UF/IFAS is the go-to source for Florida plants. There is also help with your local extension offices for the county in which you reside. (Most of Sumter County is in climate zone 9A.) FFL Plant

Thanks for your question! And all the great replies. I am in the same position and want some easy plants and these have been very helpful.
I’m part time too, and agree about the weeds. I pull some daily. I do have a person who weeds fit me when I’m not here.

Coonties are native to Florida, grow slowly, never need trimming and won’t grow so high that they cover your window.

I see you are from Michigan. We are ex-New Yorkers and pre-covid used to regularly attend the lectures put on by the cooperative extension. Best quote from one of the early lectures we attended was-first he asked how many of the people were northerners.
The punch line was forget everything you knew about gardening.
We bought our place new and it was builder landscaped. It was well done, proper plants chosen and each in the right place-except for one a bottle brush bush that was small when we purchased the house and is now way too large.
The soil in most of The Villages is sandy clay and it is loaded with limestone. Most is PH 7-8 alkaline. First thing you want to do is improve the soil by adding organic matter and it takes a lot.
People love to talk about their garden. I would suggest you drive around, not in the new sections but in the older sections and see a style you like. Ask about work to maintain.
Fruit-roses=WORK. People with a plant that died. There is a reason, water,sun, soil, climate. If, it died, you need to find the reason and solve it. Otherwise do not plant the same plant find one that will be happy where you want to stick it.

I haven't noticed any comments regarding COLD TOLERANCE. We do get some really cold days in the upper 20's almost every year. Unless you are willing to cover plants not rated for our zone which I believe is 9A you are going to get some die back or total loss of the plant. It seems that all the beautiful colorfull plants are likely to suffer from the cold spell. Check that out first.

I am also a snowbird and weeds will make you nuts. I have miniature bottle brush that I love. They do need full sun. Inside my fence I put down AstroTurf in one area with lawn decorations on top. No weeds grow! I also use lots of pots for seasonal flowers. Penta survive in heat and cold.

Perhaps this doesn’t pertain to you unless you have a pet, but if you have a dog or cat please be sure to check that what you plant is not toxic to your pets. There are a plethora of plants and flowers that are highly toxic to our 4-legged friends. Sego palms are highly lethal! Do your research before you plant.

Recently there was a report of someone with AstroTurf and they had to remove it. Apparently it causes a problem with drainage.

Some of my faves are definitely Petra Croton. Love the colors and they are quite hardy.

Thanks
 

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I have researched the plants that have been suggested and will be proceeding to buy and plant a few of them. You all have been very helpful.

:bigbow:

Indian Hawthorn and azaleas are small and good here. Also coonties are slow growing and very tropical looking Coontie Cycad - Gardening Solutions - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Please be assured that the foundation plantings, bushes and trees that come with new homes here in The Villages are selected for Florida climate and will live and grow. Many new home owners replace or add to landscaping not knowing how fast bushes grow here in Florida. Their next task in about four years is to have bushes removed because of size and crowding.

My favorite copper leafs, easy to maintain, easy to start, and easy to cut back. I have some yellow/green Crotons to off set the bright deep red copper leafs. But, if I was snowbird I just remove the dead bushes and wait till I was full time resident to plant more.