Question
MY HOUSE IS AN OLDER RANCH STYLE AND I LIVE IN JACKSONVILLE FL THE FRONT YARD GETS ABOUT 50-60% SUN DURING THE DAY DUE TO SEVERAL LARGE TREES I WOULD LIKE TO LANDSCAPE MORE TROPICAL BUT NEED HELP WITH DESIGN/PLANTS. THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS STRAIGHT ANY SUGGESTIONS

Answer
I can not give you proper design advice without seeing the site. However, it sounds like your yard is well suited for a tropical landscape with dappled shade half the day and sun the other half. In lieu of me making specific suggestions for design here are several general ideas to help you.
1.) Break up the straight lines of your house with curved landscape beds that play off the tree trunks in your yard. Use landscape beds to take up areas where your grass does not grow well.
2.) Create large massings of plants that relate to locations of windows and corners of your house. Use complimentary textures, layering and colors to create visual interest. For example put medium spike or grassy style plants in front of taller large leaf tropicals. (like African Iris in front of Holly Fern)
3.) Consult books and the Internet seeking tropical plants that are suitable/hardy for your region. Look for striking plants that really feel tropical...like Variegated Ginger, Ixora, Bird of Paradise, various Palms, and other plants with large leaves. MAKE SURE THEY ARE HARDY - CONSULT YOUR COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE.
4.) Use masses of ground covers like ferns, cast Iron plants, etc. around tree trunks.
5.) Use tropical vines to accent trees and railings.
6.) Use lots of color, Impatients and Begonias look good in tropical designs.
7.) Finally always follow this rule: "KISS - or Keep It Simple Stupid". Its not a nice saying but it reminds me that less is more. You do not need 50 different plants to make your yard look  good. The best designs often only have four or five plant types in large masses with one or two accents.

I certainly can not tell you everything I now about tropical design in this one email so I would advise you to consult your local expert in landscape design for more assistance. A good landscape designer from your local nursery should charge around $300 to $500 to design your yard. A Registered Landscape Architect may charge more.

Best of Luck with your yard.


Sean J Murphy, LA,ISA, LEED AP
Please check out my blogs and articles on landscape topics like this on my websites.
http://www.seanjmurphy.com
http://amenityarchitects.com