Ninette, here's the full plan
You've got a tropical look in mind, and that's exactly the direction this plan takes, front yard to back. Below is everything we covered, organized by area, so you can work through it at your own pace.
Two shade trees, planted first
Royal poinciana & jacaranda
These are the two large shade trees for the front yard, the ones that will bring the space to life and finally give you real relief from that afternoon sun. Big shade trees are the first thing to get in the ground, since they take the longest to grow tall enough to do their job.
Royal poinciana
Also called the flame tree. Wide, umbrella-shaped canopy with brilliant orange-red blooms in early summer. Big tropical presence and exactly the kind of shade this yard needs. This one's actually growing in my own front yard, so you're welcome to drive by and see it anytime.
Jacaranda
Known for its lavender-purple spring bloom and a lighter, airier canopy. A classic Phoenix tree that pairs well with the poinciana without competing with it.
Bringing the grass patch back
For the small lawn area that used to be there, go with St. Augustine instead of bermuda. Once the two shade trees mature, they'll cast enough shade to thin out bermuda over time, and St. Augustine holds up better in shade. It also fits the tropical look you're going for better than bermuda does.
The spot by the front door
Right by the door, where the plumeria is already growing in a pot, is a great spot for all things tropical. Plumeria, banana, even a mango could all live here.
Plant the banana closest to the house. That position gives it some wind protection, which bananas need to keep their leaves from shredding.
Plumeria
Banana
Mango
Covering the block wall
Passion fruit vine
Four vines total, planted two on the south-facing wall and two on the west-facing wall. They grow very fast once established, but they need a trellis or some other support to climb.
They also put on striking flowers that turn into genuinely good fruit.
What goes on the ground
Pull a good amount of the rock out around the pool and replace it with mulch. From there, you've got options.
If you want shrubs rather than a groundcover: canna lily and hibiscus both bring that tropical color around the pool.
If you want a groundcover in the mix: purple heart. The contrast between its deep purple foliage and the bright canna and hibiscus blooms would look great together.
Canna lily
Hibiscus
Purple heart
The round planter
Hong Kong orchid
For the round planter where the old tree used to be, we talked about a Hong Kong orchid. Beautiful flowers, and it doesn't get too big. It does drop a fair amount of foliage, but it's far enough from the pool that it shouldn't cause much of an issue.
Under the eucalyptus
Fig tree
Like we discussed, the spot under the large eucalyptus in the back corner is a great fit for a fig tree.
Continuing the hedge line
Orange jubilee
Where the oleander stops, continue that hedge look down the block wall with orange jubilee. Plant them about 3 feet apart for a quick, full fill-in.
It's an easy plant. Loves heat and sun, doesn't need much water, and grows fast. Hummingbirds are all over it, and so are the big black carpenter bees.
A row of fruit trees
Guava · Florida Prince peach · citrus
Planted in that order, west to east, with the guava furthest west.
Guava
Florida Prince peach
Citrus
Cooling the wall
Tangerine cross vine
Along the wall that separates the fruit tree row from the raised garden beds, a vine will help cool that whole area down. Tangerine cross vine is a good fit here. Easy to grow, spreads fast, and looks great doing it.
Hedge and shade for the beds
Cover the back block wall here with a hedging shrub, either hopseed or twisted myrtle. Both look better than bare block and will help cool the area down.
A smaller tree, like a red push pistache, would work well tucked a little further back in the corner of this area. It'll shade the office window and cast some shade over the garden beds. In winter it drops its leaves and lets more sun through to the garden. In summer, it fills back in and gives the beds more shade when they need it most.
Hopseed
Twisted myrtle
Red push pistache
Lines and emitters
More separate lines is always better. It gives you flexibility, since trees, grass, and shrubs all want different amounts of water, and some plants want more than others.
Split it out: fruit trees on their own line, raised beds on their own line, grass on its own line, and shrubs on their own line.
For trees, mushroom bubblers are your best bet. Drip emitters work well for pretty much everything else.
Existing citrus — root flares
Gently dig back the soil around the trunk of your existing citrus to expose the root flare, the same technique we've talked about for other trees.
Here's a video walking through it: Watch on YouTube
If you have questions once you're out there, just let me know.
That covers everything from this morning. Plant the shade trees first, work the fruit tree row in toward end of September, and reach out whenever you're ready to source the fig or want a hand with anything else.
Questions on any of this? Text us at (480) 253-9261.