The recent lack of rain makes it difficult if you love to garden.
But, there are ways to have a lush garden while helping the environment.
It's called Florida-Friendly Landscaping and it can be achieved using a few simple, environmentally safe techniques.
Kathleen Patterson of the Marion County Extension Service said you can start by incorporating a butterfly garden.
"Most of your butterfly plants are drought tolerant, and finding drought tolerant and native plants actually reduces the amount of water that you need to use," she said. A butterfly garden will also attract pollinating bees and hummingbirds.
Another tip is to use micro, or drip-irrigation systems which use water more efficiently. Some micro-irrigation sprinklers are longer making them able to water plants directly at the roots.
Patterson also recommended the use of rain barrels which can collect 6,000 gallons of water each year, saving water and money.
Watering plants with nitrogen-infused rain water also helps the garden's health.
For more tips visit the Marion County Extension Office at www.marioncountyfl.org. The website includes a list of native and drought-resistant plants and schedules of gardening classes through out the year.