More Dreams of Gardens - succulents, a bit of the tropics and more

More progress today on our landscaping project (thanks to many awesome friends who contributed hours of shoveling!) means we're even closer to having a yard, a real yard! I'm having so much fun starting to plan the different elements of the yard. There are more plants on my list than will fit in our limited space, but it's still fun to consider the options. A few that are on my mind today....

Tropical elements are a must, and palms are a great way to achieve this, but many varieties would take over our yard in no time because of the sizes they grow to. Looks like the Pygmy Date Palm might be a good option, since it only reaches 8-10 feet high.

Love the look of banana trees.

Succulents are awesome, and I'm thrilled to live somewhere they'll thrive. We already have several succulents on the deck, and the plan is to add many more. Ideally, they'll spill over the edge of the new retaining wall (plenty of drainage was added with this in mind). So many varieties - I love them all!

Found this great pot at TJ Maxx for just $6, and can picture it overflowing with different succulents.

Some of the current cuties on our deck, which will likely be repotted in the above pot...

Roses might not be considered tropical, but some varieties will go well with this look. I'm loving the colors of this one. Having flowers in the yard which can be cut and brought inside sounds like a dream to me.

Bougainvillea have been on my list for a very long time - ever since moving to San Francisco and seeing them everywhere. However, I never tire of them and am so excited that we can plant some of our own this year! Apparently they do much better with full sun, which we'll keep in mind while deciding on the perfect spot.

I don't think I'd mind letting one take over my house - so beautiful!