A large share of homes in Estero, Naples and Bonita Springs, and many in Cape Coral and Fort Myers, sit in HOA or condo communities with written landscape standards. Changing beds, adding rock or curbing, or removing a palm often needs approval first.
What review boards usually ask for
A simple site plan showing what changes; a plant list with names and sizes; materials and colors for rock, mulch and curbing; and sometimes photos of the current yard. Some communities keep an approved-plant list or require a minimum number of shrubs or trees out front.
Avoid the common delays
Ask for your community's current standards before planning. Note any plants on the community's banned list (often including invasives like Brazilian pepper). Allow time for the board's meeting schedule, which can take a few weeks.
Florida law and Florida-Friendly yards
Florida law limits HOAs from banning Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ outright, though communities can still set reasonable standards for how yards look. A plan built on Florida-Friendly plants is usually easier to approve and easier to keep up.