Verandah Wildlife
MARSH RABBITS If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of a small, dark rabbit along a pond, preserve edge, or drainage area in Verandah, you may have met one of our most elusive residents—the marsh rabbit. We have two types of rabbits in Verandah- the eastern cottontail and the marsh rabbit. Unlike the larger, familiar eastern […]
Pets of the Month
OLIVER MEET BEAUTIFUL SOPHIA AND HANDSOME OLIVER Sophia is an 11-year-old rescue from San Antonio. Her unique look warmed Erika’s and Brian’s hearts the moment they saw her. People would always ask “what kind of dog is she?” Her doggie DNA results labeled her a “mega mutt” which is a dog with such diverse genetic […]
The Florida Wildlife Corridor
VCA LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE SEMINAR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH This seminar is a presentation by the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. It will be held at the River House on Tuesday February 10th at 12:00 noon with a light lunch. Reservations will be handled through the Club’s system. Click to reserve your seat The Florida Wildlife Corridor Act […]
Living With Alligators in Verandah: Wonder, Respect, and a Healthy Dose of Caution
If you’ve walked along our boardwalks, ponds, or fairways in Verandah, you’ve likely noticed one of our iconic Florida residents—the American alligator. Sometimes they are floating like a dark log with only their eyes and nostrils showing. Other times they’re stretched out on the grassy banks, soaking up the sun. Living in Verandah means sharing […]
Pet of the Month
Glory Be and Goodness Gracious! Glory B, a 2 1/2-year-old Maltese, weighs in at a whopping 4.2 pounds. She may be the smallest dog in Verandah! Glory B loves her dad Mike, and Nancy plays second fiddle but Glory B manages to give lots of lap time to both! Glory has lots of toys and […]
Why Choose Native Plants?
What are native plants? Basically, they are plants that occur naturally in a particular region or eco-system. These hardy plants existed before European contact, thousands of years ago. Over time, they have evolved and adapted to Florida’s unique climate and soil conditions. Without them, many insects, birds and other wildlife that co-evolved with them cannot […]
A Guide to Verandah’s Native Birds
COMMON GALLINULE If you’ve walked or biked along Verandah’s ponds, or marsh edges lately, you may have noticed a striking bird slipping through the reeds. This bold little resident is the Common Gallinule, nicknamed the Marsh Hen. With its bright red facial shield, yellow-tipped bill, and long yellow legs, it adds a splash of color […]
Pet of the Month
It is unlikely that anyone living on Willow Ridge isn’t aware of Vinny. Vinny is a male tabby cat probably part Maine Coon since he weighs 22 pounds, has large paws and ear tufts. Vinny, the beloved cat of Kathy Caldwell and Brian Bobek, had a rough start to life. Vinny was left alone with […]
Verandah Community University Presents Paul Shannon, Verandah’s Apiarist
THE RIVER HOUSE 4-5:30 PM MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026 You may not know that Verandah has twelve beehives which produce our very own signature honey. Paul Shannon, our apiarist, has a twenty-year career in beekeeping, and what started out as a hobby became his passion. That passion encouraged him to start his own company, Strictly […]
Let’s Grow Verandah Gardening Series
There was a good turnout for the Landscape Committee’s sponsored presentation on Bromeliads. Matthew Bagley from Bonita Bromeliads Nursery led the presentation offering insights for selecting bromeliads for your garden. All bromeliads are New World plants, except for one found in Africa. They evolved from swamp plants in the age of dinosaurs. There are two […]