Hardy tropical plants create the feeling of a lush, relaxing, low stress environment. These plantings create the mood of being in a warm, happy, tropical place. The typical cold hardy tropical will have either large leaves, large flowers, bold texture or lots of contrast. Surprisingly, many of these plants such as needle palm and hardy banana will grow here if placed in the right microclimate! Typically being zone 6 or 7 plants, many are perfectly happy next to a hot south or west wall that will burn most plants that aren’t heat tolerant. Others are very useful near gutter downspouts that get extra rain water. They can be treated like normal perennials, only requiring extra mulch to survive the winter.