Rattan furniture and palm frond accents are typical of the tiki style.
Tiki culture began as a fad when soldiers returning from the Pacific after World War II brought back a little bit of Polynesian culture with them. Soon "tiki bars" decorated with rattan furniture, carved wooden masks and flower leis began popping up all over the country. You can re-create a bit of the tiki culture feel in your own garden by adding a few Polynesian-inspired accents. Does this Spark an idea?
Garden Furniture
Both tropical bars and tiki decor use rattan furnishings to simulate bamboo. Rattan is a species of palm tree that resembles a vine and is used extensively in home furnishings. Rattan patio furniture can have both an Asian and Polynesian feel to it. In addition to rattan, you can use bamboo and palm frond furniture or patio furniture covered with tropical prints to give your garden a Polynesian feel.
Garden Ornaments
One motif often repeated in pop culture representations of tiki were the carved masks and totems of Polynesian gods. These gods, which were known as tiki gods, gave the term "tiki culture" its name. By using tiki representations made of both carved wood or stone throughout your garden, you can give the garden a Polynesian feel. Bamboo citronella burners, which are known as tiki torches, are another accent that are both Polynesian in flavor and functional at the same time. Burning citronella oil in the torches chases off mosquitoes and other biting insects from your garden.
Garden Plants
Tropical plants such as palm trees, plumeria and pineapple growing in your garden can give it a tropical feel. In warm climates such as south Texas, southern Florida and parts of California, these plants grow well in the ground. In all other areas of the U.S. the plants should be grown in containers and moved indoors during winter. You can also grow hardy plants that have a tropical appearance, such as mallows, which resemble hibiscus, or hardy bamboo. Since bamboo is a grass plant you must be careful not to plant an invasive variety. You can also grow bulb plants such as elephant ear, which can be stored each winter and re-planted in spring.
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