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In 1997, I bought and began restoring a 1920s Mediterranean revival bungalow and guest house on 1/2 acre near Venice, FL. The 'soil' is mostly sand and marl, and the existing landscaping was primarily pasture grass. I am working to create an "old Florida" atmosphere in a casual cottage garden style using a combination of native plants and Florida-friendly exotics. In May 2004, I worked to have our neighborhood established as a county historic district, and I'm now on the board of our town's revitalization committee.

In July 2003, I bought and restored the 1950s Key West-style house next door, which was a disaster "before." It needed a lot of work, but it came out great. This is now a spacious seasonal vacation rental home furnished in a vintage Florida "Tommy Bahama" style. The house will be featured on an episode of "Before and After" on HGTV in the fall of 2004.

In May 2004, I moved a one bedroom historic cottage (circa 1918; part of a group of homes on the National Historic Register) and two small out buildings 3/4 mile to the same lot as the Key West-style home, and restoring it as a vacation rental. I was given the cottage for $1 if I'd move it. This is one of the most exciting things I've ever undertaken and it has been a fascinating (yet frustrating) process.

I live in: United States

My zone is: z10a FL

My favorite forum 1 is Florida Gardening.

My favorite forum 2 is Soil.

First registered on September 08,2002.