Tropical Landscape Ideas for Your Ontario Yard

Picture yourself in a tropical paradise, with turquoise waves rhythmically crashing onto the white sand beach, palm trees swaying in the warm breeze and vibrant lush gardens surrounding you.

Wishing you could get away for a tropical vacation right now?! Unfortunately, that isn’t a reality for Ontarians right now, but we’ve got some tropical landscape ideas to enhance your staycation this summer!

How to create a tropical backyard landscape design in Ontario

1. Plants

The most important features of a tropical landscape design plan are the plants! Dramatic fluctuations Ontario’s weather throughout the year obviously won’t provide the climate required for tropical plants. However, there are some hardy tropical perennials that can thrive in Ontario’s summer weather, as long as they’re brought inside through the cooler months or treated as annuals.

The main distinguishing features of tropical plants, compared to native north American plants, are their large glossy leaves, abundant foliage and bright exotic flowers. Here are some plants that will inspire a tropical vibe in your landscape:

• Tropical Hibiscus

• Canna Lilly
• Yucca
• Dipladenia

• Majesty Palms

• Ferns

• Tropical Red Bananas

A great idea for featuring these types of tropical plants is to incorporate them into your planters. This way, you can bring them inside if the temperature drops.

2. Water Feature

Water features and the sound of running water naturally trigger the body’s NeuroSystems to relax. A water feature doesn’t have to be a pool or large waterfall, it could be a small fountain, pond or anything to recreate the soothing sounds of water.

3. Bright Colours

When creating your tropical landscape design, don’t forget to include lots of colour. Lush tropical gardens are unique for their aray of colours

• • Large rich coloured foliage in deep greens, burgundy and bronze exude luxury and create depth among your gardens.
  • Dramatic colours, patterened leaves, bright floral accents in hot shades of red, orange, pink and yellow, help recreate that tropical flare from the south.
  • Don’t forget you can also add colour with decorative accents such as pillows, umbrellas, planters or patio furniture

How to Care for Tropical Plants in Ontario

Lastly, once you’ve created your tropical Ontario landscape design, here are some tips for caring for the plants.

1. Read the labels and care instructions
2. Use Mulch
3. Water properly
4. Winterize

_Sources:

_{https://canadale.ca/tropical-plants-backyard-paradise/}

_{https://landscapeontario.com/lets-go-tropical}

_{https://homegardenandhomestead.com/cold-hardy-tropical-plants/}