Good advice from everyone Heather! Welcome to Florida; you're going to learn to be a sand gardener.
First lesson:
Nothing lasts long in sand. Not water, nor nutrients, nor compost.....nothing.
Lesson 2:
We can add nutrients year round here. We can, with few exceptions, prune anytime of year, we can plant anytime of year. We have to water 12 months of the year.
Lesson 3:
Natives are THE way to go here unless you like banging your head against a brick wall. You already stated you would like to stick with them so that's great thinking on your part. I will say, there are xeric plants that are non native & non invasive that will do great here too but that will take some time to learn.
Lesson 4:
Many annuals that you are used to being summer plants up north are winter plants here. You kind of have to turn your thinking upside down.
It's great that you will get to learn in a rental & a small space. This way you're not trying to do an entire yard & spending lots of money to do the trial & error thing.
We're glad to have you here!
