noobthumb - Hi - I hate to say this, but "welcome to the ant-capital of the world - zone 10 to be exact." Most likely, they are Argentine types, but there are several kinds to deal with. Some seem to prefer sweet stuff. Later in this season, they are attracted to protein-like dead flies you swatted in the living room, for example. In most old houses, they are thoroughly entrenched in and around the foundation - making easy access to the house - depending upon the weather. They, however, don't seem to bother tree roots, but do carry aphis - to suck juices from the tree leaves, which they "milk" and carry to their burrows. My main method of attack, is to spray around the foundation of the house sparingly, but unless you want to live in a constant cloud of insecticide spray, it is best to try to live with them. Some bleach cleansers may help discourage them inside, and a mixture of honey and boric acid in a butter container outside, may be of some use. (ratio of 9 tsp honey/1 tsp boric acid). This may be helpful at base of trees. The butter container has holes made about an inch from bottom to fascilitate entry. About peach trees in zone 10. I planted 2 already - one is a Bonanza dwarf - low chill, the other is a Florida Prince. The Bonanza had quite a few nice fruit - close to Elberta taste-wise, the Prince is just now leafing out. I'm thinking it hasn't been too happy with our cold wet winter/spring so far. Sorry about those ants - wish they didn't like it here - but with our mild winters, they just don't have a lot to keep their numbers in check. Bejay

Well, I have not ruled out anything yet cause all of the weed sites I find only have grassy or grass like weeds. This is not grassy at all almost tree like. This was one of the biggest ones I could find. Even if it grows in a non mowed field, they do not get tall, more of a spreader. Ill get some better photos. The one above was picked from my neighbors yard, since he doesnt mow or irrigate, he seems to have better picks. Thanks.

Question - why do you want to shade your grass? Are you trying to get rid of it? Grass grows best in full sun. And as far as a tree recommendation goes, there are many that will grow in Central Florida. As Lou mentioned, visit the local nurseries to see what they offer. You will minimize the number of seedlings if you avoid trees that profusely flower and fruit. Have you considered a palm or a grouping of palms?

Kimberly - I am so silly - I meant to recommend Purezza, which is the hybrid banksia which Malcolm suggested above, but I forgot to put its name in my last post. HMF says it is "almost thornless". If you can find it on Fortuniana (which seems to be the rootstock everyone from FLA is advising you to use), I would go for it. I know for a fact that banksias can be pruned down to any size you like, as a grocery store near my house has the yellow ones (banksia lutea) planted in ten 3 ft by 2 ft raised beds (with cement sides) which they use as automobile stops for parking spaces in their parking lot, and they grow them on 2-3 ft high metal trellises, and keep them relentlessly pruned down to the height of the trellises. They bloom prolifically every Spring for a long time. That is why I think Purezza could certainly be kept short enough for your pillar. Malcolm, just saying, we don't get hardly any winter chill (meaning nights below freezing) at all here in some years, and my yellow banksia bloomed every Spring no matter what. However, FLA climate is of course WAY more humid than ours, so perhaps that has something to do with it, and Purezza is a better choice than the original yellow or white banksia. Kimberly, if you decide to try Purezza, remember that banksias are a VERY old type of rose, and you cannot expect any of them to grow to maturity in a few months. If you plant one, remember the rhyme for climbing roses: "First year sleeping", (growing roots underground - not much activity noticed above ground - this is NORMAL), "Second year creeping", (putting out short canes which sort of flop around), "Third year leaping" (climbing canes appear, which will need to be trained as horizontally as you can - many people wrap them around pillars. Good luck - and please let us know if you do decide to try one rose in your back yard. Your front yard design plans sound gorgeous - we would all like to see pics of both yards when you have platned the roses. Jackie