Creating a Tropical Garden

You do not have to live in the tropics to create a garden with a tropical feel. Tropical gardens are about large, bold foliage; lush, dense plantings; and blooms in vivid yellows, oranges, and reds. If you live in zones 9-11, creating a tropical garden can often be just a normal part of gardening. Further north, such as in my zone 6 region of Northeast Tennessee, gardeners can have tropical gardens; however, they need to think a bit outside of the box. They also need to think “big” and “lush.” Following is a list of a few plants you might want to include in your own tropical garden.

Umbrella Plant (Darmera)
This plant is frequently used in woodland gardens in zones 4-9. However, the large, glossy green leaves can also give the umbrella plant a tropical look in a different setting. In addition, it can a height of 6-feet. It can grow in full sun but prefers partial shade. It also likes rich soil that tends to be somewhat acidic and that is kept moist.

Rhubarb (Rheum)
If you have only thought of rhubarb as a vegetable, you should probably think again. This makes an impact in any garden in zones 3-9. Rhubarb produces large, heart-shaped, wrinkled leaves. Some ornamental cultivars that sport red stems are ‘Canada Red,’ Cherry Red,’ MacDonald,’ and ‘Strawberry.’ It can grow to be 5-7-feet tall with a 3-4-foot spread. It can grow in full sun or partial shade and prefers rich, moist soil.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus)
You definitely want something blooming in your tropical garden, and the ideal plant is a large ‘dinner-plate’ hibiscus. [See: Plant Profile: Dinner-plate or Hardy Hibiscus] Like the other plants mentioned here, hibiscus prefers rich, moist soil (Are you detecting a theme?) Hibiscus can handle partial shade but plant in full sun for more profuse blooming. Make sure you choose the hardy hibiscus that is suitable for zones 4-10.

Arum (Arum)
You do need something shorter to grow underneath your taller, large-leafed plants, as occurs naturally in the jungle. Italian arum has dark-green, arrow-shaped leaves with cream to gray veins. The leaves appear in the late fall and generally last through the winter. In the spring, they die back, leaving a spadix covered with bright orange-red berries. Arums also prefer rich, moist soil and are hardy in zones 6-9.

Container Plants
Those of us not living in tropical areas can resort to using numerous container plants in our tropical gardens. (Bring them inside to brighten up your house during the winter months.) Bromeliads in yellows, oranges, and reds are the most obvious choices. Place them under the taller plants in partial shade. Direct sunlight will sunburn the foliage. Another group of plants that can suffer from sunburn if placed in full sun is palms; however, they are perfect for that tropical feel. Also consider other plants that are normally thought of as houseplants: zebra plant (Aphelandra), caladium, India rubber plant (Ficus elastical), peacock plant (Calathea makoyana), philodendron (especially the large, broad-leafed versions), schefflera, swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa), and ti plant (Cordyline terminalis).

Hostas and Ferns
These two groups of plants do not have to be relegated to woodland gardens. Hostas and ferns can add textural interest to your tropical garden. [See: Creating a Garden with Ferns] Both groups also have so many different varieties in so many different sizes, shapes, and colors that you are sure to find several that can impart a tropical feel to your garden.

Just because you live in a region that is far from the tropics does not mean you cannot create your own jungle oasis. Use your imagination, pipe in some jungle sounds, add a tiki bar, and kick back with a fruity drink complete with a little paper umbrella to enjoy the tropics in your own backyard.

For photos of the plants mentioned in this article, search Dave’s Garden.
Go to Dena’s page for more of this author’s gardening articles.
Visit Janet’s Garden to see what is blooming in her zone 4 region.