In this authoritative and friendly guide, Roger Hammer shares more than thirty years experience tempting butterflies and hummingbirds into tropical Florida's gardens. From ground cover to large trees, from soil requirements to effective seeding and frost protection strategies, Hammer catalogues 200 of the best plants for luring these wondrous creatures into even the smallest of yards. He offers helpful tips for beginning and establishing a thriving refuge that is easy to maintain, and his selection of exotic plants are all safe for use in Florida. Comprised of the tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach as well as the central, coastal areas (USDA zones 10 and 11) and the Keys, South Florida's climate and diversity of butterflies and resident and migratory hummingbirds are distinct from those in the rest of the state. Before Hammer's, no other resource has captured so wide a range of host, feeding, and shelter plants. While most bird and butterfly gardening books emphasize the attracted fauna, Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida focuses on the flora crucial to coaxing them into the garden in the first place.