THE PA IN THE PARK

LEFT: Nick Freeman stands in Native Park #2. RIGHT: Wacca Pilatka’s yard sign in a bed of coontie

Jacksonville, Florida’s Native Park was established by the Avondale Garden Circle in 1923 to provide a public example of the resiliency that plants indigenous to North Florida have – even when challenged with droughts, freezes, heat, humidity and hurricanes. Unfortunately, over time, a lack of maintenance led to a tangled mess of exotic and aggressive plants throughout the park. So in 2010, the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) adopted the park as part of the city’s Friends of the Park program to restore the grounds for its original purpose. 

The Native Plant Horticulture Foundation did a write up on Wacca Pilatka founder Nick Freeman and his role in revitalizing the park, click here to read the full article!