Create a Tropical Garden at Home in Australia

Even if you have a small yard or only a balcony, you can still design a tropical landscape. The following instructions will show you how to create a tropical garden at home in Australia. If, like me, you frequently daydream about being in a tropical rainforest due to the tranquillity it brings.

Diverse leaf textures and colours are needed to create a peaceful, foreign garden atmosphere. It will come together with the help of ample, bold foliage, extravagant blooms, and decorations. For the best results, group plants with various leaf forms and use variegated foliage to break up green compositions.

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Taking Care of Your Tropical Garden

Dig a lot of compost or well-rotted manure into the soil to maintain your tropical plants looking their best. Recycling your kitchen waste you can make your own compost. By keeping the earth moist, organic matter will keep your large-leafed plants healthy. In the spring and summer, compost or cow manure is a great addition to the yard.

To keep tropical plant roots cool and maintain moisture, mulch the area around the plants with composted leaves, lucerne hay, or pea straw, topping up as necessary. Tropical plants require water, and I've found that my plants enjoy it if I have a hose with a mister on the spray gun.

Create an Indoor Tropical Paradise

Don't let the lack of a yard or balcony prevent you from building a tropical paradise. The solution is a room filled with orchids and exotic vegetation. 

Layer Your Plants

Be liberal with your planting to create a lush appearance because tropical plants are dense. For the best results, group plants with various leaf forms together and use variegated foliage to break up green compositions.

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Start with a bigger canopy of palms and trees, which will create a warm microclimate and offer protection and shade for the lower plants. The middle layer is made up of shrubs and tall perennials, while the ground is covered with a diversity of leaf shapes and colours from low-growing plants.

Use a wide variety of textures, shapes and colours. Most rainforests are green. However, it is not unusual to find colourful fungi and plants.

Any tree in the high canopy can be used with palms, towering tree ferns, and tall shrubs.

Suggested Plants For The Top And Middle Layer

• Banana tree (top)

• Golden cane palm (top)

• Kentia palm (top)

• Majestic palm (top)

• Alexandra palm (top)

• Frangipani (top)

• Lilly pilly (top)

• Ivy (on walls and ground)

• Canna Lily (middle)

• Hibiscus (middle)

• Exoctic colourful plants (middle and ground)

• Clustered parlour palm (middle)

• Elephants ear (middle)

• Blue ginger (middle)

• Lady's palm (middle)

• Ivy (ground)

• Orchids (ground)

• Bromeliads (ground)

• Ferns (ground)

• Coleus (ground)

• Impatiens (ground)

• Clivia (ground)

A dense layer of vegetation at the bottom of the garden's structure adds to its lush appearance.

To finish the look, affix bromeliads, Spanish moss, epiphytic orchids, and staghorn or elkhorn ferns to trees.

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Pond or Water Feature

The tropical look is not complete without a pond. You'll also profit from the relaxing sound of running water if you install a fountain.

But if there isn't much room, think about making a water bowl.  While some plants do better with the pot's edge above the water, such as water lilies and lotus plants, do better in deep water.

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The pots will be the right height if they are supported by bricks or by an empty, upside-down pot placed at the bottom of the water receptacle.

If a pond is not a possibility, make an imitation stream bed out of boulders and pebbles, softening the sides with overhanging plants.

The tropical atmosphere is enhanced by weathered stone or terracotta plant containers. By applying a thin layer of weak yoghurt solution to them, you can speed up the ageing process.

In the containers, plant vibrant miniature bougainvillaea, New Guinea impatiens, or tropical rhododendrons (Vireya Group)

To complete the effect, scatter ceramic urns among the plants and add figurines.

Pathway

Any walkways you design should have a natural aspect of establishing a tropical vibe.

Stone pavers with gravel or small mondo grass interplanted or railway sleepers with pebbles or bark mulch look fantastic.

A slightly raised path made of timber decking boards always works nicely in these lush surroundings.

Furniture

Cane, timber, stone, and concrete furniture work well in a tropical garden, so pair it with plenty of cushions.

To create a tranquil area where you can enjoy your lush new yard, add a daybed.

Timber tables, benches, and seats can be painted brightly for a foreign look or left unpainted for a more natural appearance.

Bamboo shields are ideal for concealing unsightly fences or walls.

Colder Climates

In a cool, frost-free, or temperate environment, it is still possible to create a tropical-style garden. Even if the plants you select aren't tropical, you can still create a lush landscape by using shade-loving plants. Pick plants with large, vivid foliage.

Lilly pilly, Magnolia 'St Mary', Michelia alba, and clumping bamboo are good for screening while tall tree ferns, Abyssinian banana, and tall tree ferns provide height and cover.

Second layer plants could be:

• Flax

• Yucca

• Cane begonia

• Fatsia japonica,

• Ginger lily

For the ground:

• Impatiens

• Ferns

• Helleborus

• Lily

• Bromeliad

To shelter your plants and shield them from frost during the colder months, you could also build a glasshouse or mini-greenhouse for a verandah.

Nothing makes you happier than having a tropical garden to unwind in and recall the pleasant recollections of your vacation. If you have a pond and a spot for them to hide, you might also draw some frogs. However, be cautious when using insecticides as they endanger these adorable creatures.