7 Tips for Creating the Tropical Garden of Your Dreams

Consider Your Gardening Zone

When embarking on your green project, you need to consider your gardening zone. In temperate zones, you'd do well to keep some of your plants in easily movable containers that you can bring indoors during the cold season. In the fall, you can wrap some of your plants that can’t be moved. 

In the northern hemisphere, direct sunlight is important for your plant health and has an impact on how welcoming and warm your green space is. Consider what the light conditions are like throughout the day. Too much heat and sun and your tropical plants can burn.

In dry climates, use a humidifier or mist your plants regularly to keep them comfortable. 

Tropical gardens usually contain evergreen elements, so your oasis should remain intact when the temperatures dip.

Select the Right Plants

Certain tropical plants may not be a good fit for your region at all so you'll need to do some research to find the right ones. Visiting a municipal tropical garden will get your landscape design juices flowing and give you specific insights into what thrives in your hardiness zone. 

Remember also that there are plants that aren't from the tropics that can have a similarly enchanting look and feel with big leaves and dramatic blooms. The following hardy plants are much more at home in cooler climates:

• Windmill Fan Palm (Trachycarpus fortune) - this snow-resistant palm will lend your garden some instant tropical flair.
• New Zealand Cabbage Palm – Cordyline australis
• Indian Bean Tree (Catalpa bignonoides)
• Large Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) - grow well in shade
• Japanese Fiber Banana (Musa basjoo) - can resprout after encountering frost
• Chinese Fountain Bamboo - Fargesia nitida
• Tree Fern – Dicksonia antarctica
• Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) - a beautiful climber with an equally arresting scent and flowers that attract birds and butterflies
• Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) - perfect for an edible splash of color
• White Water Lily (Nymphaea alba) 

Some of these palms and trees can grow tall, especially in south-facing gardens, so check what will work for the size of your space and whether there will be too much shade.

Take Indoor Plants for an Excursion

You may already have some tropical plants in your home. Pothos, calla lilies, passion flowers and orchids are all popular houseplants that originate from tropical and subtropical environments. Delicious monsters, for example, are famously easygoing. Transfer them to a balcony or patio area with suitable seasonal conditions and they’ll flourish and transform small outdoor spaces into charming havens. 

Be Aware of Soil Health

One of the keys to keeping any garden happy is ensuring that your soil is just right. Tropical plants love rich well-draining soil.

It’s worth noting that having heavy clay and sand in your yard aren't dealbreakers. A little fertilizer and a layer of compost about six inches thick should do the trick to make your soil more accommodating to tropical plants. And mulch is a good option for easy drainage. If the soil is too wet, tropical plants tend to fall prey to fungi and pathogens.

Plan a Layout For Your Garden

This isn't just about being organized. There are several practical aspects to consider. For example, what is the purpose of your garden? A kid-friendly space may look quite different from a garden with a purely aesthetic raison d'etre. It's also important to consider your plants' needs. 

Tightly-packed vegetation is one of the hallmarks of a tropical garden. So look at low-cost options for filling your space. 

Be sure to incorporate interesting layers with varying textures, shapes and different heights into your plan, just as Mother Nature has done. Wild jungle landscapes have tall canopy layers that love full sun and the understory and floor layers that live beneath them like a bit of shade. 

Intersperse banana palms, for example, with shorter shrubs and grasses that add a sense of movement, and throw in some climbing plants.

You may want to plant some bamboo or tropical grass hedges on the borders of your green space. These can serve the dual function of protecting your garden from strong winds while also providing the space with privacy or covering bad views. 

Your garden needs some air movement for branches to grow optimally and to prevent fungal growth. Any living screens or other shelters you employ will have to allow for this. 

Make sure that your water source is close by for less arduous maintenance.

Add Water Features, Hard Landscaping or Other Finishing Touches

Conjure up a tropical heaven in your mind's eye and you're likely to imagine streams and a waterfall with a pool at its base. Water fountains and ponds can stand in as scaled-down versions of natural bodies of water. These features imbue your garden with a zen-like ambiance complete with calming sounds and reflections.

There are granules you can use to keep mosquitoes from taking residence in your pond. 

When it comes to hard landscaping, play around with textures again. Mixing mediums like stone pavers and wooden decks and sleepers, and getting creative with the following accessories can result in a visually pleasing garden that delights the senses. 

• Decorative pots, planters and sculptures
• Hanging baskets
• Rocks, boulders and pebbles
• Hammocks or swings
• Fairy lights and landscape lighting
• Birdfeeders and baths
• Weather-proof bluetooth speakers to play rainforest sounds

Speak to Local Garden Enthusiasts

Once you've done your research and have a layout plan, speak to local experts about your ideas and any questions you have. These could be employees at garden nurseries for example, or people who already have tropical gardens in your area’s microclimate. With their experience, they may be able to point out some of the pros and cons of your choices, and highlight things that you have not considered. 

Start Planning Your Tropical Garden

Clearly, you don’t need to live near the equator to have a rainforest-like retreat. Work in harmony with your local climate and you’ll set yourself up for success. With time, you will learn what works best for your green space and the fruits of your labor will be sweet indeed.