Winter landscape designs aren't just for cold climates. Some commercial property owners even say winter landscape ideas in tropical climates make a bigger splash due to the unique twists available. We’re excited to share many of those twists with you.
The problem is many property owners and managers in warmer-weather states feel like adding winter-themed landscaping would be a large undertaking. Or that it wouldn’t fit their budget. These are legitimate concerns. After all, it can be hard to imagine winter vibes found in northern states being re-created in tropical spots like South Florida without major effort.
We hope that this article gives you a new perspective. Not only through easy and inexpensive landscaping and hardscaping elements but all the extra benefits, too. Winter is the best time to use seasonal appeal to your advantage to attract customers during the winter holidays, bolster your brand, and get higher community engagement.
The key is knowing which elements to use (and combine) for maximum impact with minimal maintenance.
Why Embrace Seasonal Design in Tropical Climates?
There’s no question there are a ton of benefits to living in tropical climates. Lots of sunshine and warmth year-round are pluses. Still, if you ask residents of Florida, South Texas, and Las Vegas, one thing they’d like more of is seasonal changes to their environment.
By adding plants with different blooming cycles as seasons change, you can switch things up with more visual interest that makes your commercial property more engaging and erases any feelings of seeing “the same old, same old.”
Brilliant colors are not your only option, either.
It’s easy to add depth, texture, and even movement by mixing evergreen and deciduous plants. Don’t forget enhanced hardscape elements at your disposal like fire pits, water features, and stylish concrete outdoor gaming tables.
Seasonal changes to commercial landscapes are especially beneficial in the winter. Intriguing winter landscape ideas in tropical climates can revitalize your customers’ and guests’ perceptions while increasing property value.
Retail centers with attractive landscaping see customers spend roughly 12% more than locations without enhanced green spaces. Seasonal updates are part of this equation and matter most during the winter holidays.
Property resale value can jump by 14% with comprehensive professional landscaping. Matching the landscaping to the season is a vital part of the curb appeal.
What are the main things needed to get these benefits?
Key Elements For A Winter Themed Landscape
Don’t worry—adding seasonal landscaping for warm climates doesn’t mean you have to rival these winter-themed snow carvings. Just focus on the available landscape elements that provide a winter feel. The results will be all the more unique and attention-grabbing when created in warm-weather states.
The following elements give you amazing options without being limited to cold-weather plants:
White Flowering Plants
- White hibiscus varieties let you show off wintery blooms
- Snow-white bougainvillea cultivars such as Jamaica white
- Jasmine species give tropical landscapes sweet-scented, star-shaped flowers
- White bird of paradise’s dramatic foliage is a winter holiday head-turner
Seasonal Lighting and Decorations
- Eco-friendly LED lights wrapped around palm trunks
- Light designs can create an icy or snowflake look with a good landscape designer
- Cool white spotlights to create a moonlit effect on foliage
- Lighted globes in planting beds mimic snowballs or Christmas ornaments
- Holographic projectors produce active light displays with minimal effort (no ladders needed to hang lights)
Cool-Toned Hardscapes
- Silver-toned patio furniture
- Frosted glass tabletops
- Gray slate pavers for pathways and gathering spots
- Brushed stainless steel planters and water features
- Frosted acrylic panels as wind barriers and privacy screens
Snow-Inspired Installations
- White marble or quartz sculptures
- Mist-producing fountains for a foggy, winter wonderland feel
- Large art displays celebrating various cultural holidays
- Interactive light projections with audio add wintery sounds to a landscape
Most of the core elements above that enhance tropical commercial landscape winter design have budget-friendly and sustainable options. LED lights lower energy usage by up to 80% compared to traditional lighting, while lighter-colored hardscaping materials can reduce surface temperatures by up to 50°F.
Let’s see how the “right plant, right place” philosophy also furthers your budget and sustainability goals.
Choose The Right Tropical Plants For Winter Aesthetic
Let’s take “right plant, right place” to the logical next step—using the right plant in the right season, in any climate. Seasonal landscaping for warm climates is at its best when consideration is given to all the features and benefits of the tropical plants at your disposal.
Three of Yellowstone Landscape’s favorite tropical plants to welcome wintertime are below.
- Silver buttonwood: Silvery-gray leaves give off hints of tinsel nostalgia
- White hibiscus: Large, pure white flowers are as intriguing as snowfall
- Blue chalk sticks: Blue-gray, succulent leaves add a sense of wonder
Those options help your commercial landscape stand out from other properties. But you can’t go wrong with White camellias, Blue agave, and Dusty millers—all of which provide the right vibe during winter. Are they perfect for tropical locations that also get hit by colder nights, though?
If you’re concerned about nighttime temperature drops like Phoenix and Tucson experience, you could play it safer.
Resilient Tropical Plants for Colder Nights
- Bamboo palm: Tolerates temperatures down to 25°F
- Cast iron plant: Survives brief periods below freezing
- Sago palm: Hardy down to 15°F (once matured)
- Windmill palm: Can withstand 10°F
- Pindo palm: Tolerates short spans down to 15°F
- Yucca: Many varieties can endure 10°F
Now, let’s get into mixing evergreens with seasonal flowers to maximize the right plant, and right place concepts.
One example is utilizing boxwood shrubs as a green backdrop for red flowers like poinsettias. Another attractive option is installing ornamental grasses to draw attention (with their constant swaying) to nearby pansies or cyclamens. Last but not least, planting evergreens like eucalyptus provides a frosty look that pairs perfectly with winter blooms and light displays.
Other details ensure your investment in tropical winter landscapes pays off, too. Group plants with similar water and sunlight needs. Adjust lighting to cooler tones for a relaxed ambiance in the evenings. And small, frost-resistant succulents are a great way to enhance small outdoor spaces in locations known for colder nights.
Incorporating Winter Hardscapes in Tropical Settings
Some materials are better suited for winter hardscapes than other materials. Silver tone materials, for example, are ideal for pavers on walkways, patios, and seating areas. Polished concrete is an appealing option because you can choose a silver finish that’s modern and winter appropriate. Even small landscaping beds covered with crushed white marble resembling a snow dusting is a nice touch.
Wintertime is a chance to get ahead for next summer’s heat by adding arbors or pergolas to your tropical commercial landscape winter design. White shade structures appeal to snow fans and will be cooler come next summer due to the lighter color. If you’re working with a smaller landscaping budget, white-washing the bricks on retaining walls or raised planters adds a “chilly” appeal in tropical climates.
Don’t Underestimate Winter Illusions
If you have water features on your commercial property, get creative. See below how easy it is to add a wintery twist to any water feature.
- Use frosted glass panels in a fountain to create an icy illusion
- Create a frozen pond effect with shiny white stones lining the bottom of shallow water ponds
- Produce an icy visual effect with LED lights strategically placed around mini-waterfalls
Now, think about the most relaxing winters of your life. A crackling fireplace and a smoky mug of hot chocolate probably just popped in your mind. That’s what we call the “winter lodge feel.”
Create that vibe and your residents, guests, and customers will benefit from that relaxation—here are some suggestions to make it happen.
Set up a fire pit with snow-white Adirondack or rocking chairs around it. Go the extra mile in HOA communities by providing marshmallow roasting supplies for residents. If you prefer permanent seating, simply add outdoor cushions with winter or holiday colors and designs. Take the ambiance up another notch with visually interesting frosted glass sculptures or large white boulders near seating areas (they make great holiday selfie stations too!).
Incorporating Winter Lighting for Evening Appeal
It’s hard not to connect mesmerizing lighting to winter, especially during the December holiday stretch. LED lights have made light designs more affordable. Plus, you can reuse these eco-friendly lights for years. The ideal wintertime lighting comes through in cool tones that have a desirable moonlight glow.
LEDs that achieve this are 5000K-6500K color temperature. If you want color-changing effects, then the way to go is programmable RGB LED strips (they’re subtle and soothing). Want a misty lighting effect? Frosted fixtures are great solutions and can soften the ambiance further, especially along walking paths.
What about tree lighting with seasonal landscaping for warm climates?
While palm trees are not traditional holiday trees, that makes them more noticeable for your guests and residents. Most people find white lights the best fit for winding up a handsome palm tree. Smaller tropical plants can be wrapped in lighting too (use micro-sized LEDs to avoid damaging less sturdy plants).
Whether you’re illuminating walkways, trees, or structures, it’s vital to cut down on utility costs. Timers are a must with holiday lights, so they aren’t used when no one’s awake to enjoy them. Motion-activated lights are perfect energy savers for walkways and small lighting displays along paths. And since we’re talking about seasonal landscaping for warm climates, the sun’s on your side, making solar lighting a viable way to lower utility bills.
Lighting that fits the season means added revenue, too, in retail spaces and restaurants. GE Lighting Institute found that upgrading store lighting can lead to a 1% increase in sales. The reason?
Strategic lighting highlights safety while attracting and welcoming customers. Creative twinkling light designs can increase foot traffic as well. Passers-by can’t help but notice light displays that move them with nostalgia, plus, innovative displays create amazing photo opportunities for family and friends who might only see each other during winter breaks.
Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Winter Design
Tropical commercial landscape winter designs should include sustainable options for plants and matching decor. Luckily, this is easier to accomplish than ever as long as your landscaping provider is focused on taking care of the environment.
At Yellowstone Landscape, we take the long view and plan on serving our customers for decades to come. We’ve invested tons of resources into becoming the go-to provider for sustainable landscaping that also produces the healthiest plants, turf, and trees.
Some ways we suggest for raising the bar on sustainability are as follows:
- Use native plants to reduce maintenance
- Right plant, right place mentality reduces waste and extends plants’ lifespans
- Water-efficient irrigation saves water and customers’ money
- Comprehensive soil testing prevents overuse of fertilizers
- Integrated pest management reduces the need for pesticides
- Using recycled and natural materials in landscaping projects
Let’s look closer at recycling for seasonal landscaping for warm climates.
Investing in high-quality holiday decor and lighting means you can reuse them year after year instead of adding to overflowing landfills. Yellowstone Landscape stores outdoor Christmas decorations for many customers, which extends shelf life even more.
Other recycling trends we see are ornaments made of 100% recycled material and upcycled supplies for garlands, wreaths, and winter-themed fabrics. Installing rain barrels for irrigation is a smart way to recycle valuable rainwater, especially in dry climates like Phoenix and New Mexico.
As for reducing your commercial property’s carbon footprint, this takes a year-round effort.
Commit to that consistency and you’re fine adding winter lighting. After all, solar lighting is as eco-conscious as it gets and can be used for paths, string lights, and focal points. Plus, the latest LED lighting combined with smart lighting systems leaves little carbon impact compared to traditional bulbs. Lean into these sustainable practices to get all the benefits of seasonal landscaping while upholding an admirable environmental reputation.
Conclusion: Winter Landscape Ideas in Tropical Climates
Now you have plenty of ideas for adding attractive seasonal changes to your landscaping in warm climates. We believe you’ll find these winter enhancements make a big difference for people who live, work, and shop at your commercial properties.
We gave you the key elements that simplify the process of making seasonal enhancements. Most of them can be implemented without hurting your budget. Simply start with a small project and utilize the top tropical plants we listed that thrive in tropical climates. Or begin with a simple but perfect wintertime hardscape installation like a communal fire pit.
As for winter lighting, we know that’s one of the most exciting aspects of landscape design when the holiday season arrives. With today’s modern lighting systems, you can be as creative as you like without backing away from your property’s commitment to sustainability. The good news is this technology is only going to get better, increasing options for creating a winter wonderland even in the deserts of Arizona or the palm tree haven of Florida.
Do note that if your landscape company doesn’t offer free design services for their maintenance customers, you might have to rework your budget for seasonal designs. Not with Yellowstone Landscape, though. We provide complimentary landscape design for all our maintenance clients.
Contact us to learn how to easily create unique, winter-inspired designs for your commercial property this season.
