Just a few miles south in Sarasota is one of the US' best tropical botanical gardens, Marie Selby Bot. Garden. Below's a link to its page. They have thousands of plants, many of which can grow outside in the Tampa area. She'll have to experiment a little because how close to the water one is affects what will make it through the winter. Another good beginners reference is the Southern Living Gardening Book, available at most bookstores in the area. RJ

Here is a link that might be useful: Selby

check out Jene's Tropicals..local nursery (http://www.tropicalfruit.com)
6831 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33710

Very knowledgable on the types of tropicals that will thrive in our area

Thank you so much for both the nursery tip & the book tip. I have a wonderful book called Easy Gardening for South Florida, which is perfect for the Naples area, but not much in it is recommended for Tampa. I'll check the book out!

Hello!

Wow-- kind of old post but I thought I'd chime in...

I am also from Naples but now live in Tampa and bought my first house a few years ago. The first/easiest thing I think to grow "up here" and "master" are cannas. They're tropical looking (at least I think so), hard to kill and can spread/multiply (although not too fast or out of control). They were about the only thing decent the previous owner left in our yard besides our majestic oak and some sorry azealeas and holly bushes. They were originially over by the pool pump but I moved them (easily!) to a sunnier side of the yard where they weren't in the way of the pool equipment...they've been happy ever since.

Jacarandas and Royal Poinciana's are also very fast growing and rewarding with beautiful flowers.

The lovely folks at USF Botanical Gardens, Dunchenon's Nursery (Land O Lakes but WORTH the drive), and Green Thumb Nursery (Sheldon Road) have all been very helpful in rehabing my pool area into a more tropical paradise than this house's previous neglectful gardener. Also, the Plant Stop on Hillsborough can be helpful and has a few good deals.

Its been three years of a lot of relocating, weeding, planting but its getting better looking every day (not to menion graduating from college and having my first child)!

Poincianas (I have a dwarf variety) will also probably remind her of Naples! :)

The USF Botanical annual sale is in two weeks which may also give her some ideas.

Good luck!
Tanya

Most palms will grow in Tampa close to the coast. I know lots of people growing tropical fruit trees in that area. With just a few simple steps to protect them during freeze, she can create a tropical garden and eat delicous exotic fresh fruits. I have customers in Maine growing mangos and NYC a guy has a small key lime area in his apt. He's a bartender, takes them to work for his best customers. Nothing beats fresh Florida Key Limes. The problem is that they don't like drops below 60. Most citrus is ok with this and even like a cold snap but not key limes. Still, you can create a wonderful landscape with a few containers here and there along with the plants and trees grown in the ground.

Tamara