You will have much better luck with something like Starburst Clerodendron, Clerodendrum quadriloculare. It has big fat flower heads similar to hydrangea that are a lot more entertaining.

Thank you, Christopher. That's a beautiful tree... looking to see if there's a dwarf version of it. Or maybe Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow ( Brunfelsia pauciflora) I believe there is a dwarf version. Beyond Midnight Bluebeard (Caryopteris) is the right size, but needs full sun (says z9, but sold here in 10b? confusing as heck). Buddleia is invasive...

The Clerodendrum is more a large shrub, 6 to 8 feet than a tree. What is the size and height you want for this space?

Something smaller would be a gardenia.

About 3' tall... up to 6' wide or less? Goodness, I never thought of a Gardenia. A shorter variety than Miami Supreme.... hum. GREAT idea. There's no concrete nearby, I'll check pH tomorrow.

Variegated Creeping Dwarf Gardenia seems like a good bet. Thank you very much.

How about Tropical Hydrangea aka Dombeya. It has pink ball like flowers.

Thank you, @sultry. I’ll check that out. My trip to Lowes came up bust for gardenia.

Kimberly, gardenias in your zone need to be grafted. If you plant the ones that aren't, they won't live long because the nematodes will get them. How about a Jatropha? Pretty red flowers, blooms all year, very easy to care for. You can prune it to keep it shorter and it just gets bushier and bushier.

Also, there are no true "dwarf" varieties that stay dwarf in zone 10. Everything grows like weeds there. I was in 10a for years, and never could get a dwarf to stay small. My jatropha was my favorite bush. I could prune it any time and within a couple of weeks, it was blooming again. So pretty!

Yes, nematodes are a bear. Tomorrow I'm spraying the garden with Monteray (organic) nematode control and planting more marigolds in my raised beds. (which are totally raised, as in, NOT touching the ground ever. The front area will get sprayed with beneficial nematodes with prey on the parasitic nematodes. First time ever doing this, but the science doesn't lie.

FWIW, I believe the nematocidal benefit from marigolds is from tilling them into the soil like a cover crop.

Tip I got from a county extension horticulturist years ago was - do not dig up lower levels of soil - as in double digging beds - as it brings the nematodes closer to the surface. Best practice is to layer compost, topsoil, and mulch on top instead.

Thank you Carol... Yes, I've heard that too... Marigolds repel other stuff too... so I plant them, then throw them in the compost. My raised beds have no ground contact... they are actually up on tables and in square grow bags/gardens with only about 10" deep soil. I also use the big 10 gall round grow bags for tomatoes... that sort of thing. So when I get nematodes in those... it's in the whole thing. I didn't explain that before, sorry. My in ground worries are out front where the roses and ornamentals will be planted. Several plants will go directly in ground, and some of the expensive roses I'm thinking to try in gigantic pots, the massive ones will have to be in ground.

I plant a Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow at every house I move to. I love having a winter blooming plant with purple flowers. Mine usually starts flowering in November. This one is in Palm city.

I love winter flowers.

This was taken yesterday.

You could also try Ixora? I could be spelling that wrong but this house has morning dappled sun and they are about 8 feet plus tall in a mixed hedge.

I see red all year.

Closer look at the flower.

@JoanM, BEAUTIFUL!!! Where do you get your Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plant from (if I may ask)? Yes, I can try Ixora's I just have to stay away from the reds... for this garden. I picked up some Lily of the Nile to sprinkle around the roses in a couple places.

This one was from Pinders in Palm City. I have also found them at Giverny Gardens in Jupiter. Right now I am on the hunt for hot pink 4 O’clocks if anyone has seen them, let me know where please.

You might like Plumbago too. Mine just stay green when there isn’t enough sun but the blue flowers always come back with a little sun and water.

You could probably find a copperleaf that suits your conditions. I have tried about five varieties in this yard so far. They are very colorful and take being cut back very well. Giverny carries a few varieties usually. And no I don’t work there LOL. I have a few planted from there though. The white copperleaf is actually really pretty.

I was just looking at photos and found one of the shrimp plant in bloom with my husband walking past it for size reference. This thing is just huge!

Here is my copperleaf mixed hedge next to the dog run. It is colorful all year long and the white one is in the shadiest spot. These were taken today, they are a little sad from the cold.

the white one is so pretty

This is a very hardy plant for non-waterers like me. LOL

Wow, thanks!

@JoanM, I had a Plumbago in my side yard several years ago. It suckered like mad, took over the side yard despite me using a HEDGE TRIMMER on it. Husband couldn't get the mower around the house. It was either the Plumbago or the husband. (So now I have no plumbago, and have been married to the same guy for 22 years....lol). Still, Now I might try it again, in a giant Pot to keep it small and controlled. Good suggestion.

Love the white 'copper leaves' in your pictures. Very nice...I'll add that to my 'look for' list for sure!!!!

Another one that tried taking over the yard was Snow-On-The-Mountain. I loved it... but had to shovel it over several WEEKS because it created a forest of SOTM about 20' wide x 20' deep. Still have one bit of it I can't shovel yet... it grew suckers up through the Electric lines for the fountain. {roll eyes}...

Isn't it weird how some plants seem so tame in some parts of FL, and spread like wildfire in others?

We had a years-long battle with cherry laurel and now I'm dealing with coral vine and Virginia creeper. Cherry laurel wood is hard as a rock!

House plants seem to grow like trees in this yard. It is amazing! And very hard to maintain LOL. Yes the Plumbago is vary hardy, I have not used a spinkler system at my past 3 houses so only the hardy survive. I am currently in the early stages of a weedila invasion. I am not sure I can win without poision. Wish me luck with that. Any advice would be welcomed.

I had a snow on the mountain hedge once. It was beautiful until the bugs ate every last leaf. That is when I decided to only plant mixed hedges going forward. Much less painful when something attacks. The bugs are bigger and freakier down here too.

And how the heck do you control bugs on your lily pads without harming the koi or the turtle? I have some very hardy fish too. 🤣 I have no clue about the pond.

Please also add to your list of ’Never plant this plant’ - Sea Grapes!

Holy moly! I have never in my life dealt with a plant like this. I should try to take a picture. It will take out fences and grow sideways!!!

@JoanM, Oh yes! Sea Grapes are great on dunes.... like mangroves. Only thing that comes to mind about bugs on lily pads is.... order up some frogs! We have a giant toad that comes out to sit next to the outdoor cat dish. He waits. I put a few kibbles in the dish. He waits. Then the ants start to arrive. He waits. Once the ants are swarming the kibble, he merrily zaps them up with his tongue. ALL of them. Best ant eradicator I've ever seen. Entertainment and control in one. He's actually not a 'buffo toad', just a big regular toad. No poison like a buffo toad has, so it's good. When it's really hot out, I'll put a water bath out for him next to the tomatoes. He sits in it. His name? "Mr. Toad". For real.