Tropical Gardens - Design, Plant and Care

Tropical plants: white plumeria, cordyline, aralia, orange hibiscus and orange canna.Create Your Own Tropical Escape

Bring the Vacation Home

There is something magical about tropical plants.

Towering leaves sway gently in the breeze. Brilliant blooms glow against rich green foliage. Hummingbirds dart from flower to flower while every step through the garden feels a little slower, a little warmer, and a little farther from the everyday.

Many tropical plants evolved in warm, humid climates where competition for sunlight inspired dramatic leaves, oversized foliage, vibrant flowers, and bold architectural forms. Their striking beauty is not simply for show. Large leaves help capture precious sunlight beneath rainforest canopies, while brilliant flowers attract pollinators from afar.

The wonderful surprise? You do not need to live in Hawaii or the Caribbean to enjoy them.

Throughout California’s warm growing season, it is easy to create a tropical garden in your own backyard, around a patio, or even on a sunny balcony. Tropical plants bring color, texture, movement, and life to outdoor spaces of every size.

Many tropicals also thrive in containers, making them ideal for patios, courtyards, balconies, and smaller gardens. Tender varieties can be moved to a protected location when colder weather arrives and returned outdoors when spring warmth returns.

Looking to bring the same lush feeling indoors? Explore our tropical houseplants for beautiful foliage that can transform the rooms inside your home, too.

Sometimes all it takes is one spectacular plant to completely change how a space feels.

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Where Summer Comes to Life

Tropical garden on patio in the backyard.

Warm days. Warm nights. Sun-filled afternoons.

This is when tropical plants truly shine.

Unlike many spring bloomers that begin slowing as temperatures climb, tropical plants embrace the heat. Warm soil encourages rapid root growth, while long sunny days fuel lush foliage, vibrant blooms, and impressive growth throughout the season.

Planting now gives your garden time to establish and flourish before cooler weather arrives. Because tropical plants grow quickly during summer, even a handful of new additions can transform an ordinary landscape into something extraordinary.

One graceful palm beside the patio.

A fragrant plumeria welcoming guests.

Colorful hibiscus blooming outside the kitchen window.

Suddenly, your own backyard becomes your favorite destination.

Tropical Favorites Worth Growing

Every tropical garden tells its own story.

Some are filled with oversized foliage that creates the feeling of a lush rainforest. Others celebrate brilliant flowers that bloom through the warmest months of summer. Most combine both, layering texture, color, and height to create spaces that feel vibrant, welcoming, and wonderfully alive.  Please note: selection may vary by location.

Pink hibiscus, a tropical shrub.

Hibiscus

The Flower of Paradise

Few plants capture the spirit of summer quite like hibiscus. Their enormous blooms appear in brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and white, becoming instant focal points in gardens and containers alike.

Native to tropical regions around the world, hibiscus has long symbolized hospitality and beauty throughout the Pacific Islands. In Hawaii, the flowers are famously worn behind the ear and are closely associated with island life.

Pink plumeria, a tropical plant.

Plumeria

The Fragrance of Island Vacations

If you have ever received a Hawaiian lei, you may have experienced the unforgettable fragrance of plumeria.

Native to tropical areas of the Americas, these small flowering trees produce waxy, pinwheel-shaped blossoms with a sweet perfume that can fill the evening air.

Their sculptural branches remain beautiful even when the plants are not flowering, while their blooms instantly evoke memories of tropical vacations.

A smaller version of a palm tree in a garden, a tropical garden.

Palms

Resort Style for Every Garden

Nothing says tropical quite like a palm.

While majestic palms create dramatic landscape focal points, many varieties remain compact enough for smaller gardens, patios, courtyards, and decorative containers.

Their graceful fronds add movement, texture, and year-round elegance, whether they are towering over a landscape or adding a lush accent beside your favorite chair.

Birds of paradise tropical plants

Bird of Paradise

Nature’s Living Sculpture

Its name could not be more fitting.

The brilliant orange and blue flowers resemble a colorful bird taking flight, making Bird of Paradise one of the world’s most recognizable tropical plants.

Native to South Africa, its bold architectural shape creates year-round interest, even when it is not in bloom.

Ornamental banana or ensete ventricosum, a tropical plant.

Ornamental Bananas

Instant Tropical Drama

Few plants grow as quickly or create as much impact as ornamental bananas.

Their enormous paddle-shaped leaves flutter with every breeze, instantly transforming ordinary spaces into lush tropical retreats.

They are grown primarily for their spectacular foliage, making them ideal as dramatic focal points, backdrops, or seasonal privacy screens.

Elephant ears, a tropical plant.

Elephant Ear

The Ultimate Statement Leaf

If one plant defines tropical drama, it may be Elephant Ear.

Its enormous heart-shaped leaves create an instant jungle atmosphere while adding incredible texture to landscapes and containers.

Elephant Ears thrive in warmth and appreciate regular moisture, rewarding gardeners with spectacular foliage throughout the growing season.

Red cannas in tropical garden.

Canna

Summer’s Boldest Bloomer

Cannas combine lush tropical foliage with brilliant flowers that seem to glow in the afternoon sun.

Native to the Americas, they attract hummingbirds while producing blooms in vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow, and pink.

Even between blooms, their broad leaves provide dramatic color and texture.

Aralia, a tropical plant

Aralia

Tropical Texture with Elegance

Aralia offers a softer, more refined tropical look.

Its beautifully divided foliage adds layers, movement, and depth to garden beds and containers while blending effortlessly with larger tropical plants.

Think of it as the finishing touch that helps tie an entire tropical planting together.

Cordyline tropical plant

Cordyline

Color Beyond Flowers

Sometimes called Ti Plants, cordylines bring remarkable foliage in shades of burgundy, bronze, pink, purple, green, and lime.

Native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific region, they have long been associated with good fortune and protection in several cultures.

Their colorful leaves provide season-long beauty, even when neighboring plants are not blooming.

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Give Them a Great StartSummerWinds organic planting mix 2 cuft. on whiteE.B. stone organics organic compost

Fortunately, many tropical plants appreciate similar growing conditions, making them easy to combine in gardens and containers.

  • Choose a location with plenty of sunlight. Some varieties appreciate afternoon shade during the hottest part of the day.
  • Improve the soil with compost or a high-quality planting mix before planting.
  • Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball.
  • Position the plant so the top of the root ball remains level with the surrounding soil.Bag of Redi-Gro Bark Mulch 2 cuft.
  • Water deeply after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
  • Add a layer of mulch to help retain moisture, protect roots, and reduce weeds.

When planting in containers, choose a pot with adequate drainage and enough room for the plant to grow. Large tropical plants need substantial containers to remain stable and maintain consistent soil moisture during hot weather.

Care for tropical gardens, from watering to fertilizing to moving precious plants into shade.Simple Care. Big Rewards.

Once established, tropical plants ask for surprisingly little while giving so much in return.

Water consistently during hot weather, especially throughout their first growing season. Plants growing in containers will usually need water more frequently than those planted in the ground.

Feed during spring and summer with a fertilizer suited to the plant you are growing. Regular feeding supports lush foliage, strong growth, and abundant flowering.

Remove spent flowers and damaged leaves as needed to keep plants looking fresh. Many tropicals also benefit from occasional grooming as their large leaves naturally become weathered by wind and sun.

As temperatures cool, move tender container-grown tropicals into a protected location. Cold tolerance varies by plant, so check the needs of each variety before winter arrives.

Design Your Own Tropical Retreat

Every outdoor space has the potential to become a tropical escape.

Whether you're designing a backyard, refreshing a poolside, or adding life to a patio or balcony, the ideas below show how different combinations of tropical plants can create a lush, relaxing atmosphere. Use them as inspiration, then adapt them to fit your own space and style.

An illustration of a backyard paradise tropical garden.A Backyard Paradise

Create a layered landscape by combining palms or ornamental bananas for height, Bird of Paradise for structure, Elephant Ears for bold foliage, Cannas for brilliant blooms, Cordylines for colorful contrast, Hibiscus near gathering spaces, and Aralia to soften the edges.

The result feels lush, immersive, and thoughtfully composed without feeling overcrowded.

A Poolside RetreatAn illustration of a poolside retreat tropical garden.

Use tropical foliage to soften hard surfaces and frame lounging or entertaining areas. Palms, Bird of Paradise, ornamental bananas, and large containers create a resort-like atmosphere while flowering plants add seasonal color.

An illustration of a patio paradise tropical garden.A Patio Paradise

Transform a patio into an outdoor room using decorative containers in several sizes.

Group pots filled with compact palms, Bird of Paradise, Cordylines, Hibiscus, Cannas, and cascading plants around comfortable seating. Add an outdoor rug, lanterns, textiles, and warm lighting for evenings that feel like a getaway.

A Balcony OasisAn illustration of a balcony oasis tropical garden.

Even the smallest balcony can become a tropical escape.

Choose compact palms, colorful Cordylines, Hibiscus, Cannas, or a smaller Bird of Paradise in appropriately sized containers. Add vertical greenery, soft lighting, and a comfortable chair, and suddenly your morning coffee comes with vacation views.

An illustration of a small backyard tropical gardenA Small Backyard Getaway

Rather than spreading plants throughout the entire yard, gather them into one dramatic destination.

Use palms or ornamental bananas as the backdrop.

Layer Bird of Paradise in front.

Weave Cannas and Elephant Ears throughout the planting.

Finish with Cordylines and Aralia to create colorful layers that make the space feel larger than it really is.

Build This Tropical ContainerLarge container garden full of tropical plants like birds of paradise, fatsia, cannas, cordylines, sweet potato, dichondra and creeping jenny.

A single container can deliver all the drama of a tropical landscape.

Thriller

  • Bird of Paradise
  • A compact palm
  • Canna

Fillers

  • Cordyline
  • Elephant Ear
  • Canna, if it is not being used as the thriller

Spillers

  • Sweet Potato Vine
  • Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’
  • Creeping Jenny for a container receiving some afternoon shade

For the illustrated design, use Bird of Paradise as the central thriller, surrounded by Cordyline, Elephant Ear, and Canna, with trailing foliage spilling over the edge.

Choose a decorative container at least 20 to 24 inches wide, depending on the mature size of the featured plants. Make sure it has a drainage hole and fill it with a high-quality potting mix.

Place the Bird of Paradise slightly toward the back if the container will be viewed primarily from one direction. Center it if the arrangement will be seen from all sides. Arrange the fillers around the base and place the trailing plants close to the outer edge.

Your Escape Is WaitingA tropical paradise garden at home with tropical plants all around, container gardens on patio with patio furniture.

Tropical gardening is not about recreating somewhere else.

It is about creating a place that changes how you feel every time you step outside.

A place where hummingbirds visit in the morning sun.

Where oversized leaves rustle softly in the afternoon breeze.

Where vibrant flowers brighten the warmest days of summer.

Whether your outdoor space is a sprawling backyard, a cozy patio, or a sunny balcony, tropical plants invite you to slow down, breathe a little deeper, and enjoy the season a little longer.

Because sometimes the best vacation is the one waiting just outside your back door.