Foundation awards 2025 Viva Florida grants
The Florida Wildflower Foundation’s 2025 Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grants have been awarded to the following projects:
Flamingo Garden Park, Surfside
The Town of Surfside — a beachside community on a barrier island — is eager to demonstrate that natives can thrive in a small urban setting. Flamingo Garden Park features a pergola, bench, table, small lending library and sculpture, and is frequently visited by walkers and cyclists. The coastal garden will include Beach verbena (Glandularia maritima), Jamaican caper (Quadrella cynophallophora) and American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana).
Long Key Natural Area and Nature Center, Davie
Friends of Long Key and Broward County Parks and Recreation are partnering to protect and promote this important archaeological, historical and ecological site in South Florida where human settlement dates back over 3,000 years. The Viva Florida garden will surround the “Island Garden” sculpture by environmental artist Lorna Jordon (1954-2021). Originally planted with natives, the site will now be revitalized after lapsing during the COVID years, fulfilling the artist’s vision.
Coconut Park, St. Petersburg
This Viva Florida garden will be located at the meeting site of the Garden Club of St Petersburg, within an eight-acre park already home to five themed gardens. Popular for weddings and community events, the garden was impacted dramatically by Hurricane Helene in 2024 and the Club is eager to restore the grounds.
Jacaranda EcoPARK
With the addition of the Viva Florida garden, Jacaranda EcoPARK will host eight native habitat demonstrations. These include a Miyawaki microforest, vegetated living wall, bald cypress swamp, open pine woodland, demonstration lake bank, vegetated littoral zone and a grassland/prairie. The wildflower garden will feature species grown from seed, as well as containerized plant, including Starry rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus), Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) and Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata).
Astor Library – Lions Park
Keep Lake Beautiful is creating a garden to educate the public about the value of native plants, foster sustainable practices and create a space that enhances community well-being. Located outside the newly opened library in Astor, the project is a collaboration with Lake County Library Services, Lake County Parks & Trails and the Lake County UF/IFAS Extension office. Storytime walks for young children are among the planned activities.
Wesley Chapel District Park
The Nature Coast Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society intends to create a native demonstration garden that will stand up to the scrutiny of homeowners’ associations. Situated next to a playground, the garden will feature signs citing the plants’ values. Some natives already occur at the site. The Nature Coast Chapter will be adding Narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia), Shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) and Wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis), among others.
Oakland Nature Preserve
Oakland Nature Preserve will install two Viva Florida gardens: a Pollinator Garden in the main parking area near the Boardwalk Trail entrance, and a Bird Garden on the Green Trail, set in an oak and palm tree hammock. These areas are popular with local hikers, runners, photographers and seniors due to their ease of accessibility.
Orange Audubon Nature Center at the Apopka Birding Park
Located on 65 acres at the entrance of the Apopka Wildlife Drive, this site will become home to a LEED-certified, net-zero energy and water-efficient Nature and Environmental Education Center. The acre surrounding the center will host the Viva Florida garden, while the remaining acreage will be restored by to upland prairie habitat with native grasses and wildflowers.
Roseland Community Center Park, Sebastian
As part of Indian River County’s Adopt-A-Park Program, Roseland Women’s Club is creating this garden with maintenance support from Friends of Saint Sebastian River and Roseland Community Association. All three organizations have plans for educational programs focused on water quality, living shorelines, native plants and the health benefits of working and maintaining a garden.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
In this highly trafficked location, the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation and Clearwater Marine Aquarium will plant a salt-tolerant native garden. Species featured include Seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens), Beach creeper (Ernodea littoralis), Fakahatchee grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) and Rockland lantana (Lantana depressa var. depressa).
Carrollwood Pollinator Corridor, Tampa
UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension will use this grant to enhance three sites: Carrollwood Village Park, VISTA Gardens Park (expanding a previous Viva Florida garden), and the Carrollwood Cultural Center (refreshing the existing landscape at the front of the building).
Would you like to see more demonstration gardens across the state?
Consider making a donation today in support of our Viva Florida grant program.
You never know who you might inspire through a garden you helped fund.
All Viva Florida gardens must be in highly visible and publicly accessible areas with frequent pedestrian traffic. Plants grown as part of the project must be native to Florida. Projects must have strong educational components. Viva Florida educates the public about the importance of native plants in providing food and habitat for wildlife, as well as other ecological benefits. Applications for the 2026-27 Viva Florida grant period will be accepted between Jan. 1 and Mar. 15, 2026. If you are interested in applying, click here to review project guidelines.
The Florida Wildflower Foundation provides these grants with help from sales of the Florida State Wildflower license plate. Get yours today!