Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Get unlimited access to 9,500+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just

$149.99
 
$74.99/Year

Try GOLD - Free

Tropical GARDEN IDEAS

Country Homes & Interiors

|

August 2025

Transform your garden into an exotic oasis for an instant holiday vibe

Tropical GARDEN IDEAS

Exotic gardens equal drama and atmosphere. This style of garden will act as an escape from daily reality and transport us to faraway holiday destinations. Although the look hails from warmer climes, it's easy to adapt it to your own gardens to bring the tropics right into our own back gardens, whatever the weather.

imageExotic style relies on evergreens rather than colour combinations, which means it looks lush all year, and plenty of exotic-looking plants are hardy in UK winters. Others, like the banana tree Musa basjoo, are still fine as long as they're brought inside for the colder months.

You don't need oodles of space to create a tropical-style garden - this planting is a great solution for smaller urban plots too.

imageWhat's more, by using large architectural plants you can easily create sheltered private spaces in yor garden as well as screen out ugly buildings. And with urban heat islands we can grow tender plants for longer in the season.

Get inspired to see what you can achieve in your space, and you might even feel like you're on holiday all year round.

imageGet inspired by your favourite vacations

For exotic inspo, look online at your favourite destinations, or get ideas from holiday photos. You don't have to start from scratchyou can transform your existing garden by taking up the lawn, putting in a path, and planting around that. Include a patio or decking so you've got a secluded place to sit. Be sure to add a pretty shade sail or a parasol. Soft pastel paint shades will give a warm and tropical feel.

MORE STORIES FROM Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

PLAYING TO THE GALLERY

This artist's garden is a stunning composition of colour and form, envisaged in a series of distinct rooms that draw you in to explore and enjoy the outside space

time to read

4 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

Tales from the country

How do you make friends in the countryside? Find a hobby and get a dog, says Tessa

time to read

2 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

Botanical wall art

Capture the beauty of nature with these decorative clay plaques and storage pockets

time to read

2 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

Panel show

Simultaneously traditional and on-trend, wall panelling has returned to favour in recent years, and the enthusiasm shows no signs of abating

time to read

5 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

A GENTLE TOUCH

A new, 'kinder' approach to gardening advocates treating our gardens and ourselves with care and respect. It's changing the look and health of our outside spaces, and how they make us feel

time to read

4 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

FLICK & COLLECT

Saving seed from your garden is the ultimate in foraging-a free and exciting method of increasing your favourite plants year after year

time to read

2 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

LANDSCAPE PAINTING

Look to nature to provide seasonal colour palette inspiration. This month, we love harvest fields

time to read

1 min

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

HOMES FOR HOW WE LIVE NOW

Our homes are constantly evolving — we alter floor plans to open up spaces or enclose new rooms; pantries are converted to back kitchens, snug's to home offices, en-suite bathrooms to dressing rooms. So what do our homes say about our tastes and priorities? We asked the experts

time to read

4 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

PICK YOUR OWN

Even a small country garden can contain an 'orchard' of trees and shrubs, so you can fill your fruit bowl with home-grown apples, pears, plums and more

time to read

2 mins

September 2025

Country Homes & Interiors

Country Homes & Interiors

A better life

Relaxed, rewilded and reconnected with friends, family and the world beneath our feet – that's the spirit inspiring the way we host, holiday, dress our homes and spend our time right now

time to read

4 mins

September 2025

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size