Dear Gardeners:

Tropical gardening is all the rage these days. I think it's because landscapes are so much smaller than they used to be. Tropicals pack a lot of punch into one plant, making every square foot of garden space ultra-high impact. Big leaves and hot colors are the key to creating the hot tropical look.

Any of our Cannas are essential to every tropical-esque garden. They are big, bold, and above all, easy to grow. Tender in zone 7 and colder, they need to be dug and brought inside before soil temperatures drop below 40 degrees.

Contrast the strict upright foliage of Cannas with the round, robust foliage Elephant Ears. 'Black Magic' has velvety, deep purple foliage that create drama and intrigue in the small shady garden.

Punch up the bright foliage of your tropical garden with colorful flowers. Angel Trumpets are knockouts in the summer garden, but they don't often start to flower until late in the season. Add Gladiolus for spikes of flowers saturated in bright colors. Adding any of our smaller-flowered Dahlias will complete the look with rounded pinpoints of color that sparkle like the rainbow mists of a tropical waterfall.

Happy Gardening,
The Bulb Lady®