Lagoon Loyal Business Spotlight: Go Native Landscaping & Design
"We live in paradise, yet we replace our beautiful beneficial native plants with chemical-dependent lawns. Let’s protect what we love—choose sustainable landscapes. Support the locals, and Go Native!"
— Erik Perna, Co-Owner, Go Native Landscaping & Design
Erik Perna sits on a bench in his Melbourne Beach backyard, watching a flurry of life unfold all around him. Bees buzz from flower to flower among native plants. Butterflies dance in the breeze. Birds squawk and flit among the branches of a gumbo limbo tree.
Just down the street, the contrast is stark—a contractor mows a uniform sea of sod, weaving around a sign warning of a recent chemical treatment. The air smells of gas fumes, and the roar of the equipment blasts through the entire neighborhood.
Perna, a retired high school teacher and lifelong surfer, launched Go Native Landscaping & Design with his wife Nichole after decades of watching development and pollution take a toll on coastal communities.
“I came down to Cocoa Beach from New Jersey with my high school surf team, and this place was Shangri-La,” he recalls. “Back home I was paddling around hypodermic needles and styrofoam cups. But once I moved here after graduation, I started seeing the same decline I’d seen up north.”
The Pernas settled in Melbourne Beach more than 20 years ago, and were saddened to watch the lagoon’s health deteriorate. Nichole, who built her career in environmental restoration, shared Erik’s determination to make a difference to help the lagoon. Together, they transformed their yard into a thriving native-plant haven and began helping neighbors and friends do the same.
What started as a personal project has since grown into a mission. For over a decade, Go Native has helped homeowners, businesses, and even municipalities across Brevard County design beautiful native landscapes that reduce runoff, support wildlife and local ecosystems, and thrive with far less water and maintenance.
How Go Native Helps the Lagoon
Go Native Landscaping & Design was built around a mission to restore ecological balance—one yard at a time.
Perna and his team specialize in Florida-native landscapes that thrive with minimal irrigation, no chemical fertilizers, and zero pesticides. These practices not only support pollinators and birds but also reduce the pollution that washes into storm drains and ultimately the Indian River Lagoon.
Their work also challenges two big misconceptions about native yards:
✅ They look “weedy.”
✅ They are more expensive than conventional landscaping.
“Native landscaping often gets a bad rap because people imagine it looking messy,” says Perna. “A lot of people want to do what’s best for the lagoon and nature, but they also want a clean look. With thoughtful design, you can achieve both with natives—and it often costs less over time than traditional sod.”
By installing drip irrigation systems that deliver water straight to each plant, Go Native prevents overwatering, limits weeds, and lowers overall costs. Carefully chosen native groundcovers and flowering plants—like pink muhly grass, cocoplum, dune sunflower, and spiderwort—add beauty and variety while also improving soil health, reducing erosion, and creating food and shelter for pollinators.
“Once a native yard is established, it requires far less money and upkeep than a sod lawn,” Perna says. “Plus, we’re saving water, reducing runoff, and conserving energy.”
The business also advocates for better landscaping policies in Brevard County. As Perna puts it:
“Across Florida and the U.S., native species are disappearing fast. Healthy ecosystems that give us clean air and water are being replaced by high-maintenance lawns that require constant water and harmful chemicals. We can do better. If even 30% of new developments used native plants, we’d see huge improvements in lagoon health and more habitat for wildlife.”
Why Native Landscaping Matters
🌼 Native plants = cleaner lagoon
💧 Require less fertilizer and irrigation
🦋 Sustains pollinators and native wildlife
🌱 Reduce stormwater runoff and improve soil health
Native Florida plants and trees offer a kaleidoscope of options for landscapers and homeowners alike.
- Flowers come in all colors, from bright yellow dune sunflowers to eye-popping purple spiderworts
- Grasses like pink muhly grass create dramatic texture and seasonal beauty
- Shrubs like cocoplum even produce edible fruits
- Native species are adapted to Florida’s heat, humidity, and sandy soil—making them naturally resilient and low maintenance
With the right design, native landscaping is not only functional—it’s stunning.
“People are surprised how beautiful native plants can be,” says Perna. “They’re good for the lagoon, good for wildlife, and good for your wallet.”
Giving Back
Erik and Nichole Perna don’t just talk the talk—they donate their time, energy, and expertise to help educate the community and support lagoon restoration. They have helped local communities design and install over a dozen native gardens, and educated hundreds of people on the importance of going native.
In July 2024, the Lagoon Loyal program launched the Lagoon Loyal Neighborhood Competition, a month-long effort to encourage pollution-reducing actions across Brevard County.
Competition Highlights:
- 58 neighborhoods participated
- 320 individual Lagoon Loyal actions were reported
- 3 top neighborhoods were awarded community gardens
The Indian River City neighborhood in Titusville earned the most points for their city—winning a native pollinator garden as their prize.
Erik and Nichole provided their expertise in species selection, design, and installation to create the library’s native garden from the ground up. Their work transformed the Titusville Public Library’s landscape into a vibrant, living classroom for pollinators and people alike.
“The Lagoon Loyal mission really aligns with what we’re trying to do,” says Erik. “We were excited to contribute.”
Business Impact
Go Native Landscaping & Design is helping redefine what “curb appeal” means in Florida—proving that lagoon-friendly design can be beautiful, affordable, and effective.
With a focus on:
- Low-maintenance native plantings
- Smart irrigation (drip systems)
- Habitat creation for birds, bees, and butterflies
- Lagoon-friendly materials and methods
…Go Native is inspiring both individual residents and local governments to rethink the way we shape our landscapes.
Community Vision
As a lifelong educator, Perna believes lasting change comes from building love for nature early—and sharing that passion.
“You could take fifty students, and it’s likely that thirty-five of them have never even been out in the woods,” he said. “They’ve never even had the chance to fall in love with nature, and if you don’t love something, you won’t feel the need to protect it.”
In a community focused on sea turtles, dolphins, and manatees, Perna reminds us that the little things—pollinators, microorganisms, native plants—form the base of the food web that supports everything.
“It’s all connected. It’s my goal to help people feel that.”
Join the Movement
Go Native is proud to be part of a growing community of lagoon-friendly stewards and mentors.
“With all these new developments going in, now’s the time,” says Perna. “This can be a lucrative business and a legacy for the lagoon.”
Learn More & Get In Touch
Contact Go Native Landscaping & Design
📞 321-795-3111
📧GoNativeLandscaping@icloud.com
