Vacations soothe the soul. Leaving the stress of work behind for a week of rest and relaxation makes everyone more productive. But do you know that vacations can improve your health?
In a June 2019 study published in Psychology and Health, researchers found that vacations lead to reduced blood pressure and increased energy levels. In fact, the health benefits increased for people who enjoyed a staycation.
And it’s easy to understand why: overcrowded airports, canceled flights, and maxed-out credit cards can add more stress than pleasure to a vacation.
Instead, you can create a beautiful and relaxing tropical staycation spot right in your own backyard. Not only will you enjoy it during your vacation days, but every summer weekend and evening after 5 p.m. allows you to savor your staycation retreat.
With just a portion of your vacation budget, you can craft a stunning, tropical retreat that will bring you joy for years to come.
Achieving the serene atmosphere of your favorite resort is simple:
- select the ideal plants to cultivate a lush and inviting tropical atmosphere
- incorporate a water feature
- enhance the ambiance with carefully-chosen lighting
- position a cozy lounge chair or hammock for leisurely sunbathing and napping
- indulge in a refreshing snack and drink fashioned from homegrown ingredients
Enjoy the Soothing Sound of Water
While an in-ground pool makes a great escape from summer’s heat, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to relish the soothing sounds of water splashing in your staycation retreat. Instead, create a pond or add a fountain to your backyard.
You’ll love the vacation vibes of trickling water, while local wildlife will appreciate a place to visit for a sip or splash to cool off. If you love bird watching, get your camera ready—you’ll capture great images of birds bathing in your new water feature.
Even small spaces can benefit from the addition of a water feature. Create a small pond using a container, like the Montana Bowl from Crescent Garden. Choose a style without drainage holes or pick one that offers a plug to keep water from draining.
Place small rocks to vary the pond depth. Make a shallow area on one side for bees and butterflies to rest for a drink. Add aquatic plants, like a dwarf water lily, water hyacinth, corkscrew rush, or pitcher plants, to the mini-pond.
If you’re looking to prevent your pond from becoming overrun with bacteria and mosquitoes, it’s wise to consider investing in a filter and air pump. For mini ponds, a small, solar-powered aerator can be a great option, particularly if you plan on adding some small goldfish.
If you decide to skip the filter or aerator, it’s important to make sure that at least 60 percent of the container is filled with aquatic plants to promote a healthy pond environment.
Create Lush, Multi-layered Plantings
When you think about your favorite tropical oasis, lush, layered gardens filled with bananas, elephant ears, and exotic flowers probably come to mind. Amaryllis blooms in summer, tropical hibiscus used as flowering hedges, and orchids clinging to trees create magical memories.
It might seem daunting to recreate a tropical garden in your backyard, but you’ll find dozens of plants to give your outdoor space a vibrant, exotic flavor.
And, if you garden in cooler climates and think tender tropical plants won’t work in your zone, consider planting them in pots that can be moved indoors for winter protection. You might be surprised, too, to find some plants with stunning foliage and flowers are hardier than they look.
Plants to include:
Hardy Hibiscus
Hardy Hibiscus adds a splash of tropical flair to your perennial garden. Fast-growing and fabulous, these plants explode with pinwheel-like flowers the size of dinner plates in late summer. Often confused with their tropical cousins, these plants can survive temps as low as -30° F (-34° C).
Take, for instance, Rose Mallow ‘Edge of Night’. This compact perennial with huge, 7-to-8-inch bubblegum pink blooms and jet-black foliage is hardy to zone 4. The stunning flowers add a perfect tropical look for gardens in both warm and cool zones.
Canna
Along with hardy hibiscus, canna makes a gorgeous perennial addition to staycation garden spaces. While colder zones may need to protect the rhizomes in winter, it’s worth the effort. As cannas provide bold, upright foliage and stunning blooms beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies.
South Pacific Orange Canna adds brightness to garden spaces, with beautiful orange blooms that sparkle against lush, green foliage. This compact plant reaches 2 feet tall, making a great addition to containers, as well as the landscape.
Agapanthus
For a perfect pop of purple in your tropical garden, Agapanthus ‘Ever Amethyst™’ provides gorgeous, reblooming spikes of flowers that attract pollinators. The semi-dwarf habit makes an ideal addition to smaller gardens and containers.
Plus, this beauty not only blooms early and continues all summer long, but it’s also drought-tolerant once established. Hardy to zone 8a.
Tropical Hibiscus
Which plant always makes you think of the tropics? If the big, brilliant blooms of hibiscus remind you of your favorite retreat, you’ll adore the vacation vibes of the beauties in the Jazzy Jewel® line. Unlike hardy hibiscus, tropical hibiscus needs protection from winter temperatures.
Most gardeners in cooler zones grow them as annuals. But you can plant them in containers, bring them inside to overwinter and place them back outside after the danger of frost has passed in the spring.
Mandevilla
Pair pretty hibiscus with beautifully vining mandevilla to add height to garden spaces. The trumpet-shaped blooms attract hummingbirds—and who doesn’t love watching these acrobatic charmers hover and zip around the backyard?
For a traditional tall vine that looks fabulous climbing a fence, trellis, or arbor, try Mandevilla Sunvilla™. The vine sports rich, red blooms with a yellow throat and dark green, glossy foliage. The slow-to-fade flowers keep the garden looking fabulous all summer.
Other new introductions offer bushier, more compact plants ideal for containers and small space gardens. These varieties include Mandevilla Madinia® Elegant Velvet Red and Madinia® Maximo Scarlet. Both plants grow only 12 to 18 inches tall with minimal vining. These varieties provide a bushier habit with excellent disease resistance and drought tolerance for fabulous flowering all summer.
For a bright burst of color, plant Mandevilla Sun Parasol® Original Sunbeam. Sunbeam sports buttery yellow blooms with darker throats. Growing 18 to 24 inches tall, it’s the perfect addition to containers or hanging baskets.
Bougainvillea
Have you ever enjoyed dining under the towering vines of bougainvillea, with the showy bracts floating down like confetti? It adds a bit of magic to tropical vacations.
This tender vine makes a gorgeous addition to arbors, fences, and tall trellises—wherever you’d love soaring color and texture. Try Bougainvillea Burgundy Queen®–the colorful climber with dark burgundy leaves emerging with each new flush of growth.
Fuchsia
For gorgeous color and form, fuchsia adds a perfect pop of tropical interest to your staycation space. Use Fuchsia plants in containers and hanging baskets to show off their intricate, beautiful blooms.
Plant new Bella Fuchsia® Mariska and Fuchsia Aretes Upright Arroyo Grande in hanging baskets or containers, so you can watch pollinators enjoy the blooms.
Lantana
To draw even more pollinators to your tropical hideaway, add lantana to your garden. Lantana do best in full sun and well-drained soil. They love the heat and like to be kept on the drier side. They definitely will make a gorgeous splash of color in many sunny spaces.
Some varieties grow quite large, but if you garden in a smaller space or want a variety to plant in a container, try Lantana Hot Blooded™ Red. A mounding form reaching only 15 to 18 inches tall, you’ll love the deep red, sterile blooms that cover the plant all season long—and so will the hummingbirds!
Begonia
Heady fragrance filling a garden makes a backyard feel like a tropical retreat, and the gorgeous blooms of I’Conia Scentiment Peachy Keen Begonia transports you to your favorite vacation destination. Use the pretty bi-colored citrusy-orange and sunny-yellow flowers in hanging baskets or containers to brighten a partly-shade space.
The plants will flower nonstop from spring through autumn. These begonias can tolerate sun or shade but are happiest with bright morning light and a bit of afternoon shade.
Relax in a Hammock
While away your vacation days by lounging in a hammock on your tropical staycation. Most hammocks are budget-friendly and easy to install, making them a perfect addition to your tropical oasis.
Add Ambiance with Lights
There’s something magical about a garden at night, especially when it’s lit like a party. Inexpensive string lights make a backyard instantly feel festive. These twinkly lights provide a perfect bit of glow while you enjoy dinner or cocktails in your retreat. (Don’t forget to add citronella candles to help keep pesky mosquitos away.)
If you really want to create a resort-like look in your backyard, consider landscape lighting to highlight your new tropical beauties. Uplighting a banana or spotlighting tropical hibiscus adds drama to your evening retreat. You’ll love spending time chatting the night away as the shadows play in your oasis.
Sip a Festive Beverage from Homegrown Goodies
To really embrace a vacation vibe, you need a frosty drink with a little paper umbrella in your hand. And, if you grow your own lemon balm, like the newly introduced Lemon Balm Limoncello, we’ve got the perfect tasty creation for you:
The Staycation Celebration
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Chilled Limoncello
- 2 oz. Chilled Lemonade
- 3 oz. Chilled Prosecco
- Several sprigs of Lemon Balm for garnish
4 Simple Steps:
- Pour limoncello into glass.
- Add lemonade and stir.
- Pour chilled prosecco into glass.
- Top cocktail with sprigs of lemon balm from the garden, add a paper umbrella, and enjoy!
For a successful staycation, it’s important to focus on relaxation and enjoyment. Put any home repair projects on hold for the week and set an automatic out-of-office message on your email.
Take a break from day-to-day stress and indulge in leisurely activities like playing games, reading books, or relaxing in your own tropical staycation oasis. You’ll emerge feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after a well-deserved staycation.
About National Garden Bureau
Founded more than 100 years ago, the National Garden Bureau educates, inspires, and motivates people to grow home gardens. National Garden Bureau members are horticultural experts, and the information shared with you comes directly from these experts to ensure your gardening success.
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”