[Westie]

We are building in TV and have been riding around looking at the wonderful landscaping evident all over TV. Stone, wood mulch, amazing plants; we need some info; what are the rules? What grows best? What approvals are needed? Notify neighbors? We want to be good citizens with a beautiful yard. Thanks!

[villagetinker]

Basically, anything you do outside you need ARC approval. While they do not approve the plants, they approve the layout of the landscaping. If you do a search on this site you will find many very good landscapers. 3 of my neighbors used Next Dimension Landscaping, and I and my neighbors have benefitted from some very attractive results. As you drive around take pictures of items that you really like for discussion with the landscapers, as well as any concerns about maintenance, etc.
The basic process: You contact ARC, VCDD Architectural Review and get a form where you will sketch out what you plan on doing. Review usually takes around 1 week and costs nothing. Use this form to discuss any final plans with the landscaper. I strongly suggest that you get the ARC approval as I relied on a contractor to do this once, and the paperwork 'disappeared' and I had to get approval retroactively fortunately what was done was acceptable.
Be very cautious about any contractor demanding payment up front, have a clear understanding of payment schedule, the exact work to be done, warranties, and hold final payment until work is complete, AND you get a form indicating all liens have been released.
The master Gardener program can also be a very useful resource in getting information on the most appropriate plants and trees. Be cautious about palms, some are not suited well for this area, but are sold because they are cheap.
Hope this helps.

[RErmer]

Check out the government website (districtgov.org) & check under community standards for the rules/deed restrictions. Some people ove them, some people hate them; by buying here you agreed to them. We just removed a tree and went before the ARC to get approval, found them to be very reasonable.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Basically, anything you do outside you need ARC approval. While they do not approve the plants, they approve the layout of the landscaping. If you do a search on this site you will find many very good landscapers. 3 of my neighbors used Next Dimension Landscaping, and I and my neighbors have benefitted from some very attractive results. As you drive around take pictures of items that you really like for discussion with the landscapers, as well as any concerns about maintenance, etc.
The basic process: You contact ARC, VCDD Architectural Review and get a form where you will sketch out what you plan on doing. Review usually takes around 1 week and costs nothing. Use this form to discuss any final plans with the landscaper. I strongly suggest that you get the ARC approval as I relied on a contractor to do this once, and the paperwork 'disappeared' and I had to get approval retroactively fortunately what was done was acceptable.
Be very cautious about any contractor demanding payment up front, have a clear understanding of payment schedule, the exact work to be done, warranties, and hold final payment until work is complete, AND you get a form indicating all liens have been released.
The master Gardener program can also be a very useful resource in getting information on the most appropriate plants and trees. Be cautious about palms, some are not suited well for this area, but are sold because they are cheap.
Hope this helps.

thank u

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Westie

We are building in TV and have been riding around looking at the wonderful landscaping evident all over TV. Stone, wood mulch, amazing plants; we need some info; what are the rules? What grows best? What approvals are needed? Notify neighbors? We want to be good citizens with a beautiful yard. Thanks!

Many residents move to Florida from up north and must have palm trees.
After you've lived here a while, you find that you want shade trees, particularly on the west and south side of your house.
Be aware that rats love and live in the canopy of palms. And yes -- there are rats here.

I can recommend Sabrina McGowan of S. McGowan Landscapers -- (352) 274-4189.
She is an architect and landscape designer which most of the others are not.
When approved by you, I believe she submits the plan to Architectural Review (ARC) herself (ask her).

My recommendation is not based on personal experience.
However, I have seen much of her work and her ideas are not like anyone else's.
She has a flair for creating an interesting design -- interesting and different from most of the others.
If I was to redo our landscaping, she would be the first and only person I would use.

I would never use Mansfield.
Besides being arrogant (I speak from personal experience), almost all his things look the same.

Since you are building, take your home with no plantings or trees (and ask for the credit!), and get together with her well beforehand.
The day of closing she can start landscaping your property if you are ready.

Whatever you do, I hope you are happy with your results.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

Many residents move to Florida from up north and must have palm trees.
After you've lived here a while, you find that you want shade trees, particularly on the west and south side of your house.
Be aware that rats love and live in the canopy of palms. And yes -- there are rats here.

I can recommend Sabrina McGowan of S. McGowan Landscapers -- (352) 274-4189.
She is an architect and landscape designer which most of the others are not.
When approved by you, I believe she submits the plan to Architectural Review (ARC) herself (ask her).

My recommendation is not based on personal experience.
However, I have seen much of her work and her ideas are not like anyone else's.
She has a flair for creating an interesting design -- interesting and different from most of the others.
If I was to redo our landscaping, she would be the first and only person I would use.

I would never use Mansfield.
Besides being arrogant (I speak from personal experience), almost all his things look the same.

Since you are building, take your home with no plantings or trees (and ask for the credit!), and get together with her well beforehand.
The day of closing she can start landscaping your property if you are ready.

Whatever you do, I hope you are happy with your results.

Pretty sure she is NOT and never been a licensed landscape arch. there are several 'self proclaimed' designers with 'learn as you go' educations. Only one landscaper in TV with hardscape credentials I know of and a college level horticulture and design education.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

Pretty sure she is NOT and never been a licensed landscape arch. there are several 'self proclaimed' designers with 'learn as you go' educations. Only one landscaper in TV with hardscape credentials I know of and a college level horticulture and design education.

I cannot personally verify whether or not Sabrina McGowan is a licensed landscape architect, however, your "pretty sure" indicates that you don't really know either. So why the comment? I only stated that stemming from what I've read and what I've heard.

However, landscape architect or not, I have seen her work and it far surpasses most of the other "stuff" I've seen.

[CFrance]

Ozello, what is the name of the person with the college level horticultural design education?

I recommend being very careful not to overplant. Stuff grows like crazy down here, and in a year's time what looked attractive at planting time can look like a jungle. It's easier to add than it is to subtract.

[NotGolfer]

Having lived here now a good while I've observed "over-planting" and it looks hideous after a short while due to how quickly things grow here. That happens up north though, too. We've always tried to be of the "school" of less is more with landscaping until you've lived with the "look" for awhile. As another poster stated...you can always add.

As an aside to this...saw someone off from Stillwater who had put some expense and effort into an arbor swing in their front yard. It wasn't long though that it was gone. I would bet they hadn't contacted ARC first so it's always best to go that route!!

[vintageogauge]

drive through some of the older villages such as Caroline and others that are 10 years old or so to see how thick and overgrown some of the home fronts are. Somewhere in there I saw 2 huge trees that were given a crew cut and they look like huge upside down gumdrops. I agree to take it easy and maintain fewer pieces.

[JoMar]

I also suggest that when you see something you like go knock on that persons door and ask who did it and why they were satisfied. Most people are proud that their work has garnered that attention and are willing to share information. We all have our favorite landscapers (ours is Jireh) and believe nobody does it better so I think it's best to talk to various owners and learn. When we moved here we took rides in our golf cart with camera in hand and looked in the old neighborhoods to see growth and the new neighborhoods. We knocked on a lot of doors. All the previous posters advice is solid when it comes to the process.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

I cannot personally verify whether or not Sabrina McGowan is a licensed landscape architect, however, your "pretty sure" indicates that you don't really know either. So why the comment? I only stated that stemming from what I've read and what I've heard.

However, landscape architect or not, I have seen her work and it far surpasses most of the other "stuff" I've seen.

I agree, she is better than most of the self proclaimed designers around here. As far as why would I comment? I have never heard her make that claim, and there is no licensed Landscape Arch in the area ..as far as I know.
Most of the landscapers don't even have the FL Lic required to broker the plants and trees they are planting. A handful do. And only Escapes has FL certification in concrete structures and soil inspection... as far as I know. lol