Ok so despite the fact that it's a rental I've been plugging quite a bit of $ into the yard. The landlord doesn't really care what I do- I think she's just glad it's getting some TLC.
I put in a liriope border by the fanned stepping stones at the front door. There are solar lights behind them and on the yard side there are some FL friendly gold (pic) plants (a type of stonecrop) placed which are a really BRIGHT evergreen ground cover. It's filling in painfully slow but I'll like the finished effect (if I ever live here to see it... lol)
I've also planted purslane which I LOVE for they were apparently one of Gandhi's favorite foods. It's very rich in vitamins and has beautifully colored blooms that open during the day. I've got yellow, orange and pink and have them planted near the driveway. The house side of the driveway's yard is... poor. Not true grass and many weeds. There was a large tree there that uprooted a few months before we moved in so it's hard to dig there from the remaining roots and there are wood chips strewn about the sandy substrate. I just wanted to get something easy and pretty down that will thrive... and thrive they are.
Along the front of the house I've planted Bulbine which I love. It's hard, a good plant for xeriscaping in FL and get beautiful blooms. Mine are not nearly as gorgeous with the foilage as they should be... I think I had some issues w/ transplanting but they still bloom like crazy. Absolutely gorgeous. They're a tuber plant and I'm hoping will slowly spread out in the area I've planted. Did I mention they have the medicinal qualities of aloe? Great plant.
I've also selected some salvia, milkweed, buddleia, lantana and dill for a small butterfly garden patch I will be planting this weekend.
Other than that I've been attempting to grow some food, also. I have two unfortunate heirloom Mr. Stripey tomato plants (I think aphids have done some damage- they just look... leggy and not so great). I've got two kinds of eggplants, 2 strawberry plants, 4 small brussells sprouts (which I'm sure won't produce in FL but I enjoy the look), 6 small jalapenos, a sweet banana pepper, a petite orange bell, an established flowering cherry tomato and some small sugar snap pea plants. I'm sure there's some more. Other than that I DID have arugula, buttercrunch and red leaf lettuce but only two arugulas since that smackdown rainstorm yesterday. I need to figure out a way to shield them and still provide plenty of sun.
In the back yard I've planted a few potato vines to help cover some baren ugly areas along the house. I have a little strand of coleus along the window and a few other plants here and there. the backyard is largely shady and doesn't grow grass well.
I'm trying to be mindful of FL requirements and plant as many xeriscaping plants so once established can thrive with minimal water use. So far so good and I'm enjoying this great practice for when I can purchase my own place!
