Subtropical gardening is a gardening style in which the appearance of a tropical garden is created in a temperate climate.

• There is a characteristic “tropical look” which can be achieved in a temperate garden in four ways:
• 1. Selecting plants which look tropical but are hardy
• 2. Protecting plants artificially
• 3. Using plants which look tropical in the summer but die to the ground every winter
• 4. Using tropical looking hardscape elements

· It originated in Britain with the introduction of Mediterranean plants by the Romans, whose work was lost in the Dark Ages.

· It did not begin to develop in the form we know today until the 19th century, when it developed very rapidly into a popular gardening style in Britain in the late 19th century.

• The economic, social and technological consequences of the Industrial Revolution triggered Britain’s interest in subtropical gardening.
• By mid-century many people had glasshouses for plants, and began planting extensive gardens in the subtropical style in the milder parts of Britain.
• Books were published on the subject and expeditions were sponsored for the purpose of collecting new plants from far and wide.

· World Wars distracted most of the world from being interested in gardening, and made access to new plant material in foreign countries difficult.
· Much of the work that had been accomplished in Victorian England was lost.

Later in the 20th century, subtropical gardening began to make gradual development again in different parts of the world.

· It has continued to develop steadily throughout the latter part of the century.

Today the main driving factor behind the development of subtropical gardening is globalization.

· The improvement of communication technology and the Internet has resulted in an interest in subtropical gardening springing up all over the world.
· Although growth is not occurring on the same scale as it did in Victorian England, the future of subtropical gardening looks promising.