Several years ago, I made a trip to the Seattle area to tour gardens. At the time, tropical plants were all the rage. Even though their climate is one of the best for temperate plants like roses, hydrangeas, delphiniums and rhododendrons, gardeners there had gone crazy over the big, bold leaves and bright colors of tropical plants.

One garden I visited on Bainbridge Island had been dubbed "the epicenter of the tropicalismo movement" by a garden writer there. That seemed a bit serious, but it was an incredible garden with great special effects created by all sorts of tender plants.

Alex Woollcott / Special (ENLARGE)

Kids like Anna Woollcott can play jungle explorer among Giant Thai Elephant's Ear, one of many tropicals that do well in the South.

Martha Tate / Special (ENLARGE)

Striking red cordyline provide a spike of color in a tropical garden.

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Along the East Coast, including places like Atlanta and Philadelphia, people have embraced the idea of using tropical plants to take advantage of the hot, humid summers. Designers also have grabbed onto the architectural and sculptural effects that can be achieved with even one bold tropical plant.

Joe LeVert, one of the authors of "Hardy Palms for the Southeast," has long been an advocate of supplementing the spring dogwood-azalea-camellia landscape with tropical plants and hardy palms.

"There's a quality of fun you get with tropicals or plants that look tropical," says LeVert, who has a degree in botany and teaches at Aquinas High School in Augusta. "Design-wise, it opens up a whole new range of possibilities for color and leaf shape and size. You can have palmate leaves or feather-like foliage or plants that create a geometric effect."

Basically, there are two ways to add a look of warmer climes to a courtyard, deck, poolside or garden space. One is using hardy shrubs, trees or perennials that have tropical-looking foliage or flowers. The other is to purchase tender plants that, although they won't survive outdoors in winter, are worth the splurge for a long season of interest. Some of these latter plants can be brought indoors and put out again next year.

One word of caution. One of the gardens I visited in Seattle was so jungle-like and claustrophobic, I felt like a brontosaurus might come around the corner at any moment. You might not want to go overboard.

Here are some hardy plants that will give you a tropical look:

Bear's breeches (Acanthus 'Summer Beauty') — Big, tropical leaves and a white flower spike. Great perennial.

Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus 'Kopper King') — A shrubby perennial with rounded form. Beautiful copper leaves have an orangish underside. The flowers, which can measure 12 inches across, are white with a red eye and veining.

Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica) — This shrub is hard to beat for a tropical look. It is evergreen and has large, waxy leaves that are great for flower arranging.

Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) — Wonderful native shrubby palm.

Tender plants worth the splurge:

Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) — Lacy fronds atop a single trunk. Great container plant for shade.

Tropical water lily (Nymphaea hybrids) — Spectacular flowers in gorgeous colors. The sky blue ones are outstanding. Many are fragrant. Bloom all season long.

Chartreuse elephant's ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Elena') — A reliable lime green elephant's ear. Great to contrast against black elephant's ears.

Other hardy, semihardy and tender plants to try: red and pink flowering oleander, agave, red cordyline, banana, cockspur coral bean, variegated aralia, citrus, Yucca rostrata, swamp hibiscus.

Most plants mentioned are available at Randy's Perennials & Water Gardens, 523 W. Crogan St., Lawrenceville GA 30045; 770-822-0676.

MARTHA'S PICK

Giant Thai Elephant's Ear

Botanical name: (Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant Strain')

About the plant: Super-sized leaves can reach 5 feet long by 4 feet wide. Tender.

Use in the garden: Great fun if you have children around. Use as a curiosity near a pool or in a border.

Planting and care: Plant in moist, well-drained soil in a semishady situation.

Source: Randy's Perennials & Water Gardens, 523 W. Crogan St., Lawrenceville GA 30045; 770-822-0676

Martha Tate is a writer who lives in Atlanta.