I was weeding my front garden last weekend when my neighbor stopped to say hello. I joked that I was standing in my jungle and was surprised she could see me. She stood there for a moment, stared and then said "I can't believe all the shade over there." That's when it hit me. Her house has absolutely no shade in the front yard. How hot her yard must get at this time of year and how hard her air conditioning unit must also work to keep the inside cool.

We've all heard for years how trees are natural air conditioners for our home. It makes sense to plant them where they will drape your home in shade particularly during the hottest part of the day. Here in Florida we also need to consider wind tolerant trees that can help protect us during hurricane weather.

I was reading an article in the paper the other day about planting strategically. Research was conducted after our hurricane season last year that indicated some homes were better protected and sustained little damage due to how and what was planted around them.

So, what should we plant and what should we avoid? Great trees that work as a wind screen include crape myrtle (one of my personal favorites), live oak, Canary Island date palm (another one of my favs and pictured here), pindo palm, and saw palmetto just to name a few. Shrubs include bromeliads, cardboard palm, crown of thorns and, everyone's favorite, hibiscus. Plants and trees to either avoid or keep far from your home include jacaranda, norfolk island pine, sand pine, thryallis and golden rain tree.

When you're ready to add some plants visit a landscaper or certified arborist beforehand. There's also a new book Stormscaping: Landscaping to Minimize Wind Damage in Florida that will give you guidance. Happy Florida Gardening and enjoy that shade.

When I was a kid, my mother would make me dump the daily coffee filter and used grounds in the gardens. I never knew what it was supposed to do. I just thought it was an easy way to trash the leftovers.

My neighbor and I were chatting the other day about the use of vinegar for palm trees. She had not heard of that little tip but did share that she used to dump coffee grounds in the garden. That triggered my memory and I got thinking that if both she and I did it, how many others also added grounds to their flower beds. Is it a Northern thing (we both grew up in the North) or does it happen anywhere?

I didn't get the geographic answer, but I did learn more about what coffee grounds can do. Used coffee and tea add nitrogen to the soil. Accordng to Sustainable Enterprises, sprinkling coffee grounds around a plant provides a nitrogen boost. Coffee grounds and eggshells also repel pests from plants. Added to a compost bin, used grounds heat up the pile and produce compost more quickly. It's interesting to read all the comments and ways folks use coffee grounds. Happy Florida Gardening.

I was shopping at Lowe's and found a shrub that had a beautiful purple flower on it. The bloom was absolutely rich in color and even though I had not heard of the plant I decided to take it home anyway.

Conducting my usual research starting with my reference books I found it. Brazilian Glorybush or Spider Flower also known as Tibouchina is from Brazil. It flowers summer through fall and prefers good protected light and well watered soil in the growing season. Growing to 8 feet tall, Tibouchina should be pruned annually to keep its shape.

There are many varieties of this gorgeous plant - urvilliana, grandifolia, and semidecandra to name a few. They are part of the Melastomataceae family (whew!-try to pronounce that one). Happy Florida Gardening and enjoy a Glorybush in your garden.