08/10/2026
That adorable little shrub at the nursery? Give it two years, and it's swallowing your window.
It's the most common design mistake we see, and it comes from one simple thing: planning around the plant in the pot instead of the plant it becomes. In South Florida, that happens fast: shrubs double in size, hedges fill in aggressively, and suddenly you're shearing everything every few weeks just to see out your windows.
Plant too close and you also get:
• Blocked windows and less natural light
• Moisture trapped against your siding
• More pests, because air can't circulate
• A lifetime of corrective pruning
The fix is spacing for the mature size from the start. Keep smaller shrubs about 3 feet off the house, 5 feet for anything that'll reach 6 feet or taller, and space plants so they just touch when fully grown, not on planting day.
It looks a little sparse at first. In a year, it looks intentional. That's the difference professional design makes.
Thinking about refreshing your beds? Let's plan them around what they'll become. 239-645-6455
