Whatever type of backyard you have, there are many ways to get the tropical look, from lush-looking plants that are surprisingly hardy to beautifully vibrant pathway.

Tropical garden designs can hold their own in any region and really make a splash in colder regions where winter brings snow.

In these areas, a summer garden filled with jungle-like plants creates a showstopping impact with the lush growth it achieves in a short growing season. In warmer regions, a tropical garden design can hold its own most of the year.

When summer heat sends you scurrying indoors for air conditioning, tropical gardens stage outstanding growth. Tropical plants thrive in heat and humidity, so it’s best to site a tropical garden where warmth multiplies.

In regions with a short growing season, a full-sun setting surrounded by heat-retaining surfaces, like concrete, walls or buildings, helps tropical garden designs achieve their full potential.

In warmer areas, heat plus direct sun can burn plantings. Research the right conditions for tropical plants in your region.

Most tropical plants crave moisture, and the more you give them, the bigger they’ll grow. Create a tropical garden design near a water source, so you won’t have to drag a hose to the garden during dry periods.

Tropical plants typically require soil that’s rich in organic matter. Be sure to work adequate organic matter, such as soil conditioner, finished compost, or composted manure, into soil prior to planting.

Soil that’s high in organic matter won’t need watered as frequently, which will save you a little hose time during peak growth.

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