DAR Conservation Award
October 2018
Plant Real Florida Guide
The Florida Association of Native Nurseries (FANN) publishes the only publication exclusively devoted to Florida native plant gardening. The Guide features informative and inspirational articles on native plant landscaping plus sources for native plants, landscape, and other services. Several members of The Villages Florida Native Plant Society are featured in the current publication, including President Steve Turnipseed, Chapter Representative Carol Spears, and member Julie Wheeler. Subscription is free. Our extensive video library is praised. Most of our videos were created by Al and Joan.
Florida Native Plants Symposium
President Steve Turnipseed was a speaker at this recent symposium. Steve has 11 years experience using native plants in managed community residential landscapes. More
October is Native Plant Month
Creating a Low Maintenance Native Plant Landscape
Steve Turnipseed
Tuesday, Sept 25th
9 am Savannah Center, 1545 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages, FL 32162
1 pm SeaBreeze Recreation, Center 2384 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages, FL 32162
3 pm Eisenhower Recreation Center, 3560 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages, FL 32163
Thursday, Sept 27th
9:30 am Belvedere Library, 325 Belvedere Blvd, The Villages, FL 32162
1 pm Sumter County Service Center, Room 102, 7375 Powell Rd, Wildwood, FL 34785
Newspaper Coverage
June 22, 2018: The Villages Chapter of Florida Native Plant Society was on the front page to today’s Daily Sun, LifeStyle section.
Landscape Tour – June 1st
Our chapter hosted a self-guided Spring garden tour of 8 to 10 homes for FNPS members in good standing. These homes of members have been converted to all or mostly native plants.
Al and Joan's Video of all the houses on the tour. (Al and Joan's contributions to our web.)
Julie and Joe's Home is one of the houses on the Garden Tour.
Video and plant spreadsheet
FNPS Backyard Butterfly Garden Award
Carol Spears, won the Backyard Butterfly Garden Award in May 2018. Steve presented the award to Carol at the FNPS Annual Conference. Steve noted that this is the third year in a row that an award went to a member of our chapter.
Julie's Video of her Landscape Conversion stars on fnps.org.
DAR Learns Benefits of Native Plants
Steve Turnipseed, President of The Villages Chapter of Florida Native Plant Society speaks to the John Bartram Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution about the benefits of using native Florida plants in their landscaping.
"Those present said they were quite impressed with the transformation of Turnipseed’s yard. One member shared that she had heard his initial presentation and then prepared her yard by removing grass and planting native plants. She said her yard is very attractive and has become a beacon for butterflies." Article in Villages News
TVFNPS Media Coverage
Chapter Rep: Carol Spears and President: Stephen Turnipseed was on WVLG 640AM on Monday, February 19, 2018. Between 10AM-11AM, they were interviewed in 3 short segments about FNPS, The Villages chapter of FNPS, and Why Consider Native Plants in your Landscape.
Lake Griffin Entrance Project
The Villages Chapter of the FNPS is continuing to maintain the entrance area to Lake Griffin State Park.
Group Makes Lake Griffin State Park Greener was a headline in the Villages Daily Sun. Volunteers from our chapter replanted a median strip there, in December 2017. Steve Turnipseed recognized member Susan Hamilton, who has been watering the median strip regularly and was featured in the February 3, 2018 article.
Member Linda Bishop’s garden was featured in the Villages Daily Sun on February 17, 2018, Home & Garden Section.
May 2018: We donated 30 bales of pine straw to the Lake Griffin State Park. Steve and volunteers, Charlotte and Rick Rahm, and Will Hunt spread the straw.
Pine Straw for Members
Twice in 2018, as a fundraiser, and as a convenience to our members, our FNPS chapter is ordered bales of longleaf pine straw (not the slash pine straw commonly available). These bales are recently raked from the Winter needle drop, so they will be the freshest available. Longleaf Pine straw has needles in lengths of up to 16 inches (versus 7 to 9 for slash pine). It has more resin in the needles making it the longest lasting and also the brightest copper color.
Native Plant Horticultural Foundation
Mission: Make sustainable communities possible by expanding the supply of native plants and professional landscape expertise.
Vision: Urban, rural and wild landscapes everywhere are planted with native plants. Plants, growers, retail outlets, landscape, and restoration experts are available in every community. Demand for native plants is strong and native plant businesses are thriving and attracting new professionals, including young people, to expand plant production and use.
FNGLA (Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association)
Steve attended the FNGLA (Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association) Nov. 2 to promote Florida native plants and the Native Landscape Design Book.
Native Plant Sale
March 24, 2018
Sumter County Recognizes October as Native Plant Month
Development of Landscape Designs for Homes in The Villages
Plans are free and can be downloaded on this website.
FNPS Chapter Native Landscape Garden Tour
FNPS Annual Conference
New Board Members for 2018
Kathy Porter stepped down and Roger Selch became Vice-President of Programs. Jeanie Powell, Secretary was replaced by Joannene Hudak. Mary Jeanne Walsh retired and Judith Mason became Treasurer. All three past board members are still helping our chapter in many ways.
Highlights
Meetings
Field Trips
