Starting an English Garden in South Florida Zone 10–11

Starting an English Garden in South Florida Zone 10–11

Coastal South Florida's heat, humidity, and salt require a tropical twist on the English garden style.

Planning Steps

1. Photograph & sketch: Document sun, shade, wind, views.
2. Work in phases: One bed at a time.
3. Salvage neighbor's plants: Ask before new owners remove established survivors.
4. Know your zone: 10b–11a – choose heat-tolerant "English" lookalikes.

Plant Substitutions for Tropical Climate

• Roses → 'Knock Out' roses, Drift roses – disease-resistant, everblooming.
• Delphiniums → Larkspur (annual), Salvia – heat-tolerant spikes.
• Foxglove → Digitalis obscura (perennial) – survives humidity.
• Lavender → Lavandula multifida (fernleaf lavender) – handles wet summers.
• Boxwood → Eugenia, Myrtus – clipable evergreens.

Resources

Mail-order nurseries with tropical selections: Stokes Tropicals, RareFlora, TopTropicals. Local botanical gardens (Fairchild, Naples) showcase adapted designs.

Embrace the climate—create a "tropical cottage garden" with bold foliage and continuous bloom.