It is actually fairly easy to grow a tropical paradise in your own backyard. Despite the fact that it does not feel very tropical here in Berkeley, it is moist here and temperatures rarely dip below freezing. If you have even the smallest south facing exposure, you have what you need to create a tropical paradise in your Bay Area backyard!
Hawaii is one of my favorite places, mostly because of the weather, the plants, the water, and the pace.
You find incredible colors as well as a lot of green...



Morning Glory vines are colorful, and Philodendron are prolific.


...green jungle with lots of vines.



Golden Chain Trees are easy, grow quickly and beautiful when in bloom


Quite a few Hawaiian plants will easily grow here in the Bay Area.
Bamboo,





Ginger,





Queen Palms, King Palms, Sago Palms,





Princess Flower bushes--which are all over Hawaii and are considered weeds.





Brugmansia in all colors,





Abyssinian Bananas that have a great red color but bear no fruit,





Australian Tree Ferns,





Fig trees, colorful berries, Abutilon (flowering maple) and many more...





Bird of Paradise and Cannas are great substitutes for some of the bromeliads in the tropics.





Rubber trees have a beautiful reddish green waxy tropical leaf. Plus, they also grow well in pots.



Elephant Ear and Spider Plant


Most of these plants you can purchase at your local nursery!



King Kong Fishtail Palm


Some of the palms, ferns, and banana plants you can get at your local Longs/CVS store at a bargain price.



For the larger jungle.....and a bowl for the smaller yard


Now you just need to add a small water feature,





a few lanterns, and you’re all set!





My own tropical jungle has been growing for the last 7 years. We even had a few tropical birds move in two years ago.

I say, “If you build it, they will come”… and they did!