[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

I always find lots of inspiration on the internet.

Houzz is a good site, as is Better Homes and Gardens (Landscape).
I bet Pinterest and HGTV have garden inspiration as well.
Stumbleupon is another treasure trove.

Or, just google 'tropical landscape ideas' or "Central Florida landscape ideas"
and explore those photos.

Once you gather photos, you can then investigate the care, sizes, needs and seasonal info about the plants that appeal to you and begin from there. (We are in the hardiness zone 9 or 9a, depending on who you ask. That will be important in your selections.)

There are lots of specialty magazines and garden inspiration books out there too, from English Gardens to Zen Gardens and everything in between.
Make it a fun adventure!

We also took our camera and golf car-ed around TV, taking pics of things that held appeal, or lots that were similar sized/shaped to ours. It gave us a good visual to see mature specimens- unique combinations and to see how various plants looked in different seasons.

P.S. it is correct, that unless you live in a CYV, you must keep a certain percentage of grass.

I LOVE your gardening posts. You have great ideas and style. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.