Nate Becker
Design ideas for a tropical stone garden path in Orange County.

This is an example of a mid-sized tropical full sun front yard stone garden path in Los Angeles.

Photo of a tropical partial sun landscaping in Miami.

This newly completed contemporary island style Florida home overlooks the Roosevelt Channel, on the Bay side of Captiva Island, and is graced with the sunrise in the mornings. Repeat clients remind us of the success of previous landscape designs and of lasting relationships built while offering new and challenging opportunities for creative design. This client expressed a desire for a colorful tropical garden with emphasis on tropical plants, creative color palette and privacy. A grove of coconut palms with lush bamboo and a dense clusia hedge with a small tropical garden at the entry of the property screen views to the interior of the property plant a seed of intrigue for what lies around the corner beyond the decorative tabby stucco gate columns. Upon passing under the grove of coconuts and rounding the corner of the drive, the property opens to an expansive front yard with colorful tropical garden beds and channels views to the newly completed residence. Gardens containing colorful bromeliads, bougainvillea and tropical palms with a variety of leaf shape and texture and color draw upon influences of Brazilian garden design. Manicured swaths of Empire Zoysa separates the various gardens and allows for the user to stroll and explore the different gardens. The winding drive terminates at the front entry in a large tear drop shape turn around with massive coconuts in the center island surrounded by seven Sylvester Date palms around the outside of the drive. The entire perimeter of the turn around is surrounded with tropical gardens and intimate tropical gardens flank each side of the main entrance stairs. The hardscape pattern and color was selected to compliment the coquina tabby shell stucco finish on the foundation walls. The completed hardscape design including retaining walls, driveway, golf cart paths and private walks, is the result of collaborating closely with the owner over multiple revisions. The back of the residence overlooks an expansive resort-like pool and spa and a pool deck that terminates just feet from the seawall of the Roosevelt Channel. Tropical vegetation at each side of the property offers privacy to the pool area but is manicured to preserve views to the bay beyond. This truly is an island paradise.

The Upper Shade Garden The small enclosed Shade garden occupies the site of the former owners’ “kitchen” garden. It was here, protected from the deer by rock and wire fencing, that the two elderly ladies grew vegetables and flowers for the house.

Inspiration for a tropical shade stone garden path in Miami.

Front yard tropical garden landscape in South Florida by Matthew Giampietro
This is an example of a contemporary front yard landscaping in Miami.

Tamara Alvarez
Pool - mid-sized tropical side yard brick and rectangular pool idea in Miami

Steven Brooke
Design ideas for a small tropical partial sun courtyard stone water fountain landscape in Miami.

Photo of a mid-sized tropical partial sun garden path in Atlanta.

This unique 2.75 acre property, located on the Roosevelt Channel on Captiva Island, was transformed from a barren construction site into a tropical garden that would rival some botanical gardens. The homeowners are garden enthusiasts and collaborated closely with Bob Walsh and the landscape team to create a variety of lush landscape gardens including; a Tropical Flowering Tree Garden, Moonlight & Scent Garden, Citrus & Edible Garden, Specimen Palm Gardens, Tropical Shade Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, and Waterfall Gardens with lagoon pools for Koi fish. Outdoor living was of primary consideration as well. The Seminole Indian Chickee Hut overlooks a private Island Beach with hammocks to offer a retreat for entertaining and relaxation while a 42 foot circular Stone Labyrinth is a place for meditation and contemplation. Moon and accent landscape lighting allow the numerous pathways and gardens to be enjoyed well beyond sunset.

The Eric Cohler Design Team has been busy on location on the North Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Photography: Ethan Tweedie Photography
Photo of a tropical concrete paver garden path in Hawaii.

Kim Horner
This is an example of a large tropical full sun side yard driveway in San Diego.

This British Colonial theme new residence sits atop the ridgeline on the west end of Sanibel Island overlooking the Gulf. Carefully manicured dune and beach access offer breathtaking views from the main and upper patios of the residence to the beach and the sunset. A lush, tropical entry runs the length of each side property line from the road, along each side of the house, to the CCCL line and provides a dense privacy barrier from the beach access path along the east property line. Tropical bamboo, white bird of paradise, traveler palms, dwarf leaf clusia and relocated native trees and shrubs make up the dense buffer. In the front of the residence a specimen multi-stem Sylvester Date Palm anchors the center drive island while stately royal palms, foxtail palms and multi-stem adonidia palms accent the foundation of the residence. Curved coconut palms march down the driveway to the street. Individual theme gardens were created in the side yards which include a Moon Garden, Fruit Garden, Butterfly Garden, Wetland Garden, Tropical Garden and Bamboo Garden. Architectural garden elements include a Walpole garden gate, arbor and mail box with a custom house name sign attached. As one walks the many different specimen gardens, large concrete garden benches from Curry & Co. offer a place to pause while botanical plant label stakes indicate plant species and origin. A California style espalier wall with confederate jasmine vine softens the back side of the pool wall, which is visible upon the entrance to the garages and espalier on the pool side wall for trellis bougainvillea offer vertical elements to connect the house and the landscape with tropical vegetation and color. This ideal client had a specific idea for their property which we were able to visualize and bring to reality.

This British Colonial theme new residence sits atop the ridgeline on the west end of Sanibel Island overlooking the Gulf. Carefully manicured dune and beach access offer breathtaking views from the main and upper patios of the residence to the beach and the sunset. A lush, tropical entry runs the length of each side property line from the road, along each side of the house, to the CCCL line and provides a dense privacy barrier from the beach access path along the east property line. Tropical bamboo, white bird of paradise, traveler palms, dwarf leaf clusia and relocated native trees and shrubs make up the dense buffer. In the front of the residence a specimen multi-stem Sylvester Date Palm anchors the center drive island while stately royal palms, foxtail palms and multi-stem adonidia palms accent the foundation of the residence. Curved coconut palms march down the driveway to the street. Individual theme gardens were created in the side yards which include a Moon Garden, Fruit Garden, Butterfly Garden, Wetland Garden, Tropical Garden and Bamboo Garden. Architectural garden elements include a Walpole garden gate, arbor and mail box with a custom house name sign attached. As one walks the many different specimen gardens, large concrete garden benches from Curry & Co. offer a place to pause while botanical plant label stakes indicate plant species and origin. A California style espalier wall with confederate jasmine vine softens the back side of the pool wall, which is visible upon the entrance to the garages and espalier on the pool side wall for trellis bougainvillea offer vertical elements to connect the house and the landscape with tropical vegetation and color. This ideal client had a specific idea for their property which we were able to visualize and bring to reality.

Photo Credit: Sherwood Cox
Design ideas for a tropical landscaping in New Orleans.

This British Colonial theme new residence sits atop the ridgeline on the west end of Sanibel Island overlooking the Gulf. Carefully manicured dune and beach access offer breathtaking views from the main and upper patios of the residence to the beach and the sunset. A lush, tropical entry runs the length of each side property line from the road, along each side of the house, to the CCCL line and provides a dense privacy barrier from the beach access path along the east property line. Tropical bamboo, white bird of paradise, traveler palms, dwarf leaf clusia and relocated native trees and shrubs make up the dense buffer. In the front of the residence a specimen multi-stem Sylvester Date Palm anchors the center drive island while stately royal palms, foxtail palms and multi-stem adonidia palms accent the foundation of the residence. Curved coconut palms march down the driveway to the street. Individual theme gardens were created in the side yards which include a Moon Garden, Fruit Garden, Butterfly Garden, Wetland Garden, Tropical Garden and Bamboo Garden. Architectural garden elements include a Walpole garden gate, arbor and mail box with a custom house name sign attached. As one walks the many different specimen gardens, large concrete garden benches from Curry & Co. offer a place to pause while botanical plant label stakes indicate plant species and origin. A California style espalier wall with confederate jasmine vine softens the back side of the pool wall, which is visible upon the entrance to the garages and espalier on the pool side wall for trellis bougainvillea offer vertical elements to connect the house and the landscape with tropical vegetation and color. This ideal client had a specific idea for their property which we were able to visualize and bring to reality.

Natural stone wall allows for privacy and helps with noise factor. Add some depth with a high and low tropical garden with multiple color variations.

This British Colonial theme new residence sits atop the ridgeline on the west end of Sanibel Island overlooking the Gulf. Carefully manicured dune and beach access offer breathtaking views from the main and upper patios of the residence to the beach and the sunset. A lush, tropical entry runs the length of each side property line from the road, along each side of the house, to the CCCL line and provides a dense privacy barrier from the beach access path along the east property line. Tropical bamboo, white bird of paradise, traveler palms, dwarf leaf clusia and relocated native trees and shrubs make up the dense buffer. In the front of the residence a specimen multi-stem Sylvester Date Palm anchors the center drive island while stately royal palms, foxtail palms and multi-stem adonidia palms accent the foundation of the residence. Curved coconut palms march down the driveway to the street. Individual theme gardens were created in the side yards which include a Moon Garden, Fruit Garden, Butterfly Garden, Wetland Garden, Tropical Garden and Bamboo Garden. Architectural garden elements include a Walpole garden gate, arbor and mail box with a custom house name sign attached. As one walks the many different specimen gardens, large concrete garden benches from Curry & Co. offer a place to pause while botanical plant label stakes indicate plant species and origin. A California style espalier wall with confederate jasmine vine softens the back side of the pool wall, which is visible upon the entrance to the garages and espalier on the pool side wall for trellis bougainvillea offer vertical elements to connect the house and the landscape with tropical vegetation and color. This ideal client had a specific idea for their property which we were able to visualize and bring to reality.