Welcome Billb!
Junglegal's photos will give you a great start. It sounds like you know how you want it to look and the irrigation system is the right first step. I'll look forward to your progress posts. Pictures would be good too!

Kate

Hi
Yo're starting out the right way for sure . Divide and conquer lol. Work on the hardscapes first and permanent structures. You need a shed if for no other reason than to keep equipment a good design will allow multiple uses such as potting and seed growing areas.You can also work them as trellis and arbors. Design one that will withstand hurricanes lol
You are so lucky to have a blank slate . My fist job was to remove about two thirds of the landscape. lol
Next are you a collector?? Such as roses orchids whatebver .? If so start on the layouts first.
Last do a bunch of research on ultimate size and growth habits of your choices. Pay particular attention to two types trees and vines. These will be permanent so plan accordingly. might even recommend a bit of reseach on the reaction to high wind. Trees that snap aren't so bad trees that tip over can be a disaster. judge the good habits then rate the bad habits . There seem to be only two kinds of tropical plants very delicate or those that eat the house.lol Don't make impulse buys. There is always another species.. Of course layout the area on how hard you want to work dictated by the plantings . High maintence plants in the most convenient area for you.
Along with irrigation have you thought of electical?? Maybe for a water feature wonderful for power tools. No hundred foot cords .Underground irrigation not only will save you a ton of work is actually cheaper than hoses thanks to no freezes and PVC pipe.
Good luck with whatever you decide my personal motto is "It's my garden and I'll do what I want"lol I do listen to the wife as she threatens me lol
Keep us informed on how it goes gary

Welcome,
You will find some great ideas and friends here.
Check out botanical gardens for awesome ideas!
Read REad REad.
Then have fun.

Welcome. You'll find a wealth of info on GW.

Here's some of my pictures if they help you at all.

Tina

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures

Welcome billehighacres! I will be very interested to follow your progress. The photo below is of our tropical courtyard. Like yours our yard was pretty much a blank canvas when I began by planting this small tropical garden. Like yours this garden is on the north side of the house and is mostly shady through the day. I have to finish planting but first needed to see which plants had survived the freezes last winter. Most have!

Hi, Bill! Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have a very good idea of just what you want the area to look like, and are off to a good start with your irrigation. I like that you are looking at the yard as various Zones to be tackled individually, while still keeping a nice, cohesive look.

This is the best place in the world for great ideas, shared experiences, and a wealth of knowledge about all things pertaining to Florida gardens. Please jump right into the conversations, and post questions when you have them. Someone is probably going to have good answers for you, and we will ALL learn along with you.

And yes, please share pictures when you can. We'd love to follow your progress.

Have fun!
Marcia

Thanks for the encouraging words. Kate, (Solstice98) I will post photos as the project progresses. My wife and I work in North Carolina and only get to spend ten days every month at our home in Florida. We hope to retire next spring and live full time in Florida.
Gary, (garyfla) thanks for all of your comments and suggestions. I do have plans for a shade/ potting shed structure in the backyard. It will have a large trellis area with outdoor seating under vines in front of the enclosed shed. But that is down the road on the list. I am a collector but my collections are very eclectic. That is why I have divided the property up into many outdoor areas; herb, butterfly, cacti & succulents, incredible edibles, fruiting trees and shrubs, etc. I feel like President Obama because I want to address all areas at once! Lol. I taught high school horticulture and landscape design for nearly twenty years and you wouldn’t believe the files of information I have available. I do believe in doing research before starting a project. I love to learn how to do new things. I am currently researching hypertufa because my wife wants simulated ruins in our tropical entry garden. I am trying to figure out how to make replicas with hypertufa. I should give a little disclaimer here, while I taught all those years, it was not in Florida and I feel a real novice about Florida Gardening. I am planning on doing underground electrical to various areas of the yard while I am trenching for the irrigation lines.
Tanya (Goldenpond), I appreciate your encouraging remarks. As I mentioned above, I love to read and do research which I do mainly on the internet. My wife and I work in a children’s home where we are house parents to eight teenage girls and I find I have lots of time to study and learn while we are on duty. I garden to save my sanity and escape from all the “girl drama”. Lol.
Tina (aroidgardener), Thanks for the photos. I really enjoy seeing what others are doing with their space. I like your trellis’. I am going to use trellis in many of my areas. I plan to build a Moon Gate that will go from my herb garden into my butterfly garden. The gate will have a trellis up the sides and over the top. Now my big problem what vines to plant where; but what a great problem to have.
(sis3), Wow! What a beautiful courtyard! I hope my entry garden turns out looking half as well. Mine will be very different as it is off to the side of the front door and you don’t actually walk through it. We are going with a Central/South American “ruins in the Jungle” look with a small water feature. At least that is the plan on paper. I find that plans often change drastically when I start the actual work.
I am planning on planting my palms after I get the “ruins” in place. Some palms I am considering are the following: Chamaedorea cataractarum, Areca vestiaria, Chamaedorea elegans, Chamaedorea metallica, Chamaedorea erumpens/C. seifrizii, Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Pinanga coronate, or Sabal minor. I will only have room for three to five of these but I chose them all because they are either fairly slow growers or don’t grow too tall. If anyone has experience with any of these in Zone 10 or knows where I can go look at them growing and a nursery where I can obtain them, I would appreciate the information.
Another plant I am looking for is the Mysore Raspberry. This is for another area of the yard. I read about this bush on the ECHO site and then I went out to get a couple. They told me when I visited that they did not grow any this year because they weren’t happy with its success. But as I was walking back to the parking lot, I passed what I am sure was one of these brambles and it looked great to me. So if I can’t find it anywhere else, I may go see if they will sell me some cuttings I will attempt to root.
Billb