per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These

Over the past few years the idea of a tropical garden has become popular. Plants used to create this tropical look come with lots of color, as an extra bonus the plants carry a unique look all their own. Color and unique looks can make these plants more appealing to garden lovers in areas of the country where many gardeners plant and use the same type of material.

A garden full of tropicals not only has its own beauty but also attracts its share of nature garden friends, hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. The variety of plants for use in the design is diverse. Some plants will require lots of water to look well and other may require plenty of heat. One down side of tropical gardens comes from a fact of nature. They don’t handle freeze well and in fact may not survive. To battle this winter cold many tropical lovers in cooler climates opt for keeping their tropicals in containers for easy movement indoors during the cold winter.

If the idea of creating a tropical garden intrigues you, a few rules need to go into the garden plan. The biggest and most important is sunlight. Most tropicals require lots of sunlight. Growing the plants in containers, raised beds or planted in the ground all require the garden area to have lots of sun. How much sun you ask? As a minimum, six hours per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These c

lant and use the same type of material.

A garden full of tropicals not only has its own beauty but also attracts its share of nature garden friends, hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. The variety of plants for use in the design is diverse. Some plants will require lots of water to look well and other may require plenty of heat. One down side of tropical gardens comes from a fact of nature. They don’t handle freeze well and in fact may not survive. To battle this winter cold many tropical lovers in cooler climates opt for keeping their tropicals in containers for easy movement indoors during the cold winter.

If the idea of creating a tropical garden intrigues you, a few rules need to go into the garden plan. The biggest and most important is sunlight. Most tropicals require lots of sunlight. Growing the plants in containers, raised beds or planted in the ground all require the garden area to have lots of sun. How much sun you ask? As a minimum, six hours per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These

of heat. One down side of tropical gardens comes from a fact of nature. They don’t handle freeze well and in fact may not survive. To battle this winter cold many tropical lovers in cooler climates opt for keeping their tropicals in containers for easy movement indoors during the cold winter.

If the idea of creating a tropical garden intrigues you, a few rules need to go into the garden plan. The biggest and most important is sunlight. Most tropicals require lots of sunlight. Growing the plants in containers, raised beds or planted in the ground all require the garden area to have lots of sun. How much sun you ask? As a minimum, six hours per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These

tropical garden intrigues you, a few rules need to go into the garden plan. The biggest and most important is sunlight. Most tropicals require lots of sunlight. Growing the plants in containers, raised beds or planted in the ground all require the garden area to have lots of sun. How much sun you ask? As a minimum, six hours per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These

per day of direct sunlight each day.

A Must Have Plant

One “must have” plant for any tropical garden is the bougainvillea. These colorful, bush/trees respond well to irregular watering. For example in the bougainvilleas natural habitat it may enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time, then long dry periods. These conditions you can easily duplicate. Water your bougainvillea very well for a few weeks and then stop. When bougainvillea goes through dry periods, you get rewarded with nature dressing the bougainvillea with a wardrobe of bright colored flowers. A few plants in containers can create a colorful show and wonderful tropical addition to a summer pool landscape.

Bougainvillea not only gives tropical color but also can be grown in a variety of ways. Under the right conditions they can almost grow as a vine climbing up a trellis. However, they lend themselves as excellent candidates to being pruned and shaped. The downside to the bougainvillea is the barbs or thorns they hold on the trunk and branches. Keep children away from them. The plus of the thorns is they make a good natural fence if you use them that way. Thorns aside the bougainvillea displays a breath taking tropical color display difficult to duplicate.

The key to starting your tropical garden begins with sunlight, six hours minimum and do not forget to include a Bougainvillea for true tropical color, after that the possibilities are endless.