Courtyard Villa “alley” ideas

[Mamaderby]

Looking for creative ideas for “the alley” beside a courtyard villa. What have you done? Share pictures please.

[Topspinmo]

???? Alley, equals space, space valuable commodity here in the Villages.

[cypress]

Please respect your neighbors house by remembering not to let bushes and other things contact their house.

[bilcon]

Be careful what you show you did to your yard. The Trools might see it and report you.

[BRN_RI_FL]

A lap pool?

[Ecuadog]

A lap dance?

[Mamaderby]

Looking for those creative people out there....

[jane032657]

Since no one is answering you, you might go to
The Villages - Florida's Friendliest Active Adult 55+ Retirement Community (https://www.thevillages.com) and look up courtyard villas for sale and scroll through the pictures. Most usually show pics of the side alley you are referring to.

[junction29]

Looking for creative ideas for “the alley” beside a courtyard villa. What have you done? Share pictures please.

Don’t worry 👍👍
We are over for a couple of weeks next weekend and will pop over, look at the new house and design a few spectacular features
How’s that!
Andy & Wendy xx

[rustyp]

76648

Paint doorways on the walls. Plant some clinging vines. Paint fake bricks on the concrete. Decorate your backyard space as a cafe.

[BRN_RI_FL]

A bowling alley?

[Kerry Azz]

A putting green is what my neighbor is doing🏌️🏌️

[Bonnevie]

this is why I seldom read anything here except classifieds. I thought this would be interesting yet there are two pages of replies and only one at all helpful--suggesting to look at photos of resales. the op was asking for creative ideas, if you don't have one, don't reply. and yes, I have just contributed to non-reply reply...but it just gets so annoying when someone asks for help and they get extraneous, non-contributory responses.

[champion6]

I have a friend that painted the concrete walkway and created a shuffleboard court.

[BRN_RI_FL]

If you go into The Villages sales website and choose preowned courtyard villas you’ll see quite a few for sale. Look at the pictures for each sale and you might get a good idea for decorating the alley. I’ve attached one pic that looks pretty nice.

[BRN_RI_FL]

Our neighbor whose house is now for sale put in a waterfall at the end of her corner lot alley.

[spring_chicken]

:bigbow:
Unfortunately, most here aren't near as funny as they think they are.

this is why I seldom read anything here except classifieds. I thought this would be interesting yet there are two pages of replies and only one at all helpful--suggesting to look at photos of resales. the op was asking for creative ideas, if you don't have one, don't reply. and yes, I have just contributed to non-reply reply...but it just gets so annoying when someone asks for help and they get extraneous, non-contributory responses.

[eweissenbach]

Our neighbor whose house is now for sale put in a waterfall at the end of her corner lot alley.

I like that a LOT, would like to put something like that in my corner, however the alley they are referring to is the area from the access gate to the back of the villa. The putting green is an intriguing idea.

[lorilorilori]

above ground pool or swim spa

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

this is why I seldom read anything here except classifieds. I thought this would be interesting yet there are two pages of replies and only one at all helpful--suggesting to look at photos of resales. the op was asking for creative ideas, if you don't have one, don't reply. and yes, I have just contributed to non-reply reply...but it just gets so annoying when someone asks for help and they get extraneous, non-contributory responses.

Thank you, this is my frustration when trying to find help as someone who is planning on buying in TV and moving there, probably in less than a year.

To the OP - if your alley gets sun for at least half of the day, you might consider a narrow strip closest to your home converted into an aromatic herb garden. I don't know which herbs grow as perennials in Florida. My herb garden is along the side of our garage here in CT. It's only 3 feet out from the garage wall, and runs around 10 feet in length. There's still plenty of room for the sidewalk to the back yard.

I grow 3 varieties of oregano, lavendin, english lavender, winter savory, 3 different types of mint plus catnip, echinacea, and dew herb and lemon balm, which the squirrels planted a few years ago. I also planted a few asiatic lilies my first year living in this house, and they add a taller touch of color to the back of the garden.

It's zero maintenance. I don't water it, fertilize it, feed it, nurture it. I weed it occasionally, and harvest the oregano and savory for use in cooking. It is contained with small pavers, so it doesn't spread beyond the perimeters I set for it.

[Mamaderby]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Mamaderby]

To those who gave actual suggestions......thanks! Keep the suggestions coming! Some intriguing thoughts there! As for Wendy and Andy...cant wait to see you both!

[Mamaderby]

Kind of all three. We have walls on both sides and open up to a golf course view.
Been thinking about a variety of tall pots and various succulent plants

[teamC]

Hi, We are just now starting work on our CV "alley" so I will share some of what we learned: I can tell you that the SUN & ARC committee determines what you can do. re SUN: We have alot of sun and we wanted to create a tropical courtyard. Turns out most smaller palms need some shade (who knew?). The Village Palms told us we could get some shade if we put 2 queen palms there.We put out an umbrella to test where shade would fall during the day and it turns out that our property's orientation to the sun means no tree planted on the side would shade the side (It would shade neighbor's house).Also visit the Fla extension office-they vetoed any palm being planted btwn 2 villas since palms spread roots near surface for water. re ARC: If you are adding concrete or an awning, or a pergola you must go to ARC for approval. Also CVs are only permitted ONE awning or pergola per property (they consider them the same) so choose wisely. Misc: Massey pest control advises against planting next to house. We are getting a huge ceramic pot with a palm in it and centering it across from dining sliders with hibiscus on either side and some uplighting and spotlights, and adding "spitters" to our irrigation system to water the 6 raised planters we will have. I will try to send you an update after the work is complete. Good luck with your project.

[OCsun]

Team C, That sounds lovely! I can't wait to see some pictures.

[BK001]

this is why I seldom read anything here except classifieds. I thought this would be interesting yet there are two pages of replies and only one at all helpful--suggesting to look at photos of resales. the op was asking for creative ideas, if you don't have one, don't reply. and yes, I have just contributed to non-reply reply...but it just gets so annoying when someone asks for help and they get extraneous, non-contributory responses.

Yes, I understand how frustrating it can be when one needs a specific answer. Yet I find TOTV is so much richer than simply a classifieds, d-i-y, or How to/Who to forum such as Craigs’ or Angies’ list.

The first year in TV, I went to TOTV for the “who do I use” or “where do I buy” type referrals. The second year, many of my searches were for medical advice/referrals. I found TOTV invaluable for this. But if these were the only reasons for TOTV, I would probably never log in unless I had a specific question or I was looking for a specific product in the classifieds.

Some days I read every post. Today I read “Courtyard Villa “alley” ideas even though I have neither a Courtyard Villa nor an alley. Sometimes I learn something; sometimes not. I do find, however, the biggest benefit of TOTV is the sense of community that it fosters. I very much enjoy when, a member who is unable to provide a helpful response, uses humor or even sarcasm to break up what otherwise may be a dry and boring thread. I don’t like when posters are mean or disrespectful towards each other.

I love that although I have not met them, I’ve learned quite a bit about on an ever growing list of members – such as Nucky, Graciegirl, VillageTinker, Taltarzac, Barefoot, CFrance, ColdNoMore, DewWilson58, Ecuadog, KathieI, Chachacha, Redwitch, Chatbrat, 12ridehd, Blessed2BNTV, eweissenbach, Madelaine Amee, twoplanekid, larbud (and many I’ve left out) to name a few. It’s why I cried when Bonnie passed on, even though I had neither met nor communicated with her.

Consequently, for me, none of the responses are “extraneous, non-contributory” even those posts that occasionally have me scratching my head.

[BK001]

76648

Paint doorways on the walls. Plant some clinging vines. Paint fake bricks on the concrete. Decorate your backyard space as a cafe.

Just to get back on track -- I love this idea. I've seen variations of it in an Italian restaurant in NY where they had windows on the walls and made it feel as if the dining was "al fresco".

I think this approach if done well, could be lovely.

Here are some very interesting approaches for long, narrow outdoor spaces:

18 Clever Design Ideas for Narrow and Long Outdoor Spaces - Amazing DIY, Interior & Home Design (http://www.woohome.com/garden-2/18-clever-design-ideas-for-narrow-and-long-outdoor-spaces)

There are lots of ideas and pictures if you google.

[perrjojo]

One of our neighbors has a shuffleboard court painted on the pavement in this area.

[Mamaderby]

Thanks!!!!