STAY COOL IN THE TROPICS

You don't need equatorial heat to grow a tropical garden - you can chill out without temperature highs!

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Hot and steamy with lush, verdant vegetation and wild splashes of colour- our love for the tropics has us wanting to have it in our own backyard, even when not in a tropical climate. Better Homes and Gardens and Tuscan Path want to acknowledge and reward your stunning and original gardens and have joined forces in our Garden of the Year competition (for details, see page 67). Whatever the style, shape or size of your garden, by overcoming the challenges of nature you have the chance to be a winner!

1 BE FLAMBOYANT WITH FOLIAGE!

For a holiday every day without venturing into the heat, find plants that emulate the shapes, textures and colours of tropical greenery while thriving in cooler climates. Go for big foliage - palms and canna lilies and splatterings of vibrant coloured flowers!