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Florida gardening presents unique challenges, so UF/IFAS Extension offers research-based assistance, information, and advice. Our homeowner horticulture program provides residential gardening and landscaping resources. Whether you are developing a vegetable garden, choosing landscape plants, pruning a tree, or seeking information about lawn care, we can help you have a healthy, beautiful and sustainable landscape.
You can grow a variety of vegetables, herbs, nuts, mushrooms and fruits in North Florida. Late Winter, Spring, and Fall offer the best yields. If you love blueberries, blackberries, satsuma citrus, figs, loquats, and muscadine grapes, you are in luck. There are other fruits that can also be grown with some hard work and effort.
We periodically host hands-on workshops and classes on different aspects of gardening, composting, drip irrigation and more; click the Events tab to check on upcoming classes.
The Florida Fresh interactive guide lets you know what you can plant during each month of the year in our county. Click here to access.
Master Gardener volunteers are individuals committed to sharing research-based information and gardening techniques with the community. They undergo a comprehensive 15-week training program and must keep up with continuing education and community service hours to maintain their status. The training program is offered every other year from July to November and is already underway for 2023. The next program will be July 2025.
Our Suwannee County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) can be found at our greenhouse on Wednesday mornings working with our plants, vegetables, herbs and flowers that we start from seed. We have plant sales several times during the year to help support our programs. They maintain the Wildflower Garden, Herb Garden, and Pet Memorial Gardens at Heritage Park & Gardens on a regular basis as well.
Master Gardener Volunteers are available to answer your gardening questions at the Plant Q&A at the Live Oak Library every Wednesday from 1:00 to 3:00 pm year round (except for June, July & August).
For more information on becoming a Master Gardener volunteer, or requesting an MGV at your event or meeting, please click here.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping is a comprehensive program of easy-to-follow gardening practices to beautify your yard while protecting Florida's natural resources. The nine principles include:
Visit the Florida Friendly Landscaping Program to learn more about all of these principles, which plants to grow where, how to take care of your lawn and composting/mulching techniques. There are programs for home landscapes, community landscapes, and landscape professionals.
Do you want to help pollinators, songbirds, and other wildlife? If yes, be sure and plant native plants. We have over 300 native bee species that have evolved with native plants and rely on them for food and habitat. Keep in mind, you still must put the right native plant in the right place to be successful. Many native plants are drought-tolerant and are ideal for your yard. The red buckeye, firebush, and red salvia will draw in the hummingbirds and butterflies. You can find what native plants are found locally at the Florida Native Plant Society's website.
Take a stroll in our beautiful park located in the heart of Live Oak. The former estate offers azalea and camelia displays as well as a wildlife garden, herb garden, pet memorial garden, and event garden. Enjoy the fish pond, marvel at the arbor's contruction or take a break for lunch in the picnic area. UF/IFAS Extension Suwannee County Master Gardener volunteers help develop and oversee the wildlife, herb, and pet memorial gardens. Please be sure to like the Heritage Park and Gardens Facebook page.
