If you have been to Asia countries, South or Central America with tropical forests, you will agree that the woods give your lungs a break from the city’s pollution. The many growing trees and green plants are also soothing to the eye, which eventually relaxes your mind. Luckily, there are now many small tropical garden ideas that can bring tropical vibes to your home.
Thanks to the development of botanical science, you can plant several identical tropical plants, such as banana plants, palm trees, and rainforest orchids, in your tropical gardens. In addition, you can also give a touch of waterfalls and oases to add to the tropical atmosphere you love. Curious about how to transform your garden to have tropical island vibes? Let’s look at our list of small tropical garden ideas that will brighten up your space!
Table of Contents
- 1. Hanging Tropical Garden
- 2. Indoor Cozy Tropical Garden Ideas
- 3. Cactus Heaven Small Tropical Garden Ideas
- 4. Fish Pond In Tropical Garden
- 5. Relaxing Tropical Garden With Waterfall
- 6. Oasis-Inspired Garden Ideas
- 7. Backyard Tropical Garden With Lush Greenery
- 8. Asian Vibes Tropical Garden
- 9. Contemporary City Garden
- 10. Tropical-Themed Outdoor Garden
- 11. Urban Tropical Patio
- 12. Resort Style Small Tropical Garden Ideas
- 13. Tropical Forest-Themed Garden Ideas
- 14. Modern Tropical Garden
- 15. Small Tropical Garden Ideas With Wooden Floor
- 16. Lush Tropical Garden Landscaping
- 17. Balinese And Florida Style Tropical Garden
- 18. Garden Corner Landscaping Design
- 19. Open Space Tropical Backyard With Dining Area
- 20. Private And Tropical Garden Ideas
- 21. Mini Rainforest Garden Ideas
- 22. Thai-Inspired Tropical Garden
- 23. Balcony Oasis Small Tropical Garden Ideas
- 24. Water Feature Garden Ideas
- 25. Rainforest Garden Ideas With Orchids
1. Hanging Tropical Garden
We include this tropical garden design to the list of small tropical garden ideas for those who have narrow spaces but still want to add tropical vibes to their home. A hanging tropical garden is the best option since you won’t need to prepare a wide area, yet only have to arrange your container plants and attach them to wooden blocks.
Next, choose dangling plants to mimic tropical plants, which generally hang down from the lush trees. Or, you can also add towering plants if you want. For the potted plants, you can try planting Begonia or Bromeliads because they have stunning variegated foliage.
2. Indoor Cozy Tropical Garden Ideas
No matter where you live, you can always count on this design to have a tropical vibe in your home. All you need to prepare is an empty room with a wooden floor. This wooden floor is important to prevent slipping.
In addition, ensure the room has proper ventilation, like windows, for the air exchange and supply of sunlight because these plants love the sun. Instead of tall plants, you can pick dangling plants like Bird’s Nest Fern or other potted species of palm trees and monstera for easy maintenance.
3. Cactus Heaven Small Tropical Garden Ideas
Do you know that some cactus and agave live in tropical and subtropical areas? In fact, some species of cactus thrive best in those places, including prickly pears, cereus, and barbary fig cactus. These plants will make a stunning addition to your small tropical garden.
Grow prickly pears and barbara fig cactus near agave to add red color to the greeneries and plant cereus cactus next to them. Cereus will give a vivid tropical feel because they grow to the top. Moreover, you do not need to worry about maintenance since they need minimum watering, making it easy for you to take care of them.
4. Fish Pond In Tropical Garden
How does it feel to have a tropical garden with a fish pond? It will indeed feel surreal! The atmosphere brings you peace and calm. This idea is for those who do not prefer to have a garden that is too dense but still want to have a tropical feel to their home.
To make the layout, you simply design a medium-sized fish pond. Then, in the middle, you plant Water Irish, whose beautiful flowers and tropical foliage will adorn the pond. Meanwhile, you can also add Creeping Jenny as pond borders to add to the aesthetic value of your garden.
5. Relaxing Tropical Garden With Waterfall
Besides the pond, you can add a mini waterfall as another water feature in your tropical garden. This artificial waterfall seems to describe the atmosphere of a waterfall in a tropical rainforest, where around it is full of tropical plants that give a fresh impression, thanks to their green shade.
In addition, we recommend choosing a stone water fountain to resemble its original nature. Moreover, it is better if the pond floor is bluish-green like water in the forest river to make it look more natural.
6. Oasis-Inspired Garden Ideas
If previously we discussed waterfalls in our small tropical garden ideas, this time we would like to suggest you take an oasis to the next level by only using a small bowl water fountain. Place the fountain at the end of the wooden path surrounded by palms and other flowering tropical plants.
Don’t forget to choose an earth tone color to match the tropical garden atmosphere. We assure you that the gurgling sound will give you calmness as if taking you to the river in a tropical rain forest while enjoying the blue sky and birds chirping.
7. Backyard Tropical Garden With Lush Greenery
Is there a calmer feeling than sitting and relaxing in the backyard of a house designed to resemble a tropical forest? We think the feeling is second to none! Those lush plants provide a green atmosphere that soothes the eyes and makes anyone feel at home sitting there for a long time.
If you are interested in this exotic style, arrange wooden or wicker chairs in the middle of dense plantings. Plus, some pillows will be great to put on the couch just in case you want to lay back and enjoy your weekend in the morning, breathing in the fresh air.
8. Asian Vibes Tropical Garden
For those who have been in South-East Asia and want to bring its tropical vibes to your garden, we present you Asian vibes-small tropical garden ideas you can try! The papaya tree, which is a tropical fruit, gives a distinctive tropical touch to your garden.
In addition, you can plant the agave, palm trees, and some other flowering plants along the stone steps leading to your backyard to enhance the vibes even more, and of course, beautify your tropical garden.
9. Contemporary City Garden
Who says you cannot make a small tropical garden if you have a house in an urban area? Of course, you can do it! Even with a tiny room, you can still arrange the layout of your tropical plants to create a green open space with a touch of greenery. How come?
Choose leafy plants that grow lushly to hang to form green walls. Then, grow monstera, Calathea, ferns, and some small palm trees in the containers. Next, place them at the bottom of the dangling plants to make them look dense. If you want a touch of bright flowers, hang some orchids in the middle of the green walls.
10. Tropical-Themed Outdoor Garden
It is one of the most stunning small tropical garden ideas that consider its aesthetic value well. Just look at the architectural foliage! Banana plants that grow with leaves that are left hanging offer shade cover for those who sit under them. Not to mention the Calathea and snake plants that grow at the base of the banana plant, which add to the feeling of lush greeneries.
In addition, we cannot deny the layout of the chairs and the selection of the wooden floor, which combines earth tone, white, and black colors to synchronize the atmosphere of your tropical garden further.
11. Urban Tropical Patio
Another urban-style tropical garden idea you will love for your patio. The dense planting is an excellent move to make your outdoor spaces feel cozy and protect you from a sunny afternoon. To make it shady, of course, you need to choose plants that grow tall and dense, such as hardy bananas, temple bamboos, and palm trees.
Meanwhile, you can plant Calathea, aglaonema, and ferns at the base to create a forest-like vibe right in front of your door. Also, put a comfortable chair so that you and your guests are more comfortable to have a chat for hours in this spot.
12. Resort Style Small Tropical Garden Ideas
Have you ever noticed this kind of layout in the resort’s tropical garden? Now, you can make one in your home! You will only need the pea gravel, wooden box, and some rectangular pieces of wood as garden steps.
First, arrange the four pieces of wood into a rectangle and then place them in a row with proper space between each other. Second, plant a banana tree, aloe vera, agave, and other tropical plants you wish in a wooden box. You can also grow small eastern red cedar next to the box. Then, install a wooden frame as a background and spread pea gravel around your garden.
13. Tropical Forest-Themed Garden Ideas
Suppose you are a nature lover and often explore tropical rainforests to get to know flora and fauna more closely. In that case, this tropical forest-theme garden idea is definitely made for you. It has a jungle-like ambiance everyone will find out exciting!
Furthermore, choosing plants is the key to creating such an astonishing arrangement. You can start planting banana trees which may take longer to grow tall. Likewise, ferns and vines can join the pack to further add to the forest atmosphere. It is simple, clean, yet so green.
14. Modern Tropical Garden
The tropical garden turns out to be able to feature modern touch, and it turns out magnificent! With a blend of lush bamboo trees, broad-leaf varieties of plants, and tall palms, the tropical atmosphere feels alive. Don’t be afraid to combine large and small plants because they add their accent to your small tropical garden.
In addition, the selection of dark wood tones on the sofa set and floor provides an incredible color contrast but is not overwhelming. They also enhance the coziness and calm feeling while you enjoy your time in this space.
15. Small Tropical Garden Ideas With Wooden Floor
We think it is one of the minimalist small tropical garden ideas that will suit homeowners who want to give a touch of green open space on the back porch of their house. The planting location is only in the corner of the area facing each other with a wooden floor.
Instead of wide-leaf plants, you can try planting plants that grow upwards to save space for others. Moreover, the remaining space will be great for your children to play with. Or, add a set of chairs and tables for your family to relax in this area.
16. Lush Tropical Garden Landscaping
Landscaping your garden with tropical plants is an amazing idea, especially if you have an outdoor area since it gives you more options to design it creatively. You can grow banana plants to provide a protective canopy from the sun and enliven a jungle feel.
Lower-growing plants like pandan, cast iron, Calathea, and philodendron will also be fantastic collections to surround the garden. In addition, spread river stones or pea gravel around to offer a natural accent. Moreover, a fire pit and set of camp chairs will allow you to have an unforgettable barbeque night with family and friends.
17. Balinese And Florida Style Tropical Garden
The combination of Balinese culture and the modern vibes of Florida looks quite thick in this tropical garden design. If you take a closer look, there are several clay cauldrons that are commonly found in Bali. Meanwhile, the warm tones of the floor, pond, water fountain, and background frame show a minimalist, modern design with a serene ambiance.
In addition, not many plants grow here, but they mostly have wide and tall leaves, such as monstera and banana plants. You may also add dwarf palm trees as a characteristic of Bali to replace the Coconut palm trees that are popular on the island.
18. Garden Corner Landscaping Design
Take advantage of the narrow area in your house to become a small tropical garden you will like to hang out in. By designing a wooden, big container that will fit some tropical plants, you can create a unique and beautiful garden to adorn the void space.
Grow Alocasia to wrap your backyard with a tropical atmosphere since they have giant green leaves identical to tropical rainforests. If you cannot find the plant, replace it with Calathea lutea, as it will provide shade and, of course, a tropical touch. Furthermore, build wood borders next to it to offer privacy from your neighbors.
19. Open Space Tropical Backyard With Dining Area
Providing an open space in the backyard with a dining area is such a clever idea to impress your guests as well as pamper them with the beauty of greeneries. The square, open wall design, and dining table placement provide more free access for guests to enjoy your tropical garden.
Moreover, the growing plants vary, ranging from tall to low-growing and potted plants, offering contrasting evergreens that resemble true tropical rainforests.
20. Private And Tropical Garden Ideas
Those who love simplicity will adore this private garden with a tropical touch. Instead of growing many tropical plants, you will only need to plant banana trees and some foxtail ferns at the base of the trees.
They also do not need many spaces; just plant them in the backyard, next to the border wall with your neighbors. These plants also add greenery and are perfect to feature with the cobblestone paths that connect parts of the house.
21. Mini Rainforest Garden Ideas
Are you on a tight budget but want to make over your garden? Choose this small garden idea! The layout is simple; just by planting low-growing tropical plants and palm trees, you can already get a tropical aura that is pleasant to look at. Moreover, this garden is adjacent to the bedroom window, allowing you to enjoy the tropical atmosphere right from your bed.
To provide some privacy, build a fence from natural stone as a garden barrier with other areas outside your house. Also, add a path as an additional accent and ground covers or grass to beautify and green your garden.
22. Thai-Inspired Tropical Garden
Highlighting the two iconic statues at the garden entrances, we already know that this is a small tropical garden inspired by Thai culture. The choice of white on the path with black river stones is just so incredible because it creates a striking color contrast with the green grass next to it.
In addition, ferns, monstera, cordyline, and several other tropical plants and trees thrive, enhancing tropical rainforest vibes to anyone walking through the garden.
23. Balcony Oasis Small Tropical Garden Ideas
Instead of letting your balcony empty, how about you try to liven up a tropical atmosphere that, we guarantee, will make you want to hang out in this space every day? Unlike other small tropical garden ideas mentioned, you do not need to plant tall tropical plants that will fill the room.
Just bring some orchids and hang them on the walls; you already bring a part of tropical rainforests to your home. Additionally, ferns and Fargesia bamboo will be perfect for planting in containers to boost the tropical atmosphere.
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24. Water Feature Garden Ideas
Do you like the sound of gurgling river water? You can hear it every day by adding an exotic water fountain to your small tropical garden. The unique frame design in the form of wood branches reflects the flow of water that seems to come out of the trees in the forest.
Moreover, tropical plants grow around the water source, such as ferns, making it look more natural. If you want to go beyond, add some dwarf palm trees under the wooden frame to elevate tropical accents.
25. Rainforest Garden Ideas With Orchids
Who does not know about orchids? These flowering plants are icons of the rainforests because that is where their natural habitat is to grow and reproduce. Hence, we recommend you add this plant to your small tropical garden.Â
Combine orchids with cast iron plants, alocasia, and Calatheas to beautify your garden area. Palm trees will also be fascinating if planted in your garden because they can be a medium for hanging orchids, resembling their habitat where orchids are epiphytes that live attached to other plants.
