Hello Adella

I cant offer a lot as flowers and shrubs go, but I would like to suggest a couple of things you will need ( and may already have).

You will be able to buy very good soil in the Tulsa area.
With an acre you will need a riding mower, and also a dump cart that will hold at least 500lb, You can make a very nice lawn without the proper tools, but tools sure take a lot ot the work out of a project, plus, a good tool can last you a lifetime.

Good luck, Larry

Thanks for the suggestion. The actual lawn work has been done. We were required to have sod and a sprinkler system. The new lawn tractor would be about $3500. We can get someone to maintain our lawn for around $30-50 per week. My dh is leaning towards having someone else do the lawn. Realistically, it'd probably be about as cheap over the life of the lawnmower and we wouldn't have to store it in the garage. We may rethink this in the next year or so after we get settled in and have time to look for more bargains.

We did buy a lawn cart last week. I already have a few gardening tools. I'm hesitant to buy too much stuff until I get the moving boxes out of the garage and I find out how much room I really have. I don't think we are allowed to have a garden shed so I'm going to try and avoid cluttering the house. I love to play in the dirt and will be planting as much as I can.

Welcome to our forum!

I have a few quick thoughts. First, write down everything you are thinking about doing. I find that I very rarely follow my written plan, but writing it down helps calm the voices in my head!

"I don't think we're allowed to have a garden shed." Find out all the rules before you start. If your HOA says no structures, somebody might complain for example if you put up a bamboo tepee to support pole beans. I'm not suggesting that you cowtow to the HOA, but knowing the rules is the secret to winning the game. And it can prevent disappointment.

Re outer perimeter: Is that perimeter fenced? Will the fencing provide enough shade to give you fits when trying to grow full sun vegetables?

There are a lot of knowlegeable gardeners who will be along shortly with good advice. Good luck!

Seedmama

Adella,

We are starting our 9th year in our house in a subdivision with covenants and an HOA. We started with nothing but the house. The past two years are the only ones in which I have been "satisfied" with my creation, but of course, the "improvement" soldiers on. So, what I have to offer is:

1)be patient;

2)expect "what the hell was I thinking" moments; and just dig in and do it different when it doesn't come together like you planned;

3)(should be Number 1) start a garden journal with lists of what you want to do. Seedmama is right about this. Include big stuff and little stuff on the lists. Most years my lists only gets 80-90% accomplished, but the stuff that didn't get done goes on the next list. The little projects getting done gives you a sense of accomplishment when you cross it off and the big projects eventually get done. We usually only accomplish one or two big projects a year. It has happened in segments around the yard.

4) Plan your different areas or gardens on the computer. I finally started creating areas on an Excel spreadsheet to scale of the area I was working with. It doesn't always work out exactly like the template you designed, but it's 95% and saves major amounts of heartache and $$$$$ in buying hardscape materials and planting material. Wish I had done this from the start.

Oh, and when I started running out of room to landscape on our lot in year 7 and thought I was nearly done "landscaping", our neighbors sold us the lots adjacent to us! They was estatic to get rid of the mowing chore and I got a JD2305 with front end loader, box blade and finish mower for Mother's Day. I am now "gardening" 3.5 acres and the landscaping is moving down the hill and I could start a landscaping company with all the equipment we have now. I don't know how I ever got anything done without my 'biggest' John Deere. Thank goodness for a 3-car garage.

5) Enjoy it. The neighbors will always wonder what you are doing NOW.

Marcy

Adella,

I'm near Tulsa, live on .8 acre, in a subdivision with a strict covenant. I have a huge BF garden, a portable greenhouse (no one has complained YET), and grow vegetables. I sell at the Farmer's Mkt in Broken Arrow, and have a license to grow plants on my land. I made sure the next door neighbors understood what I was up to, and no one had a problem with it. As summer comes on, I will be removing and storing the greenhouse until next winter. Outbuildings must match the houses.

I have a Hustler zero turn mower. If you get your lawn done for what you listed, you will be lucky! I'm the person who takes care of everything outside around here, and I turned 62 this year. Hubby is still employed and doesn't want anything to do with it. He did have to take over last year when I broke both wrists!

If I can help in any way, such as recommending places for soil etc, email me and I'll send you my phone #. Congrats on the new home. We built 6 years ago, and have done all the landscaping. Didn't put in the lawn, though. And yes, it's that dratted bermuda. Wish I had zoysia!

Sandy

Thanks!

We already have a decent quote in that range for the lawn. We'll be getting more quotes. I had an awesome guy doing my old yard last summer when my old house was on the market and he only charged $25. I'm not sure if he'd be willing to do this lawn or how much he'd charge.

We will eventually get a fence. It's not required, but if you do get one, my understanding is that that they are now requiring the entire back yard to be fenced. I don't want my entire back yard fenced. I've promised the kids a small house dog and I just wanted a place to let it out. We've seen several coyotes in the neighborhood. There was one in my yard last night.

The outer perimeter I was referring to is my house. I decided to put flowerbeds/gardens all the way around it a few feet out. I originally wanted a real garden, but I don't think it would fly in this neighborhood. The houses in front of and behind me will be model homes this summer so I can't do anything too fun yet. I may have to hide the garden gnomes. The tipsy pots may have to wait until next summer.

Adella,

Do watch out for coyotes! A coyote got a little yorkie in our neighborhood. You might be surprised about what will fly in your neighborhood. There are several gardens in our neighborhood.

We didn't fence for several years, but with pools on all sides of us (ours is indoors) fencing is required. Every yard that touches ours has an inground pool--no neighborhood pool. That's FIVE pools!

Sounds like you have been in the area and just moved to a new house. Enjoy! We have loved being out and having a large lot. Once you get past that model home phase and the neighborhood fills in, more things are possible.

Sandy