Question
Laura,

I recently moved to a South Florida house with a large font and back yard.  The property is 0.9 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  My neighbor across the street had a beautiful English garden.  I said "had" because he recently died and no one took care of the backyard and the new owners have almost eliminated most if not all the plants.  What suggestions do you have for me to start my project?

Thanks in advance for your help!  

Answer
Daniel,
Well first you need a plan.Without a plan,you will be lost. Take your camera and get as many views as possible around the house and where you want the beds to be. Start slowly.If you rush it,you will be sorry you started.So roughly sketch out the area on paper,it doesn't have to be perfect,just a starting point.Work on one area at a time,whatever your priority is.I would also check with the neighbors that have the neglected garden to see if there are any salvageable plants or anything.I do that for a living and believe me,there are usually some plants that thrive without any care at all.They may be hard to identify until they bloom so you have to keep an eye out every season for color.Check for anything you can use,like statuary or border stones or shrubbery.They probably won't care if they aren't restoring it.Also here are some websites to look for plants that thrive in your zone,which is THE most important factor when planning a garden,so know your plant zone,which will be 10 or 11:Here are some great sources to look at on the web:White Flower Farm,Wayside Gardens, Shady Oaks Nursery,Walters Perennials(or Gardens),Jackson & Perkins,Khelm's Song Sparrow Perennial Farm,Van Bourgondien Bulbs,Van Dyck's Bulbs,Brent & Becky's Bulbs,Plants by Mail,Gardener's Supply Co.,Bluestone Perennials,Sheperds Seeds

All these companies offer free catalogs too and a lot of specials if you order online.
Good luck with your garden and remember to go at your own pace!