Garden Spotlight: Tom Petty Park
Pictured above: Bee City signage at the garden by Greg McGann.
Supported by Bee City Gainesville
Location: 501 NE 16th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601
Bee City USA is a nationwide initiative of the Xerces Society that recognizes cities, towns, counties and communities committed to protecting native pollinators. Bee City Gainesville was designated in 2022 with the Florida Wildflower Foundation as the primary nonprofit partner. The Foundation leads the advisory committee and supports the efforts of this multiorganizational and community-based initiative to expand habitat for native pollinators.
Determination is an often underappreciated but essential component of a successful community native plant demonstration garden, and the newly planted garden at Tom Petty Park is a great example of how good leadership and persistence pay off.
“You belong among the wildflowers.” — Tom Petty
It all started in late 2024, when the City of Gainesville solicited proposals from the community for new amenities and improvements to the park, which was slated for an extensive makeover. Greg McGann, chair of community gardens for the UF/IFAS Alachua County Extension Master Gardeners, saw the perfect opportunity to honor the park’s namesake with a native wildflower garden. The City agreed, allotting a 50×50-foot space for the project.
Over the course of 2025 and into 2026, Greg worked with the City of Gainesville’s Wild Spaces and Public Places program, Urban Forestry Division, and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs department, along with the local community and the Florida Wildflower Foundation to plan the garden and prepare the site. Local landscape designer Evan Galbicka with Emergent Gardens joined the effort, providing a design that featured more than 30 native plant species, overseeing drip line irrigation installation, and assisting with planting. This supportive and collaborative team proved essential, helping the project move through challenges along the way, particularly with site prep.
“You belong somewhere you feel free.” — Tom Petty
Finally, on June 16, 2026, it was time to plant! The group came together to install around 250 plants. After only a month in the ground, the wildflowers are already thriving, with skullcaps and tickseeds among the first to bloom. As the garden continues to grow, Greg envisions a place where the community can enjoy the beauty of native plants and experience their benefits firsthand, as pollinators flock to the flowers.
Learn more about the native plant garden at Tom Petty Park: