TAMPA, Fla. — The Southwest Florida Water Management District issued water shortage restrictions at the end of 2023, limiting residents from watering their lawn more than one day a week.

But experts say your yard won’t suffer if you plan your landscaping around Florida’s climate.

Lynn Barber is the Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent with the UF/IFAS Extension in Hillsborough County. When designing the landscaping for your yard, she says to consider mulch, which helps retain moisture.

“Mulch should be about 2-3 inches deep after it settles,” said Barber, who also recommends permeable pavers. “The water will go in between the cracks on the pavers and into the ground. So that means the water won’t be running off.”

When selecting plants, Barber said it’s important to factor in water usage and the potential for the restrictions we are seeing now. A good way to do this is to choose native or non-native adaptive plants that are used to the Florida weather, such as the beach sunflower.

Barber also recommends micro irrigation systems instead of traditional, in-ground sprinklers.

“If you have a landscape bed, this is a great answer,” said Barber. “It gets water exactly where it needs to go, which is the roots.”

The UF/IFAS Extension offers a variety of workshops where you can learn more about water efficient landscaping and other gardening techniques. For more information, visit the extension’s website.