Tom Heitzman
Sweet Bay Nursery
Small Business Owner, Native Plant Horticulturist, Nonprofit Leader
30 years of experience with Florida native plants in natural areas & landscaping
Award-winning landsacpe designer and Florida naturalist Tom Heitzman has been experimenting with alternative uses of native plants and promoting their use in all situations, including container gardens. Two years ago, he assisted the Manasota Chapter of FNGLA in designing the “world’s largest container garden” for display at the Florida State Fair.
Tom has been working to both preserve and plant Real Florida for decades, providing leadership to the local Serenoa Chapter Florida Native Plant Society and also serving in multiple board and committee capacities with the Florida Association of Native Nurseries (FANN) and Manatee Audubon. A gentle, humble soul, Tom is a wealth of energy and expertise for conservation and landscape education.
Tom owns Sweet Bay Native Nursery in Parrish, Florida, with partner Richard Beaupre. Together they grow and sell native plants to wholesale and retail customers and provide distinctive native landscape design service. Their nursery is a treasured community institution staffed by employees and local volunteers!
My Workshop
Central Florida Classics: Identification, Selection, Use and Maintenance of 20 Native Trees and Palms
Janine Griffiths
Amanda Martin
Eddie McKeithen
Tom Heitzman
Jennifer Pell
Nick Freeman
CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUs) Florida DBPR Board of Landscape Architecture – 2 Optional CEU Credit, #15406 FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional – APPROVED ISA Arborists – APPROVED Also qualifies for UF Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Continuing Education This class focuses on the identification, selection, landscape use and maintenance of twenty proven Central Florida native trees and palms. Multiple […]