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Regions / Tropical South


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Tropical South Region - Inspiring Garden Ideas For All Gardeners

Selecting plants suited to the Tropical South climate is a key step to success.

Various initiatives have taken place to determine how well plants would withstand the cold winter temperatures (Plant Hardiness Zones) or when plants would start suffering from the heat (Plant Heat Zones).

The Tropical South region lies in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10-11 and in AHS Heat Zones 10 through 12.

If you know your hardiness zone and heat zone, find the best plants or exciting garden ideas for your geographic area.


A Long-Lasting Summer Garden Idea with Marigold and Sage

This summer garden idea combines easy-to-grow annuals and perennials in a pretty mix of forms and colors. All plants are deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and low maintenance. Most make lovely fresh bouquets to be enjoyed at home!

A Beautiful Duo with Agave 'Blue Flame' and 'Blue Glow'

Simple but stunning, this Mediterranean duo includes two spectacular Agave hybrids. Imagine how gorgeous this duo becomes when backlit by the sun in early morning or late afternoon! 

An Easy Summer Planting Idea with Sage and Ornamental Grasses

This desirable and long-lasting summer border is fairly easy to replicate in order to be enjoyed at home.

A Colorful and Low Maintenance California Garden

A glorious mix of colors, shapes, and textures for a long-lasting impact. Blooming over a long season extending from late spring to fall, bright red and pink Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos) cheerfully contrast with the evergreen ground-hugging Blue Chalk Stick (Senecio mandraliscae) and the incredibly elegant Agave demestiana 'Variegata'.

An Easy Summer Planting Idea with Lantana and Ornamental Grasses

This desirable and long-lasting summer border is fairly easy to replicate in order to be enjoyed at home. Gloriously teaming up with the brightly colored flower clusters of Lantana camara, are the long arching plumes of Pennisetum setaceum (Purple Fountain Grass) which sway gracefully in the summer breeze. Both plants are drought tolerant, deer resistant, and require very little care.

A Stunning Plant Combination Idea with Dahlia and Sage

Create a beautiful garden with this colorful and long-lasting plant combination idea that will enchant your borders from early summer to fall

A Desirable Summer Border Idea with Grasses, Dahlias and Amaranth

Designed for late summer and fall interest, this bold plant combination can be easily replicated in many sunny garden situations. Most plants make excellent cut flowers that can be pleasantly enjoyed at home. A great way of ending the season with a bang of color!

A Long-Lasting Border Idea with Pelargonium, Heliothrope and Senecio

Create a beautiful summer garden with this colorful and long-lasting plant combination idea that will enchant your hanging baskets, window boxes and raised beds for weeks from spring to fall. Bright pink Ivy Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) are beautifully combined with heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) and Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima) to create a terrific summer border jostling for your attention week after week.

A Stunning Plant Combination Idea

Create a beautiful garden with this colorful and long-lasting plant combination idea that will enchant your borders for weeks from early summer to fall.

A Long-Lasting Border Idea with Tradescantia and Coleus

Create a beautiful summer garden with this colorful and long-lasting planting idea that will enchant your beds and borders, hanging baskets or containers for months. Easy to grow, low maintenance, most plants are recipients of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.

An Easy Plant Combination Idea

Long-lasting and low care!

A Brightly Colored Path

Awash with color, these terracota slab stones steps are closely adorned with Verbena 'Homestead Purple' (Verbena Canadensis), a vigorous, award-winning perennial that blooms its heart out in a profuse display of rich, bright purple blossoms from late spring

A Colorful Succulent Garden

This tapestry garden weaves together succulents and other drought-tolerant plants for a long-lasting impact. Color and texture highlight this landscape creation, where the focus was laid on foliage, and blooms regarded as a bonus.

A Mediterranean Raised Bed Idea

These blue and silver plants show to advantage against the stucco wall of this retaining wall. All plants are evergreen, drought-tolerant and deer resistant.

A Pretty Container Idea with Sea Lavender and Lotus

An eye-catching idea for your summer containers. All plants are evergreen, drought-tolerant and deer resistant.

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