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Making your garden look exotic need not be an expensive exercise. All it takes is a little thought, ingenuity and effort.

The first step is to plan how you want your garden to look. If you have the advantage of a computer design program this will give you the ability to plan the appearance of your exotic garden and, furthermore view a 3D model of it. Alternative, simply creating the design on paper will serve the same purpose.

The next step is to decide what type of exotic mix you are seeking to achieve. For example, are you looking for a tropical or oriental design, or a mixture of both? Of maybe you desire something a little more gothic. It might help your decision if you look at some existing gardens designs at this stage. There are plenty of you can generate ideas and these can be found either by taking a stroll around your local area, visiting gardens that are open to the public or viewing gardens on the Internet.

Then you need to sit down and work out the budget for the project, allowing a little contingency fund. Make sure that you cost everything out properly and get quotes from garden centres, the Internet and other places.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:off ice:office" />

For the purpose of this exercise we will consider a tropical garden and assume that you have the temperature to cope with this and the time to tend the garden.

First you need to work on the patio area. The tropical effect can be achieved here by the use of reeds and wood. The reeds you might be able to get for free if you live close to a lake or swamp where they grow. With this you can build a table a chairs with an umbrella that is designed in the palm style found in resorts along the Mediterranean. Along any walls, which should be painted white to give that Mediterranean feel, you can place wood trellis, along which you can trail tropical plants. Delicately placed terracotta pots will add to the image.

You will need a few well-placed palms of mixed variety and large sword leafed plants, amid other trees such as olives and cypress and the colourful acacia. Spiked plants, aloes, yuccas and cordylines mixed with shrubs will provide rich foliage and this can be complimented with the colours of lilac, oleanders and hibiscus. If you are careful about where you buy the plants and materials, this could all be done for less than the price of a holiday.

Learn more about this author, Paul Lines.
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