[Aces4]

Originally Posted by 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.

If we’re going to “think of others first”, you would need to get rid of all the golf courses here. Pickleball courts should probably be dismantled because they cause run off along with the golf cart paths and to save all our resources the rec centers should be torn down. Fact is there will be little to keep. Well, isn’t that a sad thought. But for the good of others...

[inda50]

I would like to have a choice, but in The Villages I do not.

[chrisinva]

Take a look here to reduce your lawn size and maybe, carefully, get rid of it - Villages chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.

Especially look at the Landscape tab and the Resources tab.

Home - TheVillages

[JimJohnson]

Originally Posted by chrisinva

Take a look here to reduce your lawn size and maybe, carefully, get rid of it - Villages chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.

Especially look at the Landscape tab and the Resources tab.

Home - TheVillages

Good info source, thank you.

[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by inda50

I would like to have a choice, but in The Villages I do not.

You do have a choice, you can choose to move to a community that meets your expectations.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by 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.

Rocks are not as easy as you think especially if you have bushes. Few years weeds will still pop up and If you have the ugly hollies those leaves are very had to kick up out of rocks. course most think there yard man got it easy because of the rocks. I hear blowers and suckers for hours trying to get leaves and twigs out of rock yards. Course most expect every leave to be cleaned up and don’t have clue how hard that is. Neighbors jut had there yard shrubs (all of them) and rocks removed. Mat repair and new rocks put down. Well see in couple years if weeds start to pop up.

[Nucky]

We just did a small test area about three weeks ago. We scrapped out the stone about 4 inches deep that we put down last year with a double layer of weed block then we crisscrossed 4 layers of an even better quality weed block in the 5 x 5-foot area. We then screened and cleaned the stone which was no big deal and put down the beautiful clean stones and manicured them perfectly. I bet Mrs. Nucky a Coffee that the weeds or grass would pop thru within a month. Well, BINGO it happened within a month with a vengeance. We tried the Industrial Vinegar route to be environmentally friendly before the test with no luck.

I have every intention of slowly removing every stone that we laid down last year and putting down 4 layers of the weed block and skipping the no big deal screening of the stone and then putting the wiring for the decorative Pink Flamingo Lights (Kidding) in conduit under this operation. We will then spray it all with the strongest most Miserable Heavy Duty Industrial Weed Murderlizer (Not Kidding) that I can find. I will do 2 to 3 feet a day until finito completo. Our youngest son will probably help me during the Chrismas week and knock it out in a couple of hours. He likes to work in the yard.

I can't imagine anyone thinking about stoning the entire lawn. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I've done a lot of decorative landscaping in my life. I know I am in the south. I know there is a gigantic difference between here and there. I know that if you put weed block down and stone the entire lawn you will be one sorry individual. You can't say you haven't been warned. I've said it before and I'll say it again. We live in The Tropics, Jurassic Park.

One last thing. There is a house on W Boone in The Hysterical section that took up the lawn and put down wood chips and then a few weeks later added small plants that I would imagine are going to be ground cover at some point. You wanna see a disaster? Give it a look-see. I wouldn't call on them, that's not my thing but to prevent another person from making the same mistake you gotta see this. Don't call on them lets see where this goes in a year. Should be just wonderful.

Drop The Stone Keep The Lawn!

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Nucky

We just did a small test area about three weeks ago. We scrapped out the stone about 4 inches deep that we put down last year with a double layer of weed block then we crisscrossed 4 layers of an even better quality weed block in the 5 x 5-foot area. We then screened and cleaned the stone which was no big deal and put down the beautiful clean stones and manicured them perfectly. I bet Mrs. Nucky a Coffee that the weeds or grass would pop thru within a month. Well, BINGO it happened within a month with a vengeance. We tried the Industrial Vinegar route to be environmentally friendly before the test with no luck.

I have every intention of slowly removing every stone that we laid down last year and putting down 4 layers of the weed block and skipping the no big deal screening of the stone and then putting the wiring for the decorative Pink Flamingo Lights (Kidding) in conduit under this operation. We will then spray it all with the strongest most Miserable Heavy Duty Industrial Weed Murderlizer (Not Kidding) that I can find. I will do 2 to 3 feet a day until finito completo. Our youngest son will probably help me during the Chrismas week and knock it out in a couple of hours. He likes to work in the yard.

I can't imagine anyone thinking about stoning the entire lawn. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I've done a lot of decorative landscaping in my life. I know I am in the south. I know there is a gigantic difference between here and there. I know that if you put weed block down and stone the entire lawn you will be one sorry individual. You can't say you haven't been warned. I've said it before and I'll say it again. We live in The Tropics, Jurassic Park.

One last thing. There is a house on W Boone in The Hysterical section that took up the lawn and put down wood chips and then a few weeks later added small plants that I would imagine are going to be ground cover at some point. You wanna see a disaster? Give it a look-see. I wouldn't call on them, that's not my thing but to prevent another person from making the same mistake you gotta see this. Don't call on them lets see where this goes in a year. Should be just wonderful.

Drop The Stone Keep The Lawn!

Right on the money with your observations, Nucky! I’ve never seen nice looking natural landscaping after a few years pass, unless.professional yard care is administered along with pest control and lots of weed killing chemicals.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I wouldn't want an all-stone lawn either. Something more on the order of this: USA and Canada 2013/PowellsWood Garden Federal Way 130503/IMG_9051_Powellswood_Garden except Florida-specific plants.

[eyc234]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Right on the money with your observations, Nucky! I’ve never seen nice looking natural landscaping after a few years pass, unless.professional yard care is along with pest control and lots of weed killing chemicals.

Then go look at the native plant society club and they have lots of great looking yards. Also it is very easy to stop most weeds and grass. Use pine straw it smothers weeds, stops seeds from germinating, adds organic matter and keeps soil moist. Look inn all the beds in public spaces not much grass or weeds.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by eyc234

Then go look at the native plant society club and they have lots of great looking yards. Also it is very easy to stop most weeds and grass. Use pine straw it smothers weeds, stops seeds from germinating, adds organic matter and keeps soil moist. Look inn all the beds in public spaces not much grass or weeds.

I noticed in the areas near LSL - I think on Buena Vista, where the line of those gorgeous oak trees are - there's no grass but instead, a low-growing ground cover. By low-growing I mean just a few inches off the soil, and it's a lovely shade of green. I was thinking of finding out what it was and whether or not it'd make a good addition to the flower bed.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by eyc234

Then go look at the native plant society club and they have lots of great looking yards. Also it is very easy to stop most weeds and grass. Use pine straw it smothers weeds, stops seeds from germinating, adds organic matter and keeps soil moist. Look inn all the beds in public spaces not much grass or weeds.

Perfect example of why it doesn’t normally work. You either need pros or someone in a group dedicated to the style. Most people don’t want to focus that hard at this age to maintain all that.

Pine straw has been discussed previously on TOTV and it can create a fire hazard, attract bugs and vermin when close to homes. Weeds still grow through it, it has to be replaced often and probably works fine in the public spaces here where they are constantly reapplying it, spraying for bugs and have rat traps set.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I wouldn't want an all-stone lawn either. Something more on the order of this: USA and Canada 2013/PowellsWood Garden Federal Way 130503/IMG_9051_Powellswood_Garden except Florida-specific plants.

I agree, the GRASS in the pics looks beautiful!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Perfect example of why it doesn’t normally work. You either need pros or someone in a group dedicated to the style. Most people don’t want to focus that hard at this age to maintain all that.

Pine straw has been discussed previously on TOTV and it can create a fire hazard, attract bugs and vermin when close to homes. Weeds still grow through it, it has to be replaced often and probably works fine in the public spaces here where they are constantly reapplying it, spraying for bugs and have rat traps set.

Most things worthwhile take effort. Whether you pay someone else to do the effort on your behalf, or you do it yourself, or gather like-minded people to embrace a group effort. Just like perfectly manicured grass lawns take effort to maintain.

I agree with the pine needles but there are alternatives, and bugs and vermin are usually not a problem with a properly maintained naturescape. You plant things that naturally attract pollinators, and either repel pests, or attract other animals that will consume the pests (such as common snakes found all over the Villages). Again - it takes effort.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Most things worthwhile take effort. Whether you pay someone else to do the effort on your behalf, or you do it yourself, or gather like-minded people to embrace a group effort. Just like perfectly manicured grass lawns take effort to maintain.

I agree with the pine needles but there are alternatives, and bugs and vermin are usually not a problem with a properly maintained naturescape. You plant things that naturally attract pollinators, and either repel pests, or attract other animals that will consume the pests (such as common snakes found all over the Villages). Again - it takes effort.

Which will be the perfect hobby for a retiree who loves to spend their now free time with their yard. That is fine but most of us are not so inclined and want to pursue interests that waited while we toiled for over 50 years. The truth is that it takes just as many dollars, just as much time if not more and just as many chemicals for the “natural” look. As I said several posts ago, to each their own.