10 Tips for Creating a Tropical Garden in a UK Climate
Give your garden a feeling of the tropics with some thoughtful planting and clever design
We often return from our holidays with memories of palm trees and exotic gardens that unfortunately we don’t have the climate for in northern Europe. But that’s not to say we can’t mimic the feel of those gardens with something a little more exotic than our traditional planting and furnishings.
Here are some great ideas from top UK designers for creating a different garden feeling, sometimes tropical, sometimes dry, but always exotic.
Here are some great ideas from top UK designers for creating a different garden feeling, sometimes tropical, sometimes dry, but always exotic.
Contrast soft and hard
We designed the planting in this garden to have a jungle theme, with lots of big foliage leaves and hot lily flowers. The plants contrast with the large rocks and gravel and evoke the feeling of summer heat just before the rains come.
This is a way of using those big rocks that we can often find in our gardens when we begin to landscape them. It means you can avoid the hassle and expense of removing them, and instead turn them into a great feature.
We designed the planting in this garden to have a jungle theme, with lots of big foliage leaves and hot lily flowers. The plants contrast with the large rocks and gravel and evoke the feeling of summer heat just before the rains come.
This is a way of using those big rocks that we can often find in our gardens when we begin to landscape them. It means you can avoid the hassle and expense of removing them, and instead turn them into a great feature.
Give small spaces depth with big foliage
This garden takes advantage of big foliage plants, such as the banana palm on the right, to make a strong statement for its diminutive size.
That palm draws your eye into the garden and then into a great little seating space. I love the dark foliage beneath the palm – it’s a clever trick to add depth to planting.
Be aware that you need quite a warm microclimate, such as in a city location, to pull off a planting scheme like this.
This garden takes advantage of big foliage plants, such as the banana palm on the right, to make a strong statement for its diminutive size.
That palm draws your eye into the garden and then into a great little seating space. I love the dark foliage beneath the palm – it’s a clever trick to add depth to planting.
Be aware that you need quite a warm microclimate, such as in a city location, to pull off a planting scheme like this.
Create drama with lighting
Garden lighting can transform big foliage plants into something magical at night. In this garden, just a few lights are used to guide us down the path. The lights mainly highlight the foliage rather than the surfaces, which makes for a much more interesting journey and plant composition.
If you’re on a budget, there are some great solar-powered lights available these days that will frame a pathway. However, for foliage impact, you’ll need to install mains-connected garden LED lights.
Garden lighting can transform big foliage plants into something magical at night. In this garden, just a few lights are used to guide us down the path. The lights mainly highlight the foliage rather than the surfaces, which makes for a much more interesting journey and plant composition.
If you’re on a budget, there are some great solar-powered lights available these days that will frame a pathway. However, for foliage impact, you’ll need to install mains-connected garden LED lights.
Grow up the walls
Tropical styling is all about the foliage contrasts. This garden capitalises on a small space with a vertical green wall that uses smaller foliage plants, such as heucheras and ferns, for year-round interest.
Green walls can be expensive to install, but it’s possible to create your own. There’s a range of living wall planters on the market, or you can research ideas for upcycling items such as pallets.
It’s also worth purchasing, or constructing, a simple drip irrigation system to make sure all the plants get an even watering. It might take a while to establish, but it’s a lot more interesting than a bare painted wall.
Discover more reasons to grow a living wall in your outdoor space
Tropical styling is all about the foliage contrasts. This garden capitalises on a small space with a vertical green wall that uses smaller foliage plants, such as heucheras and ferns, for year-round interest.
Green walls can be expensive to install, but it’s possible to create your own. There’s a range of living wall planters on the market, or you can research ideas for upcycling items such as pallets.
It’s also worth purchasing, or constructing, a simple drip irrigation system to make sure all the plants get an even watering. It might take a while to establish, but it’s a lot more interesting than a bare painted wall.
Discover more reasons to grow a living wall in your outdoor space
Colour your garden
We think of the tropics as being full of large foliage plants, but don’t forget to add some colour, too. Many colourful tropical plants won’t grow in the northern hemisphere, but you can add familiar garden plants, such as crocosmia. Its grassy foliage is topped with red or yellow flowers that will give your garden design a sunny feeling.
You can choose easy plants like these, or even substitute pots of lilies at the start of the summer to ring the changes. And don’t forget plants with scrappy leaves, such as agapanthus, which have a similar look to lilies.
We think of the tropics as being full of large foliage plants, but don’t forget to add some colour, too. Many colourful tropical plants won’t grow in the northern hemisphere, but you can add familiar garden plants, such as crocosmia. Its grassy foliage is topped with red or yellow flowers that will give your garden design a sunny feeling.
You can choose easy plants like these, or even substitute pots of lilies at the start of the summer to ring the changes. And don’t forget plants with scrappy leaves, such as agapanthus, which have a similar look to lilies.
Add some tropical luxury
Outdoor showers are the epitome of outdoor luxury and are surprisingly inexpensive to install. Pick a private corner of your garden that’s not overlooked and make a simple installation to an outdoor tap. For year-round hot water, bring in a professional to install a solar heating system.
Always check beforehand that your local authority permits the installation of showers and pools.
Outdoor showers are the epitome of outdoor luxury and are surprisingly inexpensive to install. Pick a private corner of your garden that’s not overlooked and make a simple installation to an outdoor tap. For year-round hot water, bring in a professional to install a solar heating system.
Always check beforehand that your local authority permits the installation of showers and pools.
Mix industrial with tropical
I really like the use of these stone-filled gabion walls juxtaposed with tree ferns. There’s a raw industrial honesty to the wall, but it’s also very easily built; I’ve seen some very effective gabions that use rubble from the garden. Contrast with the foliage of ferns, and you have an urban feeling in the tropics.
Find a landscape contractor or gardening services professional to help you with your garden.
I really like the use of these stone-filled gabion walls juxtaposed with tree ferns. There’s a raw industrial honesty to the wall, but it’s also very easily built; I’ve seen some very effective gabions that use rubble from the garden. Contrast with the foliage of ferns, and you have an urban feeling in the tropics.
Find a landscape contractor or gardening services professional to help you with your garden.
Big up your front garden
Our front gardens are often overlooked, but what better way to make a kerbside statement than with these large succulents? Agave plants need a sunny location to become this big, but once grown, they will stop passers-by in their tracks.
They’re a little sharp at the ends of their leaves, so don’t plant them right next to where you might get out of a car, or where there’s frequent passing traffic.
Read expert advice on how to create a welcoming front garden
Our front gardens are often overlooked, but what better way to make a kerbside statement than with these large succulents? Agave plants need a sunny location to become this big, but once grown, they will stop passers-by in their tracks.
They’re a little sharp at the ends of their leaves, so don’t plant them right next to where you might get out of a car, or where there’s frequent passing traffic.
Read expert advice on how to create a welcoming front garden
Partner with familiar plants
Just a few tropical-style plants can reinvent an existing border. In this garden, familiar varieties mix with tree ferns to transform the planting into another world.
Perennials with great foliage provide interesting flowers throughout the spring and summer, while the tree ferns will carry on giving architectural interest during the winter months, even if they’re covered up for protection from the frost.
TELL US…
Have you added tropical plants to your garden? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Just a few tropical-style plants can reinvent an existing border. In this garden, familiar varieties mix with tree ferns to transform the planting into another world.
Perennials with great foliage provide interesting flowers throughout the spring and summer, while the tree ferns will carry on giving architectural interest during the winter months, even if they’re covered up for protection from the frost.
TELL US…
Have you added tropical plants to your garden? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
I love this garden because the designer has brought in a cool, tropical feel, despite there being traditional English trees and shrubs behind it. In fact, they’ve borrowed the green backdrop and imposed their own exotic plants within the garden itself.
Best of all, the timber screens, water and furniture are all details that build the design story and transport us to a tropical paradise. Use a darker wood, such as Brazilian walnut, also known as ipe (pronounced ee-pay), making sure you buy it from an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified supplier. This strong timber not only looks tropical, it has the added bonus of being resistant to mildew.