After years of designing landscapes up and down the First Coast, Trudy Pilcher has developed a deep familiarity with the plants that truly thrive in Northeast Florida’s heat, humidity, and sandy soils.
This is her personal plant library — the species and varieties she returns to project after project because they look stunning, grow reliably, and make her clients happy.
Whether you’re planning a full landscape renovation or simply looking for your next great plant, Trudy’s Favorites is the place to start.
Wide leaf, looks like a big hand in the landscape and blue spring flowers
Pretty white flowers in spring and fall
Love the lime green color and loose foliage, great against a dark green hedge
Variegated leaf, great for sun or shade—brightens up a shady garden, low maintenance
Low ground cover blue flowering perennial, no pests
Dwarf coral color with blooming in spring AND fall
My new favorite, whitish grass cold tolerant, only trim every 3-4 years
Love the curly copper looking plumes in the fall
Tough specimen plant, orange bird looking bloom, great cut flower
Great in partial shade for bright red color
Small palm, great for smaller gardens
Small bright yellow grass for shade, great way to brighten up shade garden, cold hardy
Large 5’x 5’ grass, doesn’t cut, great soft color and filler
Shade garden, yellow blooms, large texture leaves
Interesting plant that’s great for minimalist garden and narrow beds
Great perennial in light pink, white, rose — attracts butterflies
Large azalea that can take some sun, color in spring-give it some room to grow
Blooms pink/purple in fall, soft foliage
Tall purple perennial color, pollinator attractor, tough plant, easy maintenance
The “go to” flower for the hot summer months, secret: get them in before it gets too hot
Sun or shade, slow to moderate grower, can keep narrow
Dwarf podocarpus — I use this plant instead of a boxwood hedge, better for Florida than boxwood.
Interesting crape with chocolate leaves, smaller crape myrtle
Bright orange plant, very drought tolerant, great in sunny pots, interesting growth habit
Elegant fronds triple trunk, great to fill corners / use in front of windows so you can see through the stems and under canopy
Tropical look, large plant, large texture leaves
Variegated leaves, red blooms
Great as backdrop in sunny spot and gives yellow blooms ALL summer long
Makes a statement in the landscape, gorgeous tree, specimen
A new agapanthus that is a re-bloomer, short sturdy plant
Large leaf, loose texture, large viburnum
