[kittygilchrist]

Palms are beautiful. I'm from FL and there are enough already around that my eyes see them as "all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same"

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM]Malvina Reynolds - Little Boxes (Weeds Theme Song) Full Version with Lyrics - YouTube[/ame]

I'm waiting for a big idea how to landscape but I'm not coming up with anything but a feeling..
anybody know about xeriscaping with fruiting, floral, lush smallish trees and plants?
Know a company that does that?
And Can I do that in TV? Are there guidelines, or is there a wizard somewhere who makes it up when you bring Dorothy's broom?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM]Malvina Reynolds - Little Boxes (Weeds Theme Song) Full Version with Lyrics - YouTube[/ame]

[angiefox10]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist;738***

Palms are beautiful. I'm from FL and there are enough already around that my eyes see them as "all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same"

Malvina Reynolds - Little Boxes (Weeds Theme Song) Full Version with Lyrics - YouTube

I'm waiting for a big idea how to landscape but I'm not coming up with anything but a feeling..
anybody know about xeriscaping with fruiting, floral, lush smallish trees and plants?
Know a company that does that?
And Can I do that in TV? Are there guidelines, or is there a wizard somewhere who makes it up when you bring Dorothy's broom?

Malvina Reynolds - Little Boxes (Weeds Theme Song) Full Version with Lyrics - YouTube

I've read there are rules in The Villages as to how much grass you have to have in your yard in The Villages, making xeriscapingin it's truest form problematic.

I completely understand how you feel about palms... But for us from the Midwest... We LOVE them! They are new to us. Like the palms in Florida we have lived with shrubs and evergreens. I couldn't wait to get down here to plant palms. And for me... They all look different. So.... just bare with us while we plant our palms. Maybe in a few years will will grow tired of them and plant the shrubs again. Ha!


I have some friends in Laural Manor of Lake Sumter who have beautiful English Gardens.... Oh so beautiful. But I know they spend a lot of time to make them look like they just came up like that. I don't have the talent or time.

I would love to see pictures of your landscaping when you have completed it. I'm sure it will be beautiful!

[kittygilchrist]

thanks, English gardens..i'm googling..

[graciegirl]

To my untrained eye, there are lots of landscaping that isn't pretty. Some are over landscaped with too much curbing, some are skinned or scalped with nice sized plants removed that grow here comfortably, that are replaced by tiny ones that may not.

I think good landscaping is similar to good interior decorating with a color and size balance and repetition of color and shape. The rule of three is used and the triangular form. Some landscapes are more formal where the plants are cut to shapes and are balanced and some are more casual where plants and flowers appear to have just grown there, but if you look you will see light and dark greens and splashes of color that appear across the color wheel from each other such as yellow and violet, or the beautiful deep reds and greens seen now in the common areas. Both styles done well are breathtaking. There are a lot of landscapers who don't have a really good artistic sense in my opinion only. That and a dollar might buy you a candy bar.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

thanks, English gardens..i'm googling..

Kitty, drive around Harmeswood. There are some lovely spaces there. Also St. James Circle in Glenview. I think Angie meant Bridgeport at Lake Sumter...pretty stuff there too. Pretty stuff everywhere, especially in areas with more mature growth. There you can see some wonderful examples of privacy screening.

[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.

[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.

[laceylady]

Just FYI, I live in Sanibel, CDD District 9. I was also under the impression that 51% of the yard had to be grass, unless you had a CYV. I read the deed restrictions and they said that you could replace grass with anything that took less water. But here were no percentages mentioned. I called home warranty who either knows all the answers or knows the number of whom to call. The woman I spoke with also mentioned the 51% rule. She read the deed restrictions, called the AAC for District 9, who confirmed that there is no 51% rule in this district. Before I get to this point, I will speak directly with these people and get written approval, because I also am not impressed with Zoysia grass. The 51% rule does apply in other districts, just read your deed restrictions.

[Uptown Girl]

Lacey,
You may be happier with your Zoysia grass if you can convince your landscape maintenance guys not to cut it super short. 2-1/2" is a pretty good height to keep for most of the year. Cutting it once a week often takes off too much, especially if the growth is not active.
Often, I would have them edge weekly, but cut every other week.
Cut too short, it becomes stressed and bare ground is ripe for weeds to settle in.
Left a bit longer, it gets thick, and weed seeds do not find a place to nestle in.

I like the Southern Living (magazine) website. One of their writing staff is Steve Bender- aka The Grumpy Gardener. Take a peek, if you're interested and search for his article on Zoysia grass. I love this guy!

The only downside to Zoysia, in my opinion, is that it turns wheat-colored in winter dormancy. Otherwise, it can be quite a beautiful turf grass.

[laceylady]

I have them cut my grass to 2.5 inches. I have attended many Sumter Co. Gardening classes in the 8 months we were there. I think plants look much better than any kind of grass. If I am going to have grass, I want green grass not brown grass. I have lived in WA state for the past 35 years and am used to very green grass or no grass and lots of plants and trees.

[samhass]

Some of our palms are dying of butt rot. I have planted peaches, plum, avocado, pomegranate, pear, apple, lemons, honeybell ,naval orange, banana, fig, and more. We got a bumper crop of figs this year. I had lime , blood orange and ruby red grapefruit but they got frozen out.

[gomoho]

We have a neighbor that overseeds with I believe rye for the winter and his grass is beautiful during the cold months. Was interested to see what, if any, affect it would have on the lawn the following summer and saw no difference from anyone else's Zoysia. I have read not to do this, but wonder if he is onto something. Any thoughts?

I'm sure the lawn people would be against this since it would keep them mowing all year long.

[kittygilchrist]

Samhass, you have a huge lot? are you in the north? Was the freeze the year that most counties in FL had disaster declared? I would love to put in as much fruit as I can on my wee lot. or I could just come over and pick yours...what's your address? LOL.

[asianthree]

Do you spray the tree when freezing weather comes