• Bring a little bit of the tropics home with some creative landscaping ideas.tropical resort image by brelsbil from Fotolia.com
  
  California and Florida houses and homes with a Mediterranean or Caribbean flair all tend to have one thing in common: they incorporate elements of the tropics into their aesthetic. Establish tropical landscaping ideas to evoke an atmosphere of warm breezes rolling off the water and cool, fruity drinks in the evenings.
  
  

Rock Garden

• Hostas can add a tropical look to a temperate garden.Hosta image by Michele Maakestad from Fotolia.com
  
  Lay your rock garden out with wide, sweeping curves rather than straight lines; this will give it a gentle, flowing feeling. Rather than simple, plain gray rocks, add some splashes of color with different types of rocks and stone. For those living in a tropical region, choose plants like palms and leafy, evergreen shrubs. For those living in a temperate zone, it's still possible to capture that tropical feel. Use plants with large leaves, like the elephant's ear and hostas. These plants will thrive in more temperate areas, but resemble tropical plants.
  
  

Walkways

• Consider more natural-looking materials for creating a tropical atmosphere with your walkway. Crushed rock, sea shells and sand are possible alternatives to brick or stone that will, in conjunction with the rest of the landscape, create the illusion of walking through a garden in the tropics.
  
  

Plants

• A bit of color goes a long way.orchid image by gmlynek from Fotolia.com
  
  One of the plants that's most commonly associated with a tropical area is the palm, and some varieties can thrive in temperate climates. The Mazari palm is a short palm tree that is suited to cooler temperatures; the Chinese Windmill is another cool-weather option, although this particular palm takes time to reach its full height of up to 40 feet. Look into canna lilies and orchids for a splash of color.
  
  

Water Feature

• A water feature can finish off the landscape.fountain image by cyril from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter the size of the landscaping space, there are several options to create a fitting water feature. For large spaces, include a pond surrounded by multi-colored rocks, palms, ferns and other low, flowering plants. If the temperature outside is right, including fish is always a possibility as well.
  
  If the space is smaller, try a container fountain set back among some of the decorative plants and flowers that are part of the garden. Terracotta or stone planters outfitted with a pump can easily be turned into fountains that will add the relaxing sound of running water without adding the high maintenance of a pond.