[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Another wonderful use for pesticides here is to kill Fire Ants. They look like innocent little ****ants and climb on your ankle while you are distracted and then the lead ant blows a whistle or exudes a signal and the little bastards all bite you at once and the sting hurts and stings for a couple of weeks. Almost everyone changes their mind about pesticides after a run in with Fire Ants. Almost no one defends them with the "they were here before we were" defense.

Sometimes Greenies are helpful and sometimes they are unrealistic. Try to cut the use of one use plastics, and reuse, recycle and repurpose and don't feed the alligators or the birds. Palm trees also attract Palm Rats. They get into your attic and raise families and their urine is very strong.

fire ant stings - Bing images

Totally agree, I was on my hands and knees pulling weeds a while back and I must have put my left hand in a fire ant zone. I got about 15 bites on my hand and wrist that were extremely painful and lasted almost two weeks. I could barely grip a golf club the first week! I will now never hesitate to take any necessary measure to kill those little bastards.

[BostonRich]

There are great alternatives if you can use them:

Herniaria Glabra Green Carpet Ground Cover Seeds - Rupturewort

[TomOB]

How much water does Nestle's take?

[ColdNoMore]

Would you get rid of your lawn if it was allowed?

In a heartbeat.

[tibbetts]

Set up a standard for no grass lawns and get rid of them, You have to remember that every drop of water that goes on a lawn, you pay more for the sewer than the water. Get rid of it, save money and if you want Grass. keep yours and I'll get ride of mine.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by tibbetts

Set up a standard for no grass lawns and get rid of them, You have to remember that every drop of water that goes on a lawn, you pay more for the sewer than the water. Get rid of it, save money and if you want Grass. keep yours and I'll get ride of mine.

I am so pleased that you do not have the majority opinion. In order to have drinkable water you must boil sea water and capture the vapor. OR let the earth do it, it recycles water all the time through rains and evaporation.

If a person does not wish to live in a neighborhood with cut green lawns then they can choose to do so. It is $150 a month cheaper to live outside The Villages. I am not ashamed to say that I very much enjoy our watered and cut lawn and our planted flowers and bushes and are not ashamed of using insecticides. These waves of opinion on what is right or wrong go to far sometimes.

[Topspinmo]

Majority of water waste ruins down the storm drain due over watering, sprinklers not adjusted right watering street or driveways and watering too much. If you see water running down the street drain for 15 or 20 mins. Of you’re 40 to 45 minutes over watering each station then you’re wasting water 💧. See it all the time 3/4 of water run off and going down the drain especially in CYV that has rock yards with few shrubs.

[Number 10 GI]

If you want to see Florida "natural" yards, drive on Warm Springs Ave and check out the homes on the south side of the road west of the entrance to McClure Village. One place has it's own antique (junk) collection, glad I'm not his neighbor. There are some on the north side of the road that are quite interesting with their natural Florida flora. As they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but in my eyes those places look nasty and reflect the lack of the owner's pride in their home.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

If you want to see Florida "natural" yards, drive on Warm Springs Ave and check out the homes on the south side of the road west of the entrance to McClure Village. One place has it's own antique (junk) collection, glad I'm not his neighbor. There are some on the north side of the road that are quite interesting with their natural Florida flora. As they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but in my eyes those places look nasty and reflect the lack of the owner's pride in their home.

Naturalistic gardens are not unkempt. What you're looking at are yards of people who don't give a damn about what their property looks like.

You can have a beautifully well-maintained, tidy landscaped property without a lawn, and many people do. A google search will provide you with hundreds of thousands of photos showing you exactly that.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Naturalistic gardens are not unkempt. What you're looking at are yards of people who don't give a damn about what their property looks like.

You can have a beautifully well-maintained, tidy landscaped property without a lawn, and many people do. A google search will provide you with hundreds of thousands of photos showing you exactly that.

Most people here, I would guess more than 90%, do not like that style. They like grass that is well kept and bushes that are well kept. Most residents are older, and used to the time when people took great pride in their homes and yards. They don't like wild flowers growing here and there and they really don't like railroad ties unless they are carefully placed as beds. Most don't even like to see a car in the driveway or a carport with a bike and a couple of golf carts unless they are precisely parked.

[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Naturalistic gardens are not unkempt. What you're looking at are yards of people who don't give a damn about what their property looks like.

You can have a beautifully well-maintained, tidy landscaped property without a lawn, and many people do. A google search will provide you with hundreds of thousands of photos showing you exactly that.

Your "naturalistic garden" isn't natural then.

[JimJohnson]

No offense meant, but if a nice lawn is more important than the benefit of all, I find you guilty of selfishness. We have seen water rationing in The Villages several times during our life here. That alone is an indicator of a problem with water in our area. Water to many of us is a way to show off, but water to many less fortunate is a source of survival. I am in for an Arizona style rock yard if that will help.

[JimJohnson]

After looking back at previous posts, I feel the need to add a comment. I am older, I love a golf course lawn with flowering bushes etc, BUT, I also accept the fact that I am not the only one living in Florida that needs fresh water. If changing my yard from plush green to desert sand will help the greater population, count me in. I am thankful that I am wealthy enough to water a yard during a drought, but I am also kind enough to understand that what is best for all is far more important. Please think of others first.

[Velvet]

I like the look of manicured lawns but it’s difficult with our grass in Florida. I also like well kept native plants and “natural” landscape. I am an unashamed admirer of beauty.
Rocks are easy to maintain (the lazy part of me seriously considered this) there are some lovely Zen meditation gardens in Japan. It is possible to achieve in TV but would probably look hot and arid and unnatural. Perhaps with a water element added it might look less artificial. Nothing replaces living things for me.

[valuemkt]

Original question .. Would I get rid of my lawn ? Hell no .. While I prefer Zoysia over St Augustine, my green lawn will accept all of our rain and absorb it into ground.. If you like brown, head west to Arizona where the brown landscape is butt ugly IMO.. and we get a bit too much rain for cacti here. Don;t need the earth science lesson or told my answer to a simple question is wrong. Would I ?? NO, thank you for asking.