We have nearly two months to go before the end of the Atlantic hurricane season. And something you might have left off your storm-prep checklist is to take a close look at your front- or back-yard.

Laura Sanagorski's slide show includes a list of trees and shrubs that resist decay and recover well from wind damage. Sanagorski is a horticulturist for the University of Florida. And In the auditorium of Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach, she's instructing professional landscapers and ordinary green-thumbs on what to do before a major storm approaches.

The class is part of a series of workshops offered jointly by U.F and Palm Beach County. Arborists say the right tree planted in the right place can stay put during a hurricane instead of becoming a gigantic projectile.

39-year-old Brent Warner of West Palm Beach says he came to this class to learn how to protect his landscaping before the next storm hits.

"There's a lot of good information when it comes to how you trim the trees, trim palms and where you plant the new landscapes”, said Warner. “So . . . it's really helpful to see how that all goes together." 

Arborists say South Florida homeowners should always be on the look-out for drive-by landscapers offering to "hurricane-proof" their trees. Often, the damage they do is irreparable and actually weakens trees, making them an even greater hurricane hazard.