Guilty as charged. :)

Re: Cypress mulch & zoysia
 

I don't think you are correct on either of your points.

Cypress mulch is discouraged because it resulted in the destruction of cypress trees as to cost, it is actually less costly than pine needles.

As to zoysia vs St Augustine. Each has pluses and minuses cost is about the same per sq. foot.. The zoysia is a much finer bladed grass than is the St Augustine.

RE: saving $300 per house.
I tried to pay to have them add organic matter to the lime sand/clay we are attempting to grow our plants and lawns in-they refuse to do it.

Drove by this home today...tacky.

Doesn't dry grass burn just as easily as pine straw, or maybe even quicker given it doesn't hold moisture. I am in favor of Florida native plants versus $150/month water charges to keep the lawn green. I have reduced my grass by 50% with plants and pine mulch, in an effort to reduce our annual lawn cost for fertilizer, pest control, and mowing, which were over $2000 a year.
A balance between the two is needed, as well as a balance of ones opinions over another's. Both parties could have valid opinions, and in the free world are allowed to have equal say.

If pine straw is so ugly why does The Villages use it in all their landscaping?

Did you Know? This is important!!!
 

It's cheaper than any other ground cover and easy to apply. I don't think it's ugly.

How many square feet of grass did you have? $150/month for irrigation is an enormous amount of water - probably close to 40k gallons.

The lot size is over 10000 sq ft. That is the total water bill, which would include the house water.

Cypress- $20/CY covering about 150 Sq. Ft
Pine straw- $2.50/bale covering about 100Sq. Ft

Zoysia costs 'about the same' as St Aug. unless you multiply the difference per Sq. Ft. x 4000 SF per home x the homes being built. The difference is significant. The Villages is about making money, the changes were financial gains for TV.. NOT made to benefit buyers.

I hate it when the greenies try to change the beauty of this place.

We are part of what makes this place beautiful, and range from goofballs with a pick up truck and a slick sales pitch, to college educated horticulturists with engineering and utilities certifications from the State of FL. and 30 plus years of landscape design experience. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I almost think you are using 'greenie' as a derogatory term, but I myself have brought years of experience, education, and "Mama'd be proud" integrity to this group you call greenie. TYVM

:BigApplause:

Not to mention that water availability...is always an issue.

On the other hand, I heard that even the trees, grass and bushes...think the water tastes bad here. :1rotfl:

We have rock at our house in the beds around the house installed by a professional, it's hard to keep plants and trees and grass in the summer without having $100 plus water bill. However house down the street has a all stone, pine straw and cactus backyard, really not a fan of the look. But I am sure water bill is much less.

Centipede grass, would need no irrigation barring extreme drought, and no fertilizer.

Would take a long time to offset the cost of removal of original lawn and installation with just these 2 bills.... but It only needs mowed about ONE a YEAR.

I know had they given me the choice I would have paid the 20% more for the sod to upgrade Zoysia to Centipede.

5000 to remove and replace w centipede, I spend 1200 a year watering, 1000 for pests and fertilizer, 1200 mowing.. so in the black in 2 years with Centipede.

Mowing $1200.....wow.