Often when you meet people new to the area, it really means new to Florida. We are a state filled with folks that come from all over the country. And they are always really surprised when I tell them that I was born and raised right here in Hillsborough County. And then when Kim and I tell them that we were both born and raised here, they are even more surprised. We were even born in the same hospital, just 6 weeks apart. And it is the same hospital that both of our girls were born in too!
Add on the fact that ¾ of our parents (Kim’s and mine) were raised in the Tampa area, we are definitely Florida through and through. I’m sure there are lots of born and raised Floridians, but sometimes we seem like we are close to being outnumbered by people who have moved here. And there are lots of reasons all of those folks want to move to our great state. If you love the beach, we’ve got it. If you love rivers and lakes, we’ve got them. If you love climbing mountains . . . ok, that one we don’t have much of. But we do have enormous stretches of gorgeous weather – after all, we are the Sunshine State – and that means we get to garden all the time. That must be why people pick our state!
All this Florida talk is because on March 3rd, Florida turns 180! And we figured it is the perfect time to celebrate the native plants that helped to give Florida its name as the Land of Flowers! So this weekend, come out and help some native Floridians celebrate Florida’s birthday with native plants. We’ve got quite a few things going on this Saturday, here is the full schedule:
9:30 am: Yoga in the Garden – Kick off the day by relaxing and recharging with a yoga practice in the garden, led by one of Kim’s and my first yoga teachers, Megan Delarua with Keystone Yoga.
10 am – 1 pm: Spellbound Sourdough will be at the nursery selling delicious, delectable sourdough bread.
11 am: Free Seminar – Florida Native Plants for Florida Pollinators and Florida Landscapes. We’ll talk about why you should use native plants, how they increase biodiversity, and why they are great for our local environment. After the seminar, join me to take a look at our Homegrown National Park® and talk a little bit about the movement and how you can participate. Registration is not required but appreciated here.
It’s going to be a great day celebrating the delightful weather and beautiful plants that our Land of Flowers, Florida, has to offer.
