Courtyard Villas With No Grass

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 01-08-2008, 11:34 PM
ditzyfitzy ditzyfitzy is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 183
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

Where will you Pom do her business? I say that we all change in the pokers for stones......and let them go on the stones. THEN, the builders will have a nice stinky mess on their hands.
Lynn
  #17  
Old 01-08-2008, 11:38 PM
ditzyfitzy ditzyfitzy is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 183
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

To LM01,

I don't want pre-owned....I want a NEW courtyard and I want some grass on it. I don't think we should let them dictate the way it is going to be---but, rather complain until they start making some of each. There are NO postives for me...
Lynn
  #18  
Old 01-08-2008, 11:45 PM
lm01 lm01 is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 157
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

ditzyfitzy You made me think of the good times growing up in Baltimore, there is nothing like looking out your door at dog poo #2. on the cement. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Besides Lynn I'm on your side here because I like grass.... but The Villages has there own way about how they do things and why they do them. You use to have choices but no longer in how the homes will be built. Yours and all other folks' options are now very limited.

Welcome to the Villages. Its still a great place to live. And I do mean that. It is a great place to live.
  #19  
Old 01-08-2008, 11:54 PM
punkpup's Avatar
punkpup punkpup is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Village of Marsh Bend, The Villages, FL; Oakland, CA; Boston, MA.
Posts: 423
Thanks: 25
Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

I find this whole issue of building the new Courtyard Villas without grass very disturbing. I for one really enjoy greenery. I mean it's not like the plots were all that big to begin with. I'm with ditzyfitzy.... I would much prefer new to pre-owned.
__________________
Newtown, PA; Poughkeepsie, NY; Danville, CA; Oakland, CA; Palm Desert, CA; San Francisco, CA; Key West, FL; Boston, MA; Future Villages Resident
  #20  
Old 01-09-2008, 12:28 AM
JohnN's Avatar
JohnN JohnN is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,639
Thanks: 6
Thanked 1,741 Times in 629 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

I prefer no grass, don't want to mow, don't want to water a lot, and will be traveling and snowbirding some,

to each his/her own, I'd say
  #21  
Old 01-09-2008, 04:50 AM
gfmucci's Avatar
gfmucci gfmucci is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hadley
Posts: 719
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

ditzy...

Roughly half of the back yard area is not concrete - half is organic mulch.* While it's not grass, it is still organic.* Shelby's (the Pom) "business" will not be done on the concrete, it will be done in the mulch, just as she would have done on the grass.* She knows better.* Don't most dogs prefer to go on grass or mulch rather than concrete? :dontknow:

And even if the entire back yard were grass, in a relatively small back yard as the courtyard villas have, Shelby would make sure we pick up her "business" periodically.* I don't know how they do things at Baltimore rowhouses, but Shelby has better manners than to leave her stuff around very long.* Fortunately, her "business" is about the size of that of a moderately-sized rat. ;D

I don't understand the reference to "the builders having a stinky mess on their hands." What does that have to do with the back yards of courtyard villas?
__________________
Brockton, MA 1946-49 * Fort Lauderdale 1950-66 * Northern Virginia (Army) 1967-69 * North Lauderdale 1970-72 * Coconut Creek 1973-87 * St. Louis 1988-89 # Northern Virginia (again) 1990-2000 * Destin, FL 2001-08 * The Villages - Amelia/Hadley
  #22  
Old 01-09-2008, 06:54 AM
Muncle's Avatar
Muncle Muncle is offline
Eternal Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Until noon, probably in bed.
Posts: 1,674
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

Quote:
Originally Posted by ditzyfitzy
To LM01,

I don't want pre-owned....I want a NEW courtyard and I want some grass on it. I don't think we should let them dictate the way it is going to be---but, rather complain until they start making some of each. There are NO postives for me...
Lynn
If that's the way you want it, may I suggest you buy the NEW courtyard that you want, get a jackhammer and take out the concrete, and either plan grass or lay sod. Compared to the cost of the house, it won't be that much. :yikes:
__________________
Kansas City, MO; Alamo & Albuquerque NM; Quad Cities; St Louis; DC ~ NOVA; Nuernberg; Heidelberg; DC ~ NOVA; Liberty Park ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends upon what you put into it.
~~~~~~
And it's Munc"L"e, not Munc"I"e
  #23  
Old 01-09-2008, 09:51 PM
ohiogolf ohiogolf is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Berea OH; Hadley Village
Posts: 223
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

we are renting but ready to buy a CV in Hadley and are absolutely thrilled that it has no grass so that our maintenance and water use are limited. we will be snowbirds and this is perfect for us. To each his own but for us this is a big plus selling point for new versus pre-owned.
  #24  
Old 01-09-2008, 10:22 PM
joe kaelin joe kaelin is offline
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 15
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

At the risk of starting yet another controversy, I am a Courtyard Villa owner who can't wait to get down there next week to make arrangements to have concrete poured in my rear yard. I haven't heard anyone talk about the fact that no one in Florida can sit, lie, or otherwise lounge about on their rear lawn, front lawn, or any other lawn, without fearing the fire ants, snakes, or other critters that you WILL encounter. I know, I know, some will say, "well you have to get Massey's or some other service to minimize that problem." Massey, Shmassey, I don't care what service you have, these critters don't go away for long, and you all know it. We love our home, but we also love to sit in, and otherwise utilize out yard. :joke:
  #25  
Old 01-09-2008, 10:56 PM
JohnN's Avatar
JohnN JohnN is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,639
Thanks: 6
Thanked 1,741 Times in 629 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

another thread here has a discussion on artificial grass, wonder if that deters critters
  #26  
Old 01-09-2008, 11:49 PM
Halle's Avatar
Halle Halle is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 712
Thanks: 2
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

Having lived in Florida for most of my life I feel qualified to address the concrete yards. The concrete will be incredibly hot in the summer so hot you will not be able to walk on in it in bare feet. It will also make the inside of your home much hotter. We had Kool decking around our pools and it was still hot. We were sure we wanted a Courtyard Villa until we saw all the concrete and lack of green. Also they were much too close to the neighbors for comfort and no parking. So we bought a Ranch and will deal with the fire ants and other critters. We were able to find a lot that backs up to a tract of undeveloped land that the Villages doesn't own and hopefully won't be developed since it is agricultural. A chance we were willing to take for the privacy and cooling effect of the large oaks. Of course right now the heat sounds good since we have had a foot of snow and it is still coming down.
Hope you find your Dream House there are plenty of options in The Villages.
__________________
My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.
  #27  
Old 01-10-2008, 01:04 AM
gfmucci's Avatar
gfmucci gfmucci is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hadley
Posts: 719
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

I've also lived in Florida roughly 45 years - south Florida and north Florida. If your yard is reasonably maintained, there is no issue with snakes or fire ants, unless you live in the woods. If you have mature landscaping with lots of bushes and "too thick" St. Augustine, after a number of years, you may attract an occasional critter. It is definitely an overstatement to say you can't use your yard because of snakes and fire ants, lawn or no lawn.

Insofar as heat generation from concrete is concerned, it is more related to the lightness or darkness of the surface than to material. Take beach sand for example. Beach sand on the east coast of Florida is relatively dark, it absorbs the heat and you can't walk on it without burning your feet in a summer mid-day. On the other hand, the sand along the west coast, especially along the panhandle in the Destin area is bright sugar white. At noon in mid-summer you can walk on it comfortably. It reflects instead of absorbs the heat.

So, to be able to comfortably walk on concrete, it would follow that a lighter color would be cooler. But the catch is that it also reflects more heat, possibly making the environment immediately around the house a bit warmer. Creating some shade is the remedy. My plan is to identify some small/medium sized trees and to be liberal with the planting around the perimeter of the back yard area. A lot of Queen Palms are used here. They provide some nice broken shade as they mature to 15' or taller. There are many other species that will provide some good shade when they are 5 to 10 years old. My motto at my age: plant no small trees; like Village Kahuna says: Avoid green banannas. I expect my backyard landscape budget to be $1,000 or more. Also, there are retractable awning systems, the one by Sunsetter comes to mind. I presume they would be permitted in the Courtyard Villas back yards
__________________
Brockton, MA 1946-49 * Fort Lauderdale 1950-66 * Northern Virginia (Army) 1967-69 * North Lauderdale 1970-72 * Coconut Creek 1973-87 * St. Louis 1988-89 # Northern Virginia (again) 1990-2000 * Destin, FL 2001-08 * The Villages - Amelia/Hadley
  #28  
Old 01-10-2008, 05:34 PM
JohnN's Avatar
JohnN JohnN is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,639
Thanks: 6
Thanked 1,741 Times in 629 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

awnings and shade sound the way to go
  #29  
Old 01-11-2008, 03:10 AM
RCT RCT is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 299
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via Yahoo to RCT
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnN
another thread here has a discussion on artificial grass, wonder if that deters critters
Would just attract those bothersome artificial critters, I'd think. :
__________________
No previous place matters anymore TV's Spanish Springs Villas 6.30.08
  #30  
Old 01-11-2008, 04:37 AM
The Great Fumar's Avatar
The Great Fumar The Great Fumar is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Chatham
Posts: 2,017
Thanks: 0
Thanked 8 Times in 6 Posts
Default Re: Courtyard Villas With No Grass

I had a courtyard villa when I first moved here four years ago....I took out the grass front & back and replaced it with stone (river rock) ....Planted three big palms and many hibisci bushes (for those of you south of 466 it means many hibiscus ).....placed a flagstone path and a water fountain and had our own little jungle......absolutely loved it . then fell in love with village lifestyle and decided to move here full time ...Well WE (notice I said we) decided we wanted a bigger house ...So we have a bigger house but I still miss the neat little jungle and privacy of our Courtyard Villa........

Missing my Villa Fumar
__________________
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be, Also
my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Closed Thread

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:00 PM.