Marquette McManus

Raised in Pinellas County, Marquette was always drawn to the pockets of natural spaces our developed area has to offer. She spent her youth fascinated by the biodiversity of our local estuaries and hiking in her free time. While completing her A.S. in Environmental Science from St. Petersburg College, her passion for conservation became focused on Florida’s native plant species. In her search to find these plants locally, she found Wilcox Nursery and began working here in 2018.Her time at the nursery was crucial for gaining an understanding of how each plant functions, how pollinators use them, and how to incorporate them into any landscape. She became the nursery’s Production Manager in 2020, which gave her more hands-on experience in understanding how these plants work and how to properly maintain them. Marquette started her design company, Home Habitat, in 2022 with the mission of using this knowledge to help educate and inspire clients about their ability to make a change in their own backyard. She particularly enjoys designing pollinator gardens and wildflower meadows, as these projects not only enhance the environment but also connect clients to outdoor spaces. Additionally, Marquette finds satisfaction in a variety of projects, recognizing the importance of planting native species in every yard to promote biodiversity.