Originally Posted by Pricey (Post 1904897)

One word: Bougainvilleas.
They have thorns, invade everything, and are impossible to remove unless they're dug up.
Word has it that the crown of thorns placed on the brow of Jesus Christ was the bougainvillea. I believe it.

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer (Post 1904950)

You nailed it. And if anyone says their magnolia is “dwarf,” we’re talking 40 feet. I think TV has stopped planting them (and others) in residential yards. Right plant, right place.

Like an up thread poster, I would not buy a home with a live oak.

Originally Posted by Cheese (Post 1905119)

Agave Cactus is another one that should be added to your list. They multiply, get big and some have sharp points. Also, if they should flower they die and a mess to get rid of.

Originally Posted by bobdeb (Post 1904808)

Just my opinion, however, I do have some experience with the following.

These are some things I highly recommend you Do Not plant in your yard in The Villages. Please add whatever else you feel is appropriate.

1. Live Oak. Well, you may not have a choice here as one may already exist on your property. I love oak trees, and the shade they offer is welcomed from the heat of the sun.

However, you be forever dealing with relentless and testy little leaves and acorns that are difficult to control and clean up. They will ruin your lawn.

Personally, I would resist buying a home that already had an oak tree in the yard. And your nearby neighbor's live oak tree will also add to your endless yardwork.

They grow slowly but will eventually become enormous and offer yet more leaves and acorns.

2. Magnolia trees. These also grow very large and add to your relentless yard work. The flowers are lovely but I'm not a big fan of the huge leaves.

3. Citrus trees. Don't do it. It's tempting I know. Citrus trees take more care than one might imagine. So many of these grow unattended. There may be exceptions with some folks but the fruit will be beyond your ability to process or give away. It will fall and rot and attrack rats. And, in turn, the rats will attract snakes. Fruit trees are especially problematic for snow birds to manage.

The upside is that many citrus trees are quite attractive and the scent of the blossoms is exquisite.

4. Palm trees. I have four sylvester (king) palms, one pindo and one European fan.

The king and queen palms will grow beyond your ability to prune yourself. You will have to hire a crew annually to do that for you. Also, all palms have incredibly nasty thorns. You could lose an eye if not careful. The immature leaves are sharp spikes. Queen palm pods are extremely heavy and they will fall. The fruit from the king palms is significant to clean up.

European fan palms are full of needle like black slivers.

Face it, these trees evolved to protect themselves. It's tempting but don't plant palm trees. You'll thank me some day.

5. Anything else with nasty thorns unless you want a barrier between your home and your neighbors.

Originally Posted by Maryland Girl (Post 1905355)

Petticoat palm trees. TV planted a line of them along the wall outside our property line and after every heavy rain or storm, our yard is full of their debris. I resent having to clean up after these trees that TV planted when they built the community. Some landscaper somewhere made this decision I am sure. They are ugly, too.

Originally Posted by Rosebud2020 (Post 1905370)

Originally Posted by John_W (Post 1905298)

Here's what landscaping can do for property. This is the home I sold in 2011 in the Baltimore suburbs to move to TV. I bought the home new in '98 and over the 13 years I bought some shrubs every spring when I bought new bags of mulch, and did all the landscaping myself. The tree in the middle was the only thing I saved from the original builder's landscaping.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a8&oe=60576354

Since I sold the home about ten years ago, it has been resold three times. The most recent seller posted this photo on zillow. They basically removed everything but the tree.

https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/7...1536_1152.webp

Originally Posted by Maryland Girl (Post 1905382)

You are so wrong so let me correct you. We bought our home NEW and TV planted the PETTICOAT palms when they built our house and community. We have watched these trees grow from small trees to very tall trees of about 35 ft. The squirrels love to jump from the wall into the trees and then chase each other jumping from one tree to another. I assure you, we are not imagining the long palm fronds and other debris that we pick up after heavy winds and/or storms. I DO resent, which is my prerogative, having to clean up this mess from trees not on our property. I don't have a 'yard man' but would be happy to have you come over. May I suggest you PM your name and phone number so, after the next storm, I can call you so you can come over and clean up. I'll leave the gate open. Thanking you in advance for knowing more about my situation than my husband or I do.

PS TV landscape workers told us that they are called PETTICOAT palms so if you don't want them called that, perhaps you should contact TV and register your complaint.

Originally Posted by Maryland Girl (Post 1905386)

John, are you by any chance from Harford County? We also moved here in 2011 and I remember seeing posts by you saying you were from Harford County. We still have family there. The past ten years (almost for us) have gone by so quickly.

Originally Posted by Maryland Girl (Post 1905382)

You are so wrong so let me correct you. We bought our home NEW and TV planted the PETTICOAT palms when they built our house and community. We have watched these trees grow from small trees to very tall trees of about 35 ft. The squirrels love to jump from the wall into the trees and then chase each other jumping from one tree to another. I assure you, we are not imagining the long palm fronds and other debris that we pick up after heavy winds and/or storms. I DO resent, which is my prerogative, having to clean up this mess from trees not on our property. I don't have a 'yard man' but would be happy to have you come over. May I suggest you PM your name and phone number so, after the next storm, I can call you so you can come over and clean up. I'll leave the gate open. Thanking you in advance for knowing more about my situation than my husband or I do.

PS TV landscape workers told us that they are called PETTICOAT palms so if you don't want them called that, perhaps you should contact TV and register your complaint.

Originally Posted by JerseyGurl (Post 1905099)

Hi all, new to FL and TV. So what would you suggest planting in a small area for privacy? The landscaper suggested 2 Bougainville. After reading your comments I told him definitely not. Thank you.

Originally Posted by John_W (Post 1905394)

Yes, we sold our home to the new Wegman's manager. They were a couple from NY, one managed Hunt Valley Wegmans and the other was assistant manager of the one that was still under construction in Abingdon at the time. I lived just about across the street from the new Wegmans, we were in Constant Friendship. When go west on 24 from I-95 toward Bel Air, they were the homes on the right that you would see the back of. We went back in 2013 on the Autotrain and we finally got to shop at the new Wegmans. I don't know if you can tell, but the cap in my avatar is a Ravens hat.

Originally Posted by Two Bills (Post 1905396)

To be honest, I would just throw all the rubbish back over the wall, and let TV maintainance clear up.
Their trees, their problem!