FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) \u2014 Just outside the doors of IMAG History & Science Center, a vibrant outdoor space is turning everyday landscaping into a hands-on learning experience.<\/p>\n
The Florida-Friendly Landscape Garden invites visitors to step beyond the museum walls and into a living exhibit rooted in sustainability. Designed in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, the garden highlights how residents can create beautiful outdoor spaces while conserving water and protecting Florida\u2019s natural environment.<\/p>\n
At the heart of the garden are nine interactive stations, each representing one of the state\u2019s Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles. Together, they guide visitors through simple changes that can make a big environmental impact right at home.<\/p>\n
Each station brings a concept to life:<\/p>\n
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Just outside the doors of IMAG History & Science Center, a vibrant outdoor space is turning everyday landscaping into a hands-on learning experience.<\/p>\n
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The \u201cRight Plant, Right Place\u201d area shows how choosing native and climate-appropriate plants can reduce maintenance and improve plant health. Nearby, the \u201cWater Efficiently\u201d station demonstrates how Florida landscapes can thrive with less water through smart irrigation and drought-tolerant plants.<\/p>\n
Visitors can also learn how to \u201cFertilize Appropriately,\u201d with signage explaining how over-fertilizing can harm waterways, while the \u201cMulch Matters\u201d station highlights how mulch helps retain moisture and prevent weeds in Florida\u2019s heat.<\/p>\n
The garden goes beyond plant care. In the \u201cAttract Wildlife\u201d section, native plants create habitats for birds, butterflies, and pollinators, showing how landscaping can support local ecosystems. The \u201cManage Yard Pests Responsibly\u201d station encourages natural pest control methods instead of heavy chemical use.<\/p>\n
Sustainability continues with \u201cRecycle Yard Waste,\u201d where visitors see how leaves and clippings can be reused as compost or mulch. The \u201cReduce Stormwater Runoff\u201d station demonstrates how features like rain gardens help keep polluted water out of storm drains.<\/p>\n
Finally, the \u201cProtect the Waterfront\u201d station ties it all together, reminding visitors that what happens in their yard can ultimately impact Florida\u2019s rivers, lakes, and coastlines.<\/p>\n
But this is not your typical educational garden.<\/p>\n
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Just outside the doors of IMAG History & Science Center, a vibrant outdoor space is turning everyday landscaping into a hands-on learning experience.<\/p>\n
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True to the IMAG\u2019s interactive style, the space includes playful elements designed to keep kids engaged, including hidden dinosaurs tucked among the plants, turning a simple walk into a scavenger hunt.<\/p>\n
The garden complements the museum\u2019s broader mission of hands-on learning, where science meets real life. Inside, visitors explore aquariums, engineering exhibits, and live animal encounters. Outside, they see how those same principles apply to their own backyards.<\/p>\n
Whether you have a green thumb or have never picked up a shovel, the Florida-Friendly Landscape Garden offers practical inspiration with a local focus.<\/p>\n
At the IMAG, even a walk through the garden can grow into something more. A new way to think about landscaping, conservation, and life in Southwest Florida.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) \u2014 Just outside the doors of IMAG History & Science Center, a vibrant outdoor…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":213323,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210,3837,325,115,66796],"class_list":{"0":"post-213322","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cape-coral","8":"tag-cape-coral","9":"tag-cape-coral-headlines","10":"tag-cape-coral-news","11":"tag-collaborator_gen_stories","12":"tag-lee","13":"tag-news","14":"tag-wink_stop"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213322"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213322\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}