How to Design a Tropical Front Yard Landscape

Plant a palm tree as the focal point of the landscape. The needle-palm is the most cold-hardy of all the palm trees. It can withstand winter temperatures as low as zero degrees F. Another good choice for a cold-hardy palm tree is the Chinese windmill palm. This palm can withstand temperatures as low as 5 degrees F. If the temperatures in your area go below this temperature, plant the palm tree in a container. Place the container in the garden, and bring it indoors before the first frost. Plant less cold-hardy palms, such as the ruffle palm or queen palm, in areas where the winter temperatures are mild or moderate.

Plant large tropical perennials around the foundation of the home. Many of these plants will grow 2 to 10 feet tall and add color and texture to a foundation. Plants such as the Philippine violet and the bird of paradise are tropical perennials. Philippine violets are only hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11. The bird of paradise is a tropical plant that can survive winter temperatures as low as 18 degrees F. In cooler areas, plant large perennials that look like tropical plants. Large-leafed hostas, such as the `Blue Mammoth,' withstand cooler winters and give the landscape a tropical feel.

Add a few hibiscus plants to the landscape. The dark green foliage and large bright flowers are a must in tropical borders, gardens and foundation plantings. In warm climates, plant tropical hibiscus plants directly in the soil. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is one possible choice for warm areas. In cooler areas, plant rosa-sinensis in a container, and bring it indoors during the cold. Another choice for a tropical garden is Hibiscus moscheutos. This hibiscus is hardy up to USDA zone 4.

Plant ferns to fill in the bare areas around the landscape or as a ground cover. The long airy fonds of the fern look very tropical. The western maiden hair fern and western sword ferns are both cold hardy.