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Design Dilemma
elianecostello

Need help with a lot!!!! But let's start with the front yard

13 years ago
I live in an association that keep me driving nuts. I am an single mom who works and do all the yard work. I can't hire profissionals or pest control, or feritilizers, etc... I always tried to multiple my plants, with lots of patience I keep filling the spaces. I learn with time some don't go well, and others grow. etc.... I would love someone to help me to know what plants would involve the least amount of maintanance. I also would love to kind of block the street view which is where they keeping passing and taking pics and sending me letters. Change this, change that...
My dream would be to king of have some enclosure ( with plants of course, because they don't allow anything else ) I do not have the pic at this moment, but I will soon. I will ask my daughter to add for me. My lawn is terrrible, that is why I keep adding plants to dimish the amount of grass. I will wait on the wonderful suggestions. I am sure you guys will help me out. Please remember - budget is short....
Featured Answer
  • 13 years ago
    Last comments: If you're planning on selling in a few years, you might as well stop putting so much effort into your plants, and just learn how to grow grass. Anyone looking to purchase in your HOA will wind up tearing out all your plants and put in a lawn, in order to comply with the regulations anyway. I just looked up fertilizer prices on HomeDepot.com, to get an idea....you can get fertilizer with weed killer mixed in. It's $18 for enough to cover 5000 square feet (There are zillions of options, I'm just using that as an example). I'm guessing that having a nice lawn will raise your property value when you're ready to sell.

    One other idea before I go...since you're very good at propagating plants that thrive in your area, maybe a local landscaper will seed and fertilize your lawn in exchange for some plants (and your two palms?).

    Comments (44)

    • 13 years ago
      Succulents are always low maintenance. You can grow them from just a leaf clipping and they need little water. Not sure about your climate though. Lattice screening with a climber? You'd be surprised at how helpful & generous some gardeners can be. If you see a nice local garden, ask them for a cutting. Good luck.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Need to know what your house currently looks like and where abouts you are located.

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    • 13 years ago
      here's the challenge
    • 13 years ago
      i live in Lutz, Florida
    • 13 years ago
      I want to cut down both palm trees in the back. The association keep sending me letters for me to trim them down. One is so high that needs the eletric car to go up, and cost $125 each time. I can't afford that. Most of my plants I am multiplying them by cutting, and using hormone to start roots. Has been about 7 years, I am trying to make this garden grow.

      I have agapanthos ( blue ) but they are not doing well.... do they need sun or shade? I love them and I wish they were growing beautifully
    • 13 years ago
      Do you have a neighbor with a nice yard? Perhaps you can barter some of your expertise and/or time for some of their expertise and/or time.

      Also, check out your county's "Master Gardener Help Desk" info at http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu/residential_lg/index.shtml It looks like they will be able to get you going in the right direction :)
    • 13 years ago
      You may be able to sell the mature palm trees.
    • 13 years ago
      More pics
    • 13 years ago
      See my Grass.... I wish to only mulch.....but the association will not allow it. That is why I have been trying to close the yard with the second group of plants. The bird of paradise do very well here. I multiplied them a lot.
    • 13 years ago
      keep trying to understand my dilemma
    • 13 years ago
      More, more and more
    • 13 years ago
      Lets see if someone understands the whole mess
    • 13 years ago
      Final ones. I noticed that having those pieces of wood laying in the floor in a disordered arrangement, already made look bad. I guess I will take them off. The one by the cement is to try to help hold mulch.
    • 13 years ago
      My neighbors mostly have wonderful lawns. They pay for fertilizers, pest control, lots of water etc... I am the crazy one who is trying to diminish the grass...The last pic is the one place that the plants grow better. I guess because they are more protect by the house against wind, cold, hot, etc...
    • 13 years ago
      the part is the front that is totally bare sand... Again, the grass died, so I am trying to do another place to add plants.
    • 13 years ago
      orange camera, thank you. I am goign to try to contact the hillsborough garden help
    • 13 years ago
      I look the site. Thank you very much. It was very helpfull and I would need to go the library to learn more. thank you
    • 13 years ago
      have you requested a mtg with your HOA about this? ask them if any neighbors have found low cost/low maintenance solutions for their own yards? they may be helpful if they realize you want to work this out.
      OR they may be grumpy old people who enjoy being miserable. might be worth a try though.
    • 13 years ago
      I live in FL and found out after I had paid to cut down palm trees in the back that I could have had someone come out and take them for you. Maybe call a landscaper in the area and ask him if he knows of such a thing. Check the growers in the area also.
    • 13 years ago
      DIAspoton makes a good point. My experience as an HOA board member (in the past) is that the board is more likely to work with you if you let them know you're trying to work it out. If you remain silent, or don't do anything (or don't do anything that they'll notice), they will eventually get pretty grumpy.
    • 13 years ago
      ok Angela will do it. Because to cut them down, the companies also wants $400.
    • 13 years ago
      ok, I can try, but most of them are old people who are retired and want a very conventional neighborhood. It's true though, If i keep quiet is only going to get worse for me. As they said, if I don't trim the palm tree within 3 days, they will start charging me a fee of $35 a day not to excede $1,000.00. Or, I put those laters against the wall to hold my climber, and they told me to take it off. Also told me to take the vase that is in the yard... They not being so bad about my lawn yet and it's really bad....
    • 13 years ago
      This is what was in my palm tree. I thought it was termite...I just want them out because they get dead leaves really fast, and I think is some type of willness.
    • 13 years ago
      If this neighborhood doesn't suit your lifestyle, perhaps moving would make more sense and give you fewer headaches.
    • 13 years ago
      Do you guys see this black vase with the Bird of Paradise? should i plant it on the floor? I know they will grown and than it will block some the front view. But do you think it will be out of proportion? It looks I have so much going on and nothing seems to be looking like a pretty group..
    • 13 years ago
      orangecamera, yes it's my plan, but not right now. I got the house in the divorce, and my daughter goes to school close to here. I will probably be moving when she goes out to college. I know it will be less headaches for me. This neigborhood are for people who "suppose " to have money, but with divorce things change for sure. At least for me.
    • 13 years ago
      Before I had a beautiful lawn, but it deteriorated after 7 years without much care. Which I also do my own yard work... I was just able to purchase a new mower, and a edger. Made my life lot easier.
    • 13 years ago
      But, I love composing, rain barrels, vegetables, dry rivers to retain rain water... etc.... which is not allowed here either. So, so be it. I just have to try to do my best and do not be in trouble with the association. Also, trying to improve to look better, so when it comes time to sell the house. I invested in some palm trees, hoping they will grown. As they say, mature plants adds values, but I also know it will be if it's planted in the right place, right?
    • 13 years ago
      Do you use Living Social or Groupon, check them out to see if they in your area. Sometimes they have good deals for plants, landscaping. I use them sometimes for some stuff. It is like paying half price for stuff, they prob can help you with some stuff which might be beneficial.
    • 13 years ago
      True, good idea. But, I just bought lawn fertilizer at Home Depot "Scotts" And I actually spent $70 dollars....
    • 13 years ago
      But I will talk to some landscapers. Hopefully I will find someone who would be interested. Thank you for your comments.
    • 13 years ago
      Plus, today I just sent a letter to the association, trying to get things in order. Thanks for the advise.
    • 13 years ago
      Elianecostello, looks to me like you already have some stuff in place. I think weeding and mulching might help out alot. Start with the fertilizing, weed and feed, watering and see how that goes first. I dont think it is that bad. I also find that for me I used stones in some areas instead of mulch, less maintenance and they dont fade, did that in the front and side of house. Walmart stones are actually cheaper than the big stores. Every month I added more stones until it was where I wanted. Now all I have to do is spray the weed killer and it does not damage stones. something to think about.
    • 13 years ago
      And one more thing the guys that work in the landscaping department will sometimes do work on the sides for less..
    • 13 years ago
      HI Angela, I have a question about stones.... did you put something under or around to hold the stones in place? But its true that the stones don't fade, and is easy to spray. On the side of my home my sister took out her peppletek floor, I brought it home and just put on the side, actually is helping me to maintain much easier, because it doesn't grow the weeds so fast. The grass in there died because the shade.
    • 13 years ago
      I just put the weed blocker down, small stones and then bigger stones on top. Yes, they have borders and every now and then you have to pick up but it does not rain away like mulch. I will try to take some pics tomorrow so you can see.
    • 13 years ago
      thanks Angela
    • 13 years ago
      Eliane, here is an idea of how the stones look. I am actually going today to get some more ants for front and side. If there is a Lowe's next to you, they also have mulch for . 99cents right now.
    • 13 years ago
      Forgot pics
    • 13 years ago
      Thank you Angela
    • 13 years ago
      Welcome.
    • 12 years ago
      last modified: 12 years ago
      Check out floridayards.org to find native plants for your area that need minimal maintenance and water. This is a great resource for finding native Florida plants and will help you decide which plant are best for each area of your yard depending on sunlight etc.

      www.floridayards.org
    • 12 years ago
      There is also a law that protects you in Florida so that you can have a environmentally friendly/low maintenance yard. http://www.moreylawfirm.com/articles/oct/2012/florida-friendly-landscaping-not-so-friendly-homeowners-association
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