Belle Blog

A Flowing Creek

Belle: A Quaint Koi Pond

Invite More Butterflies to your Florida Garden

Our clients are often enchanted by fluttering visitors and they want more.

Some of our favorite butterly attracting plants are Lantana, Stoke's Aster, Crown flower, Tropical Milkweed , Butterfly Weed and Firebush. Of course there are much more, but this is just a sampling.

Go ahead and plant away. You know you wanna.

Lilly Pads to the Rescue

Apart from beauty, lilly pads  create shade for your pond inhabitants; the fish will thank you. They also reduce maintenance and create crystal clear water conditions by inhibiting the much dreaded algae growth. You're welcome.

Don't forget your pond plants need some lovin' too. A once-a-year aquatic plant fetilizer will do the trick.

Bird of Paradise

Native to South Africa and South America, this  lovely plant likes to be grown in a rich soil in sun or partial shade. It does well in South Florida's tropical climate, but be careful it has been described as invasive in nature--choose the location you choose to plant it carefully. 

Belle says plant this!

 

P.S.  When it blooms, feel free to snip at a long stem to place in a vase in your home. The beauty can last up to three weeks. 

Behold: Chantinii Bromeliad

Simple, we love bromeliads. But this one, the Chantinii Bromeliad also called the  Amazonian Zebra Plant (see stripes on leaves),is an all time favorite. Makes for a great container plant or stick it right into the earth. Belle says plant this! 

Color Night Lights

Night time is just perfect to enjoy your pond, wow your guests with surprise colors-- try a bluish glow.

Naturally Beautiful, Stone Pond

Ok, so we'll admit this wasn't one of our easier jobs. But we really, really, really love working with stone. There's something about natural stone... its durable and breathtaking

Lush Backyard Waterfall

A great reason to have a waterfall aside from the obvious--it's beautiful and relaxing.

But  the cascading water also drowns out unwanted sounds. Especially if you live on a busy street or near loud neighbors.

We created this waterfall to pour out into a pond. Another Belle creation.

Lantanas: Not the Best Plants, But we Have a Few

Lantanas. The butterflies just love them and it flowers year round. Double bonus.

Though there is downside: Lantanas can cause skin irritation (I know from personal experience). It is listed as an invasive exotic species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, which means that it is known to be "invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida.

Knowing all of this, I still could not bear to rid my yard of every single one when I purchased my home. So, I quarantined a few in one corner.