Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical Garden #113, 1 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
Yep, we're surrounded by gated communities, but we're a little slice of the 'wild west' in here, without even street lights! That was No.1 requirement when we went looking for our house this last time - no deed restrictions. We can park boats and trucks in the driveway, plant what we want wherever we want, build the Garage Mahal out back and yes, cover our plants as needed. Neighbor over the back fence keeps chickens, too!

Truth is, my back yard (where all the tenting goes on) is not visible from the street on either side - we're on a corner but have high fences and a big hedge. But my neighbors wouldn't complain anyway. I ply them with the bounty of my garden. Mangoes in summer and veggies in winter.

Surely your neighbors would rather look at frost cloth for a few days than dead plants? Or no plants? Just my humble opinion here, but I think HOA boards attract people who are frustrated politicians. They like to make rules and boss people around. (ohh, sorry if any of you are on those boards . . . ) But . . it's one thing to prevent homeowners from painting their houses like a psychedelic minivan, but it's entirely another to prevent them from growing beautiful plantings and protecting them as needed.

I was never so happy as when Florida passed a Senate bill in 2009 banning HOA's from preventing homeowners from using Florida Friendly Landscaping. (it does have specific definitions, but still even people with deed restrictions can get rid of a lot of lawn and high-maintenance landscaping without fear now).

(sigh) ya got me started there, Alice!