[Carl in Tampa]

Returning to the OP question about native, drought resistant plants for landscaping, the web sites of the various Florida universities are great places to get information.

The sad fact is that many of the available plants look very much like weeds to people who move here from other areas, and who are accustomed to very formal landscaping.

However, with a little imagination, a lot can be accomplished. In my back yard in Tampa, I placed a couple of very dense plantings to provide places of concealment for birds who were awaiting opportunities to visit one of my bird feeders.

You can also have large expanses of mulch to lower the amount of turf grass in your lawn that requires watering. Just make them attractive and fitting the landscape.

Read a lot of suggestions before you decide what to do.