The following two excerpts are taken from the Key West Golf Club “Design Guidelines” and are to be followed when changing or maintaining the yard landscaping of each home. The photo below illustrates a complete front yard with all required elements.
GROUND COVER
All portions of each site which are not devoted to building, paving, or special landscape features shall have complete plant ground coverage. Mulch shall not be utilized except as incidental to formal planting beds. Concrete, brick, keystone, interlocking pavers with straight edges or butt jointed pavers and wood deck patios are also permitted, provided a perimeter planting area no less than three feet in width is maintained. Bare earth areas are prohibited.
YARD LANDSCAPING
Every yard shall be completely landscaped. Every yard shall have a hard surface front walk connecting the stairs to the sidewalk. The surface shall be concrete, brick, interlocking pavers with straight edges or butt jointed pavers or wood deck. All other walks within the yards shall be of these surfaces.
The front yards shall include densely planted foundation flower beds, perimeter plantings, one large tree/palm and one smaller tree/palm. Rear yards shall also include one large tree/palm and one smaller tree/palm plus densely planted perimeter planting beds.
All other areas shall be covered by either 1) patios or walkways consisting of concrete, brick, interlocking pavers with straight edges or butt jointed pavers, or wood deck; 2) living plant ground cover; 3) formal planting beds in which mulch is used only incidentally; or 4) sod or artificial turf (currently under study).
In the case of narrow side yards where sod does not thrive, living ground cover and butt jointed pavers are recommended. Wider side yards may require trees.
