In December, Native Landscapes and Garden Center staff, interns, and volunteers worked together to install a new native planting that surrounds the Bailey Homestead windmill. The Windmill Garden is located directly inside of the Shipley Trail gate and is the NLGC’s second planting project supported by the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration grant.  

The site’s variable growing conditions, ranging from full sun to mostly shade with periods of drought and seasonal flooding, allowed staff to showcase approximately 40 species of native shrubs and wildflowers in one space. The site conditions combined with its location along a highly trafficked access provides the opportunity to introduce native plants to visitors and emphasize the foundational role native plants play in creating healthy habitats.