If traveling to a restful tropical holiday isn’t in the cards for you this year, then create your own relaxing paradise right in your backyard. With a little landscaping, some flowers, and a lot of plants, you may never need to travel again to be in paradise!

Six Steps to Turn Your Backyard into a Tropical Paradise

1. Incorporate Lots of Plants

The key to having a lush, tropical paradise is to have lots of greenery such as plants, trees, and shrubs. These are great for bringing in the green and for creating shade and privacy while smaller ground-covering plants add luxuriance to the area. Incorporating plants with different shades of green add depth and plants with varying heights and leaf shapes add texture.

2. Put in Bright and Exotic Flowers

To make your personal oasis feel truly exotic, spring for unique and exotic flowers. Orchids and Birds of Paradise are good choices as are Red Ginger and Bougainvillea. Also, putting flowers with opposite colors in a bunch together creates excitement while flowers with more harmonious colors paired together have a more soothing effect. Include fragrant flowers, too, for a “scent”-ual experience. If you are not much of a gardener, you can place the flowers iin simple containers and group them to enhance their visual and fragrant appeal.

3. Add a Water Feature

The sound of water brings instant tranquility. From a swimming pool to a stream or babbling brook, the water sounds are an important part of a relaxing retreat. You don’t need to go high-dollar with a swimming pool though, small water features such as a birdbath or makeshift water fountain do just fine. Other ideas for water features are garden or koi ponds, wading pools, or a gurgling fountain.

4. Include Stone Features

A stone path, stone planters, or stone walls add a rustic and charming quality to your paradisal setting. Simple and affordable, adding stone is a nice touch. Placing plants and ivy over stone produces a softer, jungle-like appearance.

5. Integrate Comfortable Seating

High-quality, comfortable furniture is an essential part of your luxurious private paradise. You want to be able to relax, de-stress, and entertain your friends in stylish comfort. Chairs with quality fabrics and neutral colors to blend in with the lush environment are a good choice. If your climate is particularly hot, you may want a ceiling fan as well for additional comfort.

6. Put in Soft Lighting

Keep the peace and relaxation going long after the sun sets with string lighting, lanterns, or lighted pathways. Lights provide a nice ambiance while also allowing you to entertain guests during the evening.

Head to your local florist Peoples Flowers for the best selection of plants and flowers. With such a lush and tranquil oasis in your backyard, you may never want to leave your home for a vacation again!