer, then complete the Speaker Request Fillable Form, to schedule a speaker. Just download and complete the fillable form, save it and email it to JuWanda (Wanda) Rowell at juwanda.rowell@ufl.edu or give JuWanda (Wanda) a call at (352) 343-4101 ext. 2714.

     

CONTACT

AGENT TBD Residential Horticulture Agent & Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Phone: (352) 343-4101 ext. 2722 Email: TBD

JuWanda Rowell, Office Associate UF/IFAS Extension, Lake County 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares, FL 32778

Phone: (352) 343-4101 ext. 2714 FAX; (352) 343-2767 Email: juwanda.rowell@ufl.edu

Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm