Your choice of plants looks good for your area. My only advice is to buy from a private, local garden center and not trust catalogs that list plants as "Zone 9," because there is a huge difference in Zone 9a and 9b, and even between different locations in 9b. Tampa does have freezes, so you might lose the oyster plant during one of them, but if you cover it, it usually comes back from the base. I just got some here in 9a, and I'm just covering it with leaves and hoping for the best when we have freezes. So far, so good.

Do you have any oak trees or other year-around shade on your property? You'll need it for most bromeliads, except the neoregelias, which aren't very cold hardy, but do like full sun. Look around and see what types of broms people in your area have growing, and what the local garden centers sell. There are quite a few hardier bromeliads that have lovely blooms, but aren't as showy as some of the more tropical ones. I miss my broms more than anything else from zone 9b/10a where I used to live.

I don't know a landscaper, but get references and if possible, go visit their yards and talk to them. A lot of people call themselves "landscapers," and they just buy plants from Home Depot and Lowe's and don't really know how to plant them. Hire one who is bonded and has at least a 1-year guarantee on his work. Ask how he plants things, and if he doesn't mention adding organic matter when planting, don't hire him. No garderner worth his salt in FL would not add organic matter when planting.

Good luck! I'm happy to see that you are not going to try to grow NY plants in FL. Smart.

Dear dirtygardener73 - thank you so much for the input! I used to scoff at the idea of "freezes" in this area, but I see we have a low of 38 in the near future! Yipes!

I am looking to create the shady areas under the palms, since I read that the Pinwheel Jasmine is a good "understory" plant; the exposure here is to the East and shade would cast that way - so maybe I will wait on the bromeliads until I see what the sun cycle looks like.

Well, this may not come to fruition for a few months; I like to plan out ahead of time. But, when I do get it pulled together, I will post some photos!

Thanks again!

I've seen plantings of tank bromeliads generate clouds of mosquitoes in Honululu. In fact, in their native area these plants can often be the main breeding ground for these pests - larger areas of open water being unsuitable.

Controlling mosquitoes in broms is very easy. All it takes is a few granules of BT or a drop of cooking oil in the cup keeps them at bay. I've never had a problem with my broms having mosquitoes.

"Mondo grass - plant LOTS of it. It grows just slightly faster than rocks."

Ricky, you are so funny! Yes, it does spread slowly down here for some unknown reason. In SC, it spreads like crabgrass! I brought a few sprigs down with me when I came from SC, and it never did multiply much in 14 years. Seriously, it just sat there. I think it needs more cold to spur it to propagate itself.

Also, while the large oyster plants are invasive, I think she's talking about dwarf oyster plant, which is sterile and not invasive. It does clump rapidlly, though, so you may have to thin it eventually. I was always giving some of mine away.

Yes, Ricky, thanks for the LOL on Mondo Grass!

About the "invasive species" - in NY State I had 8 large perennial gardens throughout my property (phew, makes me tired just remembering that!) and the invasive plants pretty much took over the beds in which I planted them. So... on that note, if I was quite vigilant with the Foxtail fern and oyster plant, etc, yanking out the overgrowth in a mulched bed, is there a further concern? as in broadcasting seed to other areas? That is, does an invasive plant become a neighbor's concern, or just my personal pest?

When it comes to being invasive, plants up north are rank amateurs.

Oh Lordy! Y'all are determined to make me spit stuff all over my computer laughing. Yes, it does seem that invasiveness is a quality that perfectly behaved northern plants take on once they get down here. I had some nice colorful bush honeysuckle in SC, so I brought a bit down here with me. It was so pretty with its red and yellow flowers. I never had a problem keeping it in check up there. Within a year in z9b/10a, I had to pull the whole thing out and get rid of it.

We need a show called "Plants Gone Wild!" all about how everything in FL grows out of control.

Sue - beyond everything else, how long do plan on living in this house? If the answer is "probably forever", then the plants you select now could be with you forever. Planting an invasive means you will have to deal with it ... forever. The best advice I or anyone else can give you is to drive out 5 to 10 miles from your house and see what's growing, and growing well.

Yes fawnridge, the answer is "hopefully forever". I have been walking my neighborhood alot and checking out the landscaping. I also heard that our Botanical Gardens has on occasion an Extension Agent I could speak to.

Thank you all for your advice and some chuckles!