Landscaping Around a Palm Tree:
Design That Delivers the Wow!

Palm trees naturally draw the eye upward. But what about below?

Done right, landscaping at the base of a palm creates a visual anchor. It sets the mood: exotic, elegant, or even inspirational.

Which tropical plants would you prefer? Or even tropical-looking plants?

Choose a style, then build from the ground up.

• Capitalize on using other palm species. For instance, Foxtail Palms as adjacent landscaping.
• Call upon stunning flowering tropical plants.
• Is there space for a rock garden, bench or pavers?

Make it more fun, with advantageous budgeting.

Do much of the design & garden work yourself. We do that (including helpful grandsons). Rather than hiring garden designers or landscapers when not essential.

Many tropical designs are totally DIY-able.

But bigger projects, especially those involving stone, lighting, or irrigation, may need expert hands.

A key plant designing tip is to go with odd numbers of the same species.

Each layer plays a role. Together, they create an electrifying, textured effect that screams “resort-style living.”

City Landscape With the Best Practice
Odd Number of Palms

Here's a stunning way to bring focus to your tropical garden design.

Use the 3-tier landscaping approach around your focus palm:

• Tall Accents – Think tropical grasses, small palms, red ti plants, or upright ferns.
• Mid-Level Interest – Shrubs like Crotons or low-growing Hibiscus.
• Ground Cover – Lush green moss, colorful pebbles, short grasses, or mulch.

This plant layering technique makes a delightful effect. It draws the eye upward, adding depth to your landscape. 

An Example of the Eye Being Drawn Upward
From the Smaller Palm in Front to Those Large Palms

Imagine these potentials: 

Plant a bed of short tropical flowering plants. For a pop of color amidst all the green.

• Perhaps Tropical Hibiscus for Zones 9-11 (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
• Or the Falling Star (Crocosmia aurea) even works for Zone-6. 

Intermix tropical greens like Taro (Colocasia esculenta) with flowering plants. Or plant the greens together, with low flower beds in front of them.

Five palms during a Pacific sunset.
Why not have a tropical flower garden surrounding the palms?

Double row palm landscaping works well for expansive yards. But with creativity and attention to palms' total growth, it can work on smaller properties, too.

Fit in a double row of palms with with your already growing standalone palm tree landscaping. Here are suggestions, whether your current focus palm is large or small:

• Plant two more of the same species of palm trees as the one you already have. You'll have palm triple-row landscape at varying heights. 
• Then add a second row of smaller palms in front. Plant two more, for a total of five, staying with the odd-number principle.

A Property With Three Coconut Palms Near Each Other
Then Two Smaller Palms in Front.
What Could Be Done Better?

You Have Poolside palms?

Pick low-maintenance, non-shedding plants that love water and resist splash zones.

Is your current palm tree near your pool, as a standalone? Is that palm among one of those Tall Palm Trees, as your poolside focal point? But now it looks lonely! 🫤

Place three smaller palms around your featured palm area.

• Prepare a Mediterranean Fan Palm landscape plan.
• Or try landscaping with Pygmy Date Palms.

For places with arid climates, the Tree Morning Glory may be an alternate to the three palm trees.

Scatter tropically styled flowers suitable for your climate in between.

Line of Plants Adjacent to the Poolside Palms
What Else Can Be Done? How About Placing Three Potted Palms?

You won't want to overwhelm smaller palms already at your poolside. Here are several things you could do:

• Surround it with three types of ornamental grasses, specific to your climate.
• Thinly plant one type of ornamental grass. Intermix these with three different species of flowering tropical plants that grow higher than your chosen grasses.
• Or just use tropical plants, like flowers. Three different colors would be stunning.

The Multi-Stemmed Clustering Palm
Adjacent to a Huge Palm & a Neighbor's Humungous Palm is Kind-of Overwhelmed!

Want to place landscaping around your backyard palm?

Think of the current placement & size of your palm.

• Is your palm close to any buildings? Like your own home. 
• You won't want to obstruct window views with new plantings. Choose additions to coordinate with expectations. 

Front Windows Have Wonderful Viewpoints. How About Out the Home's Side Windows?

Front yards are neighborhood displays.

Plan carefully without overwhelming a hospitable entrance. Think of your current palm's placement. Two smaller palms nearby may be suitable. Surrounding the three with some flower beds.

Here's a jungly front yard landscaping idea.

Nicely Layered Plants of the Tropics

Butia capitata is also called Jelly Palm. A hardy flexible palm, for zones 8-11. Adaptable to arid type areas, or those with more rainfall. And full sun or part shade.

• Producing edible fruit, invite neighbors to sample them. Or gather them for recipes. Otherwise cut down its yellow-flowering stalks after fading, to avoid fruiting.
• Solitary trunk to 35ft/10m tall. Nice size to accompany your tall front yard palm.

Surrounding the Palm With Compatible Tropicals in a Tight Space

Do you live in an arid climate?

Do you have a Mexican Fan Palm or Canary Island Date Palm?

These drought-tolerant palms are great amidst your cacti.

Cacti to the Left, Palms to the Right - Rainbow Up Above!

Phoenix roebelenii is an ideal clustering (usually) triple-growth accompaniment. Excellent for planting for bringing the eye to your Tall Palm Tree.

• Likes dryer warmth, US Planting Zones 9-11; 8 may be fine. Known to tolerate momentary freezes.
• Slow growing to at least 6ft/2m tall.

Pygmy Date Palms are pretty thirsty & want full sun.

Sabal minor is the most northerly naturally growing U.S. palm. Flexible for temperate garden landscapes.

• Good for Zones 6-11. With caution try 5b.
• It likes water. Doesn't have to be in a swamp, but prefers moist soil. But tolerates drying out for a bit. 

Dwarf Palmetto growing happily in a swampy preserve in a U.S. southern state.

Here's a drought-tolerant species of palm tree you could love! Bismarckia nobilis is medium sized (40ft/12m+) & is a stunner.

• Gorgeously silvery green palmate leaves give it a massive feel.
• Zones 9-11 can suit it fine. Water well until you have it established.

Plant two, one on each side of your tall palm.

Nannorrhops ritchiana is a full sun lover native to Middle Eastern desert hillsides. Why it's drought-hardy. Easy to Grow From Seed.

Good for Zones 8-11, and with watchfulness in 7. Quite low-temp tolerable in dry humidity areas.

• Slowly maxing to about 20ft/6m tall. Spreads to about 15ft/4.5m wide.
• Palmate fronds are wedge shaped or semicircular.

Triangular fronds could contrast well with round fronds of other fan palms.

Contact your local area's system for underground utility location. Essential when landscaping around a palm tree.

• You can google, as we've done: "find underground utilities in Tucson." Got the number for the free location service. Be aware some try to get you to hire them.
• Regulations may exist for distances to utility lines for plantings. You'd want to know that.

Don't Be Surprised by Hitting Into These! 😮

Are there prior homeowner underground sprinkler, electrical or drain installations? If you suspect that, dig slowly & carefully into your plant bed.

Make Sure Your Tools Won't Be Shocking!

Wear eye protection when digging, raking, etc. Will you stir up dry soil, causing rising dust? Or using products with warning labels? Yuk! NO inhalation please...

• Inhaling that stuff can cause lung problems. If not immediately, it's possible further down the road. (Believe me, We Know!)
• A typical work N-95 mask is best.

A Typical N-95 Mask Works Well
Found in Hardware Stores

Avoid planting when you're too tired. Gardening while drinking alcohol or taking calming drugs can also be hazardous.

Wanted to Do Landscaping - But Took a Nap Instead!