You don't have to live in a tropical location to grow tropical plants in your garden. Many large, colorful plants thrive in the summer heat. And they are a great way to add pizzazz to your yard.

Tom Oder is a writer, editor, and communication expert who specializes in sustainability and the environment with a sweet spot for urban agriculture. Do you know how to make your garden light up at ...

Play me a ukulele and replant my pots with orchids. I've just returned from Hawaii and tropical gardens are all I can think about. So I'm going to depart from my column's usual format for a week to ...