Colorful tropical plants add a bit of island mystique

When the tomatoes are planted, old daffodil foliage is cut back and the beds are weeded and mulched, it's time to add the final touch -- tropicals that give your porches and patios a little island mystique.

And, since tropicals typically come in basic plastic pots that can be slipped into boldly colored ceramic pots, they can instantly turn any outdoor space into a party place. String a few lights, light some tiki torches and your decor needs nothing but Jimmy Buffet music and some good eats.

If you're really in a generous mood, let each of your guests take a tropical home.

In cold climates, tropicals are good for one season only, unless you have the patience to try to over-winter them indoors or in a temperate garage.

Too many people take home a tropical hibiscus, thinking they can put it in the ground and enjoy it year after year. Left outdoors, those hibiscus die when the first hard frost occurs in October or November.

If you remove a tropical from its plastic pot and plant it in a decorative container, make sure the pot has ample drainage holes. Use only good potting soil, not garden soil, which is too heavy. Fill the new pot with one-third potting soil. Remove the tropical from its container and tease or loosen any matted, circling roots. Place it in the new pot and fill in with more potting soil. Water thoroughly. If the potting soil settles, add more soil and water again.

Tropicals are heavy feeders, so regular fertilization with a water-soluble food meant for flowering plants or a time-released granule mixed into the potting soil keeps the plants blooming. Some potting soils have fertilizer already mixed into them, but they are often only good for a few weeks.

During hot summer days, potted plants need daily, sometimes twice daily, watering because the soil heats up and dries out quickly.

Here's a glimpse at some of the new sun-loving tropicals you'll find from companies such as Monrovia ( http://www.monrovia.com ) and Hines ( http://www.hineshort.com ). Monrovia is found at independent garden centers; Hines is available at garden centers and stores such as Lowe's, Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

Mandevilla Bride's Cascade: These summer-long flowering vines come in all colors, including a new white one called Bride's Cascade. The vigorous plant, which grows 15 feet long, needs a strong support system, including a fence, trellis or arbor.

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Colorful tropical plants add a bit of island mystique