Mary Ellen Christou
Hi, I’m Mary! I’ve been gardening on the same small property in South Florida (Zone 10) for over 30 years.
When we first moved in, I knew nothing about gardening—especially not in our unique subtropical climate.
I just had a dream: a yard full of flowers, herbs, and fresh produce.
At the time, our landscape was nearly a blank slate—just lawn, a few hibiscus, and a weedy mound out front.
That all changed when a friend gifted me a few rose bushes. I needed a spot to plant them, and that small act unexpectedly launched my lifelong gardening journey. Not the typical way into permaculture and food forests—but that’s how it started for me.
I quickly fell in love with gardening. I experimented in the backyard with annuals, perennials, herbs, and flowering shrubs—learning from both my successes and inevitable failures. I kept careful notes and began to see how every mistake was really just a learning curve.
My interest gradually shifted from ornamental plants to edibles. Herbs led to vegetables, and before long, I was growing a garden robust enough to skip the produce aisle at the grocery store—at least, that was the goal.
But after a few years, frustration set in. I was working hard, spending too much, and getting underwhelming results. Something had to change.
.
I turned to books, magazines, and local libraries, only to discover that most gardening advice was geared toward climates very different from ours. Eventually, I stumbled upon Florida Gardening Magazine and a handful of useful resources. Still, truly localized information was hard to come by.
Around this time, I began learning about permaculture, forest gardening, and integrated pest management. These sustainable principles made a huge difference—my garden became healthier, more resilient, and far less reliant on constant care. I started adding fruit trees and subtropical perennial food plants that thrived with minimal attention. That was a turning point.
I kept detailed records, experimented, and began to realize just how productive and low-maintenance a subtropical edible landscape could be—even on a small suburban lot.
Wanting to share what I’d learned, I launched my first gardening website in the late 1990s. It quickly grew, connecting me with fellow gardeners in similar climates across the country. I gave talks at local garden clubs and found a community passionate about sustainable living and climate-smart gardening.
In recent years, I stepped back from the website to focus on other passions—like jewelry making—and to manage some health issues.
But I never stopped gardening.
Now, with renewed interest in homesteading, organic gardening, and sustainability, I’ve created this new site. While there’s more information available than there used to be, I’m still surprised by how little is tailored specifically to South Florida’s unique Zone 10 conditions—especially for small-space, suburban gardeners navigating rising sea levels, hurricane threats, and the broader impacts of climate change.
This site is my way of continuing the conversation. You’ll find information specific to our climate, practical advice for growing in tight suburban spaces, and reflections on how gardening intersects with food security, resilience, and environmental stewardship.
I’m here to share what I’ve learned over the past 30+ years—but also to learn from you. I hope this space grows into a collaborative community for gardeners who care about our planet, our food systems, and each other.
Thanks for visiting! I post weekly on topics related to gardening in our subtropical climate and welcome your questions and suggestions. Use the Contact form (top right) to reach out. The blog doesn’t support comments yet (it’s a new platform), but I respond personally and look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Gardening,