THE WORLD DIVIDED INTO 3 ZONES,
POLAR
TEMPERATE
TROPICAL
TROPICS IS THE AREA OF THE EARTH LYING BETWEEN THE NORTH AND
SOUTH POINTS OF SOLSTICE (I.E.) APP. 25 DEGREE NORTH AND SOUTH
LATITUDE.
ANY PLANT NATURALLY OCCURING BETWEEN THE TROPIC OF CANCER AND
THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN IS A TROPICAL GARDEN PLANT.
TROPICAL REGIONS ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS:
1.SUB-TROPICAL ZONES
2.HOT ARID ZONES
3.SAVANNA ZONES
4.MONSOON ZONES
5.HOT HUMID ZONES
VEGETATION CHARACTER----
1.SUB TROPICAL ZONE-
SPARSE TO LIGHT PLANT GROWTH.
2.HOT ARID ZONE-
LOW,SHALLOW-ROOTED GRASS,SMALL,THORNY BUSHES AND TREES,CACTII.
DESERT ALMOST WITHOUT VEGETATION AS THE UNDERGROUND WATER TABLE VERY LOW.
SCANTY PLANT GROWTH BRIEFLY AFTER RAINFALL,GROUND DRIES OUT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY.
3.SAVANNA ZONE-
VARIES AS THIS ZONE EXTENDS FROM JUNGLE TO DESERT,IN MAIN AREAS TALL TO VERY TALL GRASS,LOW GROWING THORN FOREST AND THORNY BUSHES.
DURING THE RAINY SEASON LUXURIANT GROWTH,OTHERWISE DRIED GRASS TOGETHER WITH LEAFLESS TREES AND BUSHES.
4.MONSOON ZONE-
FAIRLY ABUNDANT,EVEN IN DRY SEASON,HETEROGENOUS WITH TALL,DEEP ROOTED TREES.
HIGH GROUND MOISTURE CONTENT DURING RAINY SEASON,FALLING OFF RAPIDLY AFTERWARDS.
5.HOT HUMID ZONE-
LUXURIANT,SUPER ABUNDANT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
TALL TREES.
GROUND VERY MOIST,GROUND WATER LEVEL HIGH AT TIMES REACHING THE SURFACE.
6.MARITIME ZONE-
TREES GROW ONLY TO LOW OR MEDIUM HEIGHTS BECAUSE OF STRONG WINDS.
GROUND USUALLY RELATIVELY DRY,GROUND WATER TABLE FAIRLY HIGH.
7.MOUNTAIN ZONE-
EVERGREEN TREES FOUND NOT VERY TALL,NO EXTENSIVE FORESTS.
MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRASS UPTO 3FT.TALL,IN DRY SEASON COARSE AND ROBUST.
PLANTS------
FEW MAIN PLANT FAMILIES ARE MENTIONED BELOW:
1.TREES
2.PALMS
3.GROUND COVERS
4.BAMBOO
5.CREEPERS
6.WATER PLANTS
PLANTS-
ONE HAS TO OBSERVE THE PATTERN OF NATURE:THE LEAF PATTERN,THE GROWING PATTERNS,THE PATTERN OF CLIMATE AND THE LAY OF LAND.
ONE MUST COMPREHEND THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROUND-COVER’S,SHRUB’S,OR TREES LIFE CYCLE AND HOW IT BEHAVES ,AT EACH STAGE,AND IN DIFFERING SOIL AND SITE CONDITION
FEW MAIN PLANT FAMILIES OFTEN USED IN TROPICAL WORLD ARE ILLUSTRATED BELOW-
TREES AS CANOPIES-
CERTAIN UMBRELLA-LIKE TREES PROVIDE
HUGE POOLS OF SHADE,FOR RESPITE FROM
THE BLAZING SUN.
MOST TRADITIONAL VILLAGES AROUND
THE EQUATOR HAVE SUCH A TREE AT THEIR
CENTRE PLATFORMS OF ROCK.
BECAUSE OF THE SHELTER THEY OFFER ,THESE
AREAS OFTEN BECOME USED AS BUS STOPS,OFFERING PLATFORM….
EG. BODHI TREE,FICUS RELIGIOSA)
PALMS-
PALMS ARE A PART OF MANY TROPICAL
GARDEN COMPOSITIONS.
IT IS THE MOST “USER-FRIENDLY” PLANT OF
THE TROPICAL WORLD.
WHEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT PALM FOR A
LOCATION ONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THEIR
SOIL PREFERANCES.
FOR EXAMPLE-
PRITCHARDIA PALMS AND COCONUT PALMS
THRIVE ON THE COAST.
SOME PALMS, LIKE THE LIVISTONA CHINENSIS,OFTEN USED IN SUBURBAN
PLANTER BOXES.
HERE CYCAS CIRCINALIS AND A STAND OF CANE PALMS (CHRYSALIDOCARPUS LUTESCENES) SOFTEN A BOARD ENTRANCE PATH INTO A BRISBANE GARDEN.
GROUND COVERS-
GRASS IS THE MOST PRACTICAL OF GROUND
COVERS-ITS THICK “PELT” IS CLEAN AND
MAINTAINANCE-FRIENDLY.
CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN DECIDING
ON GRASS-
WHETHER COW GRASS,MANILA GRASS,TUFFY
JAPANESE GRASS,OR COUCH-FOR PARTICULAR SOIL
AND SUNLIGHT CONDITION.
GROUND COVERS LIKE COLEUS,WEDELIA,
CREEPING FERN AND PORTULACA NEED
SEASONAL RELANTING OR CUTTING BACK.
GROUNDCOVERS LIKE MONDOGRASS
(OTHIOPOGON),IN ALL ITS MANY SHAPES
AND SIZES,AND THE RHOEO ARE GREAT
TROPICAL PERFOMERS AS THEY ARE HARDY
AND FILL IN EASILY AROUND ACCENT PLANTS
AND OTHER SHRUBS.
HEMIGRAPHIS IS A HARDY AND SILVER-COLORED GROUNDCOVER.GROWS WELL IN DAPPLED LIGHT AND SHALLOW TOP SOIL
THE TERRACES OF THE BALI HYATT,SANUR
BAMBOO-
IT IS STATED THAT BAMBOO IS “THE
LANDSCAPER’S FRIEND”.
ALL MANNERS OF PERGOLAS,FENCES,
GATES,GARDEN FURNITURE,STEPS CAN
BE FASHIONED FROM BAMBOO.
AMONGST TROPICAL VARITIES ,
CREEPERS-
SHADE STRUCTURES LIKE THE PARGOLAS AND
TRELLISES,ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
TROPICAL GARDEN DESIGN.
FAST GROWING CREEPERS HELP MAKE TIMBER
LATTICEWORK INTO AN EFFICIENT AND
ATTRACTIVE SUN BLOCK.
CREEPERS LIKE MONSTERA DELICIOSA,THE VARIOUS
CLIMBING MEMBERS OF THE COLOURFUL PHILODENDRON FAMILY AND MIGHTY FICUS PUMILA ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN USED TO SOFTEN A COURTYARD.
THE BELLY BAMBOO(BAMBUSA
VENTRICOSA) AND THE GLAMEROUS
GOLDEN YELLOWARE USED.
OTHER BAMBOO VARITIES LIKE THE
HEDGE BAMBOO(PSEUDOSASA JAPONICA),
OSTRICH FEATHER AND GOLDEN BAMBOO
(PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA)ARE USEFUL
WHEN HEDGING OR
SCREENING ARE REQUIRED ALONG A
BOUNDARY.
WATER PLANTS-
WATER PLANTS ARE EXTREMLY EASY TO TRANSPLANT AND PROPOGATE –PROVIDED
THERE IS ENOUGH SUNLIGHT AND WATER.
WATER PLANTS CAN HELP TO SOFTEN A WATER FEATURE.
BOGSIDE FLORA-LIKE THE BULRUSH,PAPYRUS AND IRIS ARE EXCELLENT FOR
SOFTENING THE WATER’S EDGE.
WATER HYACINTHS AND IRIS ARE WATER PLANTS WHICH THRIVE IN CONTAINERS
TOO.
WATER LETTUCE BULRUSHES AND A POTTED WRIGHTIA RELIGIOSA MAKE THIS UNIQUE WATER GARDEN
COURTYARDS,PATIOS,TERRACES,VERANDAH,PATHS AND PAVINGS.
THE VERANDAH-
TROPICAL GARDENS ARE OFTEN ADMIRED FROM
UNDER THE COOLING SHADE OF A VERANDAH OR
PAVILION.
IN THE TROPICS WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
THE OFTEN RAPID GROWTH RATES OF CERTAIN
PLANTS REQUIRE US TO DESIGN-IN CONTINGENCIES
FOR RADICAL COMPOSITIONAL CHANGE.
A PICTURE SHOWING THE SEMICOVERED VERANDAH WITH WOODEN MEMBERS OVER WHICH CREEPERS WERE PLANTED.
COURTYARDS-IN ANCIENT COMMUNITIES OF TROPICAL ASIA,
THE WHOLE VILLAGE IS DESIGNED ALONG THE
COURTYARD ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLE.
THERE ARE SCULPTURE COURTS,WATER COURTS,
PALM COURTS,PEBBLE COURTS
ENTRANCE COURT IN BLACK CANDI STONE(ANDESITE)AT THE MAIN DINNING ROOM OF THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT
TERRACES AND PATIOS-
WELL- DESIGNED TROPICAL HOUSES HAVE
CLIMATE-FRIENDLY VERANDAHS OR TERRACES
ON WHICH TO PICK UP A PASSING BREEZE.
THESE TERRACES ARE OFTEN DECORATED
WITH POTTED PLANTS AND COMFORTABLE
FURNITURE.
PATIOS, OR OUTDOOR COURTS,WHETHER SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES OR JUST OPEN TO SKY LIKE AN OUTDOOR SPACE,ARE A USEFUL ADDITION TO ANY TROPICAL HOUSE WITH RESPECT TO THE CLIMATE ZONE .
TERRACES AND PATIOS LOOK MORE DRAMATIC
WITH A TREE.
PONDS IN THE CENTRE OF A PATIO AND
AT THE SIDE OF A TERRACE ARE
EXCELLENT PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEMS.
THIS PATIO STYLE COURTYARD IN A MANILA SUBURBAN HOUSE USES A PLETHORA OF STRONG DECORATIVE ELEMENTS
BAMBOO OR TIMBER DECKS ARE A PLEASANT ADDITION TO ANY TROPICAL HOUSE-COOLING EFFECT,SHADY CORNERS IF WRAPPED AROUN THE TREES.
PATHS AND PAVINGS-
PAVERS AND PEBBLES OF SOME SORT ARE QUITE OFTEN A
NECCESITY.THE TRICK IS TO MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE A LUXURY.
THE CHOICE OF PAVERS HAVE A BIG INFLUENCE ON THE
GARDENS COMPOSITION.
HOLES IN THE PAVING SCHEME WITH TREES IN THEM ARE
ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA IN THE TROPICS,THEY ALLOW WATER
TO SOAK AWAY.
PEBBLES ,SPREAD THINLY ON A BRICK BASE OR THIN
CONCRETE SLAB.MAKE A CLEAN SPACIOUS LOOK.
THEY PROVIDE GOOD SURFACE DRAINAGE AND ARE
VERY USEFUL IN THE ZONE UNDER THE EAVE WHERE
GROUNDCOVERS TEND NOT TO GROW.
SOME INITIAL CRITERIA’S FOR JUDGING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE
DESIGN OF A HOUSE IN HOT AND HUMID TROPICS ARE MENTIONED
BELOW-
HAVE A LIVING ROOM IN THE FOCUS OF THE HOUSE AND WHICH IS PERMANENTLY
OPEN TO SKY.
NOT TO DESTROY ANY SUBSTANTIAL TREES ON THE SITE AND BE IN HARMONY
WITH NATURE.
HAVE IN BETWEEN SPACES IN THE FORM OF A COURTYARD,VERANDAHS,TERRACES
AND SHADED BALCONIES.
BE SURROUNDED BY A GARDEN AND NON-REFLECTIVE LANDSCAPED SURFACES.
THE EXTENSIVE USE OF LANDSCAPE TO MODIFY THE MICRO-CLIMATE.
POOLS AND FOUNTAINS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE COOLING EFFECT.
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