Flowers in common areas
 

Did anyone else notice that the flowers in the common areas are especially pretty this season? Even the purple in the decorative cabbage is more vibrant.

And the people more dear and interesting? And the place even more spotless? And the sky more blue?

I hope it's not that chip in my neck.

It does look nice but I have wondered why they plant annuals that die and need replacing rather than those that will come up every year or low growing flowering plants that do not need to be replanted again and again. I would think labor wise it would cost more. Some of the yards that are really beautiful have low flowering plants that seem to be perennials. Mexican sage and cornflowers come to mind. Can you tell I am not a gardener.

They may do it because I LOVE it and perhaps a few more too, and I hope as long as I live here it will never change.

I notice and I just adore it. It is a feast for the eyes and so incredibly lovely.

It's nice to see the changes. It gives The Villages a special feel.

I like it too. The colors change, and everything looks fresh and new.

It's true annuals live a short life, but they have such intense colors and that is why they look so good in the flower beds. As a gardener I find it amusing that people think I am slaving in the garden when I am having a wonderful time! I see people walking dogs all day and night, seven days a week, or the fast walkers, or the golf carts shooting by on their way to walk over the hills chasing this little white ball, and for some reason they feel sorry for me out having fun in my garden. It is a mystery to me why people don't see the beauty in tending a garden plot in the sun. It warms your heart and puts you in touch with the earth, the flowers, the bees, and all that. Forget the cost, beauty is worth it all. The prettiest yards have annuals, perennials, shrubs, tress, etc.. They all look good, but only annuals give you that intense shot of color. Let them be.

Some people complain about the flowers being changed. The cost per house for this bit of beauty is only $11.00 a yr. per house.
Thank you Villages.

2NewYorkers is right. They are even prettier than these.
 

I see the added cost of replacing the flowers as one more sign of generosity toward our community, by the developers. This is one of many things they've done to add value and beauty where others would go cheap.

I hope we don't ever get bean counting cheapskates running the CDD's, who want to just plant cactus and do nothing in these flower beds again.

Be careful what you wish for. Most bean counters I've known have NO aesthetic sense.

That. Was the fall planting! Anybody got a shot of the winter babies?
The cabbages are especially perfect!

Frankly NO! All I see is the ugly AED Box that was put in the middle of a common area. Cannot believe Public Safety folks can be so dumb to allow those things to be placed in the middle of a common area cul-de sac that would otherwise be quite aesthetically pleasing!

????? There aren't any AED boxes in any common areas I have seen. They are all in someone's yard in every village I know who has them..

Flowers in common areas
 

GG - I've seen a couple of AEDs in the islands in the center of neighborhood cul de sacs. You may recall that one was stolen about a month ago.

Think of it as a public utility type structure placed there for the safety of the population. Same as street lights and fire hydrants. If it's likely to save someone's life, good to have it wherever it's convenient. There are other structures in the common areas too.

Yea, we go a lot of dumb people running this place..................

Cabbages, pansies and snaps.....gorgeous
 

I'm sure we all passionately hope that The Villages After Build Out will be just as pretty and pristine as it is now.

The Morse family has stated publicly, they will be here, in "perpetuity". The children of Gary Morse have planned to let their children, to take over the operation.

IMHO - It means that all current villagers will be gone from the earth, so there is nothing to worry about. I also think they are an outstanding moral family, that believes in "dong the right thing".

I am amazed at how pristine and clean, they keep TV, and it's landscaping.

BTW - I am not related to the Morse family and I don't work for them.

I love the flowers and want to re-create them around my lamp post. Does anyone know what the varieties are? I am not a gardner, duh.

Some of the flowers are snapdragons, petunias, pansies, and violas. The snapdragons seem especially effective this year. Mixing purple with pink can give you good contrast. Other colors give interest as well. Make sure to add some garden soil mix with some peat moss in it and then add some composted manure to the soil mix and prepare the area by digging in these amendments thoroughly before planting the flowers. (Don't use potting soil mixes and no mixes with fertilizer added as this often is too much fertilizer if you prepare the area properly with a 2-3 inch depth of amendments added to the soil before digging it in.) Then add a slow release, granular fertilizer like Osmocote to the soil or wait two weeks after planting to use a liquid fertilizer like Miracle Gro. You need to reapply liguid fertilizer every two weeks or so. (Check the label) Then go out every week or so and dead head the old flowers. Keep the area moist, especially in the the first couple of weeks. You should have a great display of flowers in no time. Don't skip the soil preparation step as that is the key to success in Florida's poor soils.

What I really want to know is the count of the number of flowerbeds that are replanted each season. Anybody know?