Wings, Wildflowers and Art in the Garden at The Avian Reconditioning Center
Hi all! Welcome to my blog where I will be sharing news, updates and highlights from the garden.
Just recently, I planted a Florida native habitat garden at The Avian Reconditioning Center in Apopka Florida. We hope this garden will serve the local wildlife and also demonstrate for visitors, the importance of native plants in functional ecosystems.
Upcoming event
I am happy to share that I will be a vendor at Wings, Wildflowers and Art in the Garden this fall to benefit ARC. The event is on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., located at ARC, the address is 323 Lester Road, Apopka, Florida 32712. There will be other vendors there so we hope you can come and shop small and support local businesses. Also in support of ARC, the 3rd annual silent fundraising auction where 100 % of the proceeds will go directly towards raptor care. Tickets are available at their website.
The Avian Reconditioning Center
“The Avian Reconditioning Center (ARC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation resource in Apopka, FL. Since 2001, ARC has realized its mission through dedication to raptor rehabilitation, education, research, and falconry, thereby increasing public awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of Florida’s magnificent raptors and the natural habitats in which they live. We raise nestlings with surrogate parents, rehabilitate injured raptors, release healthy raptors back to the wild, and provide a permanent home for those who would not survive on their own.” - The Avian Reconditioning Center website
The native plant garden at ARC
The garden is a mix of 31 Florida native wildflowers and grasses that grow and thrive naturally in sandhill soils like those on the property. The plants in the demonstration garden are all identified with plant markers so visitors can become familiar with them and get a feel for their overall size and growth habit, to aid them in imagining how to incorporate them to their own landscape.
Less lawn, more biodiversity
The shape of the garden is similar to a typical residential backyard at a smaller scale with a small grassy patch (about 20% of the space) of Bahia grass inside metal edging, the rest is planted out with native wildflowers and grasses with a narrow, informal pathway running through for easy access for management. Alternatively, for people who prefer no grass to maintain, this open grassy space could be crushed shell, pavers, pine straw or hardscape for people to gather and enjoy being outside. I hope the garden gives an example of an alternative to the typical American backyard that is 100% lawn with a shade tree or two, offering very little for pollinators or other wildlife that are experiencing rapid declines from habitat destruction and exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
Planted in late spring 2025
We were very fortunate to have an unusually wet spring this year which helped to get the plants off to a great start! The plants and labor were gifted by My Florida Meadow Co. The garden was planted with plants in smaller containers ranging from grass plugs to 3.5” and 5” deep wildflower containers.
Handcrafted nature inspired art poles frame the pathway
The ARC community all came together to put an artistic touch on the garden by creating nature inspired art poles that now frame the entrance to the path through the garden. Brightly colored poles are adorned with plants, animals and mementos added by the people that are devoted to the raptors and ARC.
We hope you can come to Wings, Wildflowers and Art in the Garden to see the garden in person and meet the wonderful birds, staff and volunteers at the center. - Andrea, creator at My Florida Meadow Co. and volunteer at ARC
