Tauranga locals will be well aware of the tropical weather we have been experiencing over the past few months. While many traditional garden plants battle with these conditions - tropical plants thrive in them. Tropical gardening is ideal for the Tauranga area - we are coastal with mild winters and semi-tropical microclimates seem to exist in pockets all around the Bay of Plenty.

When we think of the tropics we think about graceful palms ruslting in the breeze and there are many palms that are suitable for cultivation in our area. Palms provide a vertical element in the garden, taking up little ground space but providing a dappled shade for various underplantings of shurbs and groundcovers. Queen plams grow well here and are particularly striking when combined with strappy green clivias that bloom hot orange in spring. Vireyas are ideal for tropical gardens and come in a vibrant array of colours from shining yellows and oranges to the more subtle pinks and whites. These plants enjoy the leafy acidity of tropical gardens and will reward you with months of flower. If you are in a really warm sheltered spot then a tropical frangipani is a must. A true tropical treasure with gorgeous blooms and intoxicating fragrance, these can be grown in ground or containers. If you enjoy fragrance in your garden then cover a fence or trellis close to the house with stephanotis where its white fragrant flowers and delicious scent can be appreciated. Gardenias, suitable both for containers and the garden, with their dark leaves will add depth and richness to your garden with their beautifully fragrant blooms. Murryas are compact with glossy green leaves and make excellent background shrubs or hedges. These versatile plants are known for the creamy flowers which are heavily fragrant and perfume their surroundings througout the year.

In a tropical garden foliage can be just as important as flowers. Ferns do well under palms adding a cool leafiness to the garden while striking bromeliads with their strong architectural presence can add form and interesting leaf colour. Native plants such as puka and griselinia look great in the tropical garden with their shiny green leaves. Tropical New Guinea Impatiens have darker green leaves and will provide splashes of vibrant colour throughout the garden.

Tropical gardening is not all shade and jungles. Many plants such as Hibiscus, with their huge saucer like blooms thrive in the full heat of the sun. The colours of these beauties seem to improve every year and you can choose from single or double varieties that will flower all summer long.

Water is a wondrfully colling and relaxing element in the garden. Add a water feature to your tropical garden and the environment will be complete. Here at Decor we just love tropical gardening. If your looking for some inspirational ideas to turn your patch tropical call in and see us today. From practical garden advice through to landscape design and detailed planting plans - we do it all. You could be enjoying your own tropical paradise sooner than you think.