Florida Landscape Architect
Licensed Landscape Architecture, Land Planning & Irrigation Design for Florida Development Projects
Florida’s development environment is unlike anywhere else in the country. Between its high water table, hurricane exposure, complex wetland regulations, and aggressive invasive species challenges, every site carries its own set of constraints—and opportunities. Evergreen Design Group has been navigating those conditions alongside architects, civil engineers, land developers, and design-build contractors since 2005. We are a Florida-licensed landscape architecture firm (FL License 6666711) offering land planning, landscape architecture, and irrigation design for commercial, mixed-use, multifamily, civic, and master-planned community projects across the state.
We don’t design projects for homeowners. Our practice is built around the needs of development professionals—and that focus shows in how we communicate, how we document, and how we deliver.
Why Florida Development Projects Require a Specialized Landscape Architect
High Water Table and Drainage Complexity
Much of Florida sits barely above sea level, particularly in South Florida. Saturated soils, persistent moisture, and salt concentrations in coastal areas require drainage strategies that are engineered from the ground up—not retrofitted. Our land planning and grading strategies account for Florida’s hydrology from day one, reducing costly redesigns downstream.
Diverse and Challenging Soil Conditions
From the loamy soils of the Panhandle to the sandy flatwoods of Central Florida, the limerock substrate of South Florida, and the deep organic peat of the Everglades, soil conditions vary dramatically across the state. Selecting the right plants, specifying appropriate soil amendments, and designing irrigation systems that accommodate these differences requires genuine regional experience—not just a Florida license.
Hurricane and Wind-Load Considerations
Florida averages 14 named Atlantic storms per season. Landscape designs for Florida development projects need to account for wind-resistant plant selection, reinforced anchoring systems, and storm-resilient hardscape specifications. These are performance requirements that affect long-term maintenance costs and liability exposure for your clients.
Invasive Species and Native Ecosystem Requirements
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission — Invasive Plants is home to more than 1,500 non-native plant species, with roughly 11% classified as invasive. Many Florida municipalities and counties have adopted native plant requirements and invasive removal mandates as part of their permitting process. Our planting plans are designed to satisfy those requirements while supporting the long-term health and reduced maintenance burden of the landscape.
Wetlands, Mangroves, and Regulatory Compliance
Florida’s Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) program, the federal Clean Water Act, the Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, and dozens of county-level tree ordinances create a complex regulatory environment. Our team knows how to read site constraints early, coordinate with permitting agencies, and design landscapes that support—rather than stall—your project approvals.
South Florida Water Management District Permitting
The SFWMD Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) program governs stormwater management for development projects across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. For projects that involve significant impervious area, wetland impacts, or proximity to Biscayne Bay or the Everglades system, SFWMD coordination is a critical component of the design and permitting process. Our team has experience navigating SFWMD requirements and structuring landscape and drainage design to support efficient permit reviews.
Florida Landscape Architecture Services
Site topography, drainage patterns, soil conditions, and regulatory constraints analyzed to develop land plans that inform your development strategy. For Florida projects, this routinely includes stormwater management integration, buffers, open space designation, and native habitat preservation planning.
Florida municipalities maintain some of the most detailed tree protection ordinances in the country. Our tree disposition plans identify protected species, document existing canopy, and establish preservation or mitigation strategies that satisfy local code while supporting your site design objectives.
Florida planting plans built around species that perform—natives and adapted varieties selected for regional soil conditions, hurricane resilience, and long-term maintainability. Construction documents delivered at a level of detail that landscape contractors can build from directly.
We design pool surrounds, tot lots, sport courts, shaded ramadas, pavilions, outdoor kitchens, and common open spaces for multi-family residential and master-planned communities throughout Florida. Amenity designs are developed to HOA standards, local building codes, and ADA accessibility requirements, with shade structure coverage, heat-reflective paving materials, and drought-tolerant perimeter plantings treated as standard design parameters — not optional upgrades — given Florida’s extreme summer heat environment.
We design parking lot landscape screening, streetscapes, community courtyards, entry features, retaining walls, and structured outdoor spaces for commercial, mixed-use, and institutional projects across Florida. Material specifications account for extreme thermal cycling, UV intensity, and the impervious surface and water harvesting basin requirements that govern commercial hardscape design under Florida municipal ordinances. Surface drainage direction and water harvesting integration are addressed as coordinated scope items within our hardscape documentation
Project Types We Support in Florida
Master-Planned Communities — comprehensive landscape and land planning coordination from entitlement through construction
Multi-Family Residential — apartment, condominium, and townhome developments requiring amenity design, planting plans, tree disposition, and irrigation
Active Adult and Senior Living Communities — accessible, low-maintenance designs that meet both regulatory and livability requirements
Commercial and Mixed-Use Developments — retail, hospitality, restaurant, and office projects requiring cohesive, code-compliant landscape design
Industrial and Logistics Facilities — functional, low-maintenance landscape design with emphasis on stormwater management, screening buffers, and durability
Civic and Institutional Projects — schools, parks, municipal facilities, and government buildings requiring durable, accessible, compliance-focused landscape solutions
Florida Markets We Serve
Our Florida-licensed landscape architects have active project experience across the state’s major development markets, including:
- Lowcountry & Northeast Florida: Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Nassau County, St. Johns County
- Central Florida: Orlando, Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County, Lake County, Polk County
- Tampa Bay Region: Tampa, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County
- South Florida: Miami, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, the Florida Keys
Why Development Teams Choose Evergreen Design Group in Florida
Florida-licensed, nationally experienced. FL License 6666711. Founded 2005. Licensed in 44 states. We bring the operational infrastructure to support large, multi-phase programs or concurrent projects across multiple Florida markets.
Single-source delivery. Land planning, landscape architecture, and irrigation design under one contract. One point of contact. One documentation standard. No coordination gaps between consultants.
Built for development professionals. We don’t design for homeowners. Our practice, our process, and our deliverables are built around the needs of architects, civil engineers, land developers, and design-build contractors.
Permit-ready, construction-grade documents. Our construction documents are produced for field use and agency review—not decorative purposes. Reviewers get what they need. Contractors can build without guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions — Florida Landscape Architecture
Is a licensed landscape architect required for commercial projects in Florida?
Yes. Florida Board of Landscape Architecture Florida Chapter 481 (Statutes) requires that landscape plans for commercial, industrial, and multifamily projects above certain thresholds be prepared and sealed by a licensed landscape architect. Requirements vary by municipality, but a licensed professional is required for any permitted commercial development in the state.
What does a landscape architect do on a Florida development project?
On most Florida development projects, the landscape architect is responsible for the site planting plan, tree disposition plan, hardscape design, irrigation design, and community amenity layouts. Many Florida municipalities require these documents as part of the site plan approval and building permit process. The landscape architect also coordinates with civil engineers on grading and drainage and with architects on building interface and material continuity.
How does Florida’s climate affect landscape design decisions?
Florida’s subtropical and tropical climate, high rainfall, hurricane exposure, and soil variability all directly affect plant selection, irrigation design, drainage strategy, and material specification. A landscape architect experienced in Florida’s specific regional conditions will design systems and select plant material that perform over time—reducing long-term maintenance costs and minimizing warranty callbacks.
Does Evergreen Design Group work with civil engineers and architects on Florida projects?
Yes—the majority of our Florida projects involve direct coordination with civil engineering and architecture firms. We’re accustomed to working within larger project teams and actively coordinate on shared deliverables including grading, stormwater, and building interface details.
What areas of Florida does Evergreen Design Group serve?
We serve the full state of Florida—from the Panhandle through Tampa Bay, Orlando, the Space Coast, South Florida, and the Keys. Our team has active project experience across Florida’s major development markets.
Can a landscape architect licensed in another state seal documents for a Florida project?
No. Florida Statute Chapter 481 requires that landscape architectural documents submitted for Florida permits be sealed by a landscape architect holding an active Florida license. Out-of-state practitioners must obtain a Florida license before sealing any documents intended for Florida regulatory review. Evergreen Design Group holds FL License 6666711 and is authorized to seal documents for projects anywhere in the state.
What is included in a Florida landscape architecture construction document set?
A typical Florida landscape architecture construction document package includes a site planting plan specifying all plant species, sizes, and installation requirements; a tree disposition plan identifying protected trees and mitigation strategies; an irrigation design with system layout, head scheduling, and controller specifications; and hardscape details as applicable. Many Florida municipalities also require a landscape point or Green Building calculation as part of the permit submittal.
How do Florida's water-use restrictions affect irrigation design?
Florida’s Water Management Districts — including the SFWMD, SJRWMD, and SWFWMD — impose irrigation scheduling restrictions, efficiency requirements, and in many cases mandate the use of reclaimed water where available. Our irrigation designs are produced in compliance with the applicable district’s rules, local utility reclaimed water system requirements, and Florida’s Model Irrigation Ordinance framework. Designs include smart controller specifications and zone documentation to support permit review.
How long does landscape plan review typically take in Florida?
Plan review timelines in Florida vary significantly by municipality. High-volume jurisdictions like Miami-Dade, Orlando, and Tampa may have review queues of four to eight weeks or more. Smaller municipalities may turn around reviews in two to three weeks. We design our construction documents to be complete and code-compliant on first submittal, which is the most reliable way to minimize review cycles and keep your project schedule on track.
Does Evergreen Design Group handle both landscape architecture and irrigation design under one contract in Florida?
Yes. Land planning, landscape architecture, and irrigation design are delivered under a single contract with a single point of contact. We do not subcontract any of these services. This single-source delivery model eliminates coordination gaps between consultants and produces a unified construction document set that is easier to permit and build.
What Florida-specific regulations does Evergreen Design Group design to?
Our Florida projects are designed to satisfy requirements including: Florida Statute Chapter 481 (landscape architect licensing), county and municipal landscape codes, the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program guidelines where applicable, the SFWMD or applicable Water Management District Environmental Resource Permit conditions, Florida’s Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act for coastal projects, and local tree protection ordinances. We actively monitor regulatory changes across our Florida markets.
Let’s Talk About Your Florida Project
If you’re working on a development project in Florida and need a landscape architect who understands the state’s regulatory environment, site conditions, and project delivery expectations, we’d like to hear about it.
Contact Us— or call us directly at (800) 680-6630.
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