Landcrafters Florida: Learning Center

Landscape Styles to Consider for Your Tampa Bay Property

Written by Brent Wastney | Aug 19, 2024 5:21:18 PM

From coastal views and sandy beaches to vibrant communities and must-see resorts, there’s a lot to like about the Tampa Bay area. One thing you’ll notice as you see the sites and drive through the area’s top neighborhoods is that the landscaping is simply stunning–a testament to the way landscaping styles can truly elevate a property.

For those wanting to maximize the potential of their community, determining which style of landscaping is the perfect fit is imperative. Luckily, you can choose the right landscaping for your high-end community with a little research and expert guidance. If you’re looking for the best place to start your landscaping style journey, you’ll want to keep reading!

Popular Landscaping Styles in Tampa Bay

Choosing landscaping styles for your Tampa Bay property is one of the most important decisions you will make. Not only does landscaping heavily affect your curb appeal, but it also sets the tone for your residents. If, for example, you are determining between different types of landscaping for your luxury apartment complex, condo association, or high-end HOA community, the choices you make will directly impact the aesthetic, liveability, and perception of your property.

If you are in the position to influence the landscaping ideas for associations–whether it be your sole responsibility or that of a board you are a member of–you will want to consider the top landscaping styles that are popular in Tampa Bay. There’s more to this than the visual appeal, too, including Tampa Bay’s unique climate and maintenance concerns, so be sure to consider it from all angles.

Tropical Landscaping

Florida’s climate lends itself well to tropical landscaping. With verdant vegetation and lush landscapes galore, it’s no surprise that this landscaping style is quite popular in the Tampa Bay region. The breeze from the gulf, swaying palm trees, and beautiful flowering shrubs all paint a picture of a peaceful tropical oasis, and that vision is well within reach.

For properties that want to create a quintessential Sunshine State experience, tropical landscaping is one of the best styles of landscaping. The benefits extend beyond the classic aesthetic and beachy vibes, too.

Because many of the plants and features used to create tropical landscapes are natural in Florida, they are typically easy to plan, install, and maintain. This includes native plants that tend to thrive in Tampa Bay’s salty, sometimes challenging environment. Thanks to the complementary relationship between tropical landscaping styles and the climate, your community can stay in its prime year-round, providing residents and guests with a carefree tropical experience that is seldom disrupted.

Modern Landscaping

For high-end communities in Tampa Bay that want to embrace a contemporary take on landscaping, modern landscaping styles should be on your radar. Rather than going overboard with dense vegetation or excessive accent features, modern landscaping focuses on practicality, clean lines, and simplicity.

Often, the landscaping elements will echo the design language of the buildings on the property, creating a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing environment for residents and guests to enjoy. In this way, it is incredibly intentional while focusing on quality over quantity.

Some of the tell-tale traits of modern landscaping styles are muted colors, hardscapes (like rock), functional plants for privacy or shade, and symmetry. Modern landscaping works very well for high-end communities, especially those that want to create an intentionally graceful atmosphere that accentuates certain elements of the landscape, such as water features.

Xeriscape Landscaping

When it comes to different types of landscaping, xeriscape landscaping (also known as “xeriscaping”) is one of the most interesting. This particular approach to landscaping is focused on conserving water, allowing your community to thrive without being overly reliant on irrigation. It also reduces the need for chemical-based pesticides. Not only is this arguably good for the environment, but it also saves money by reducing water usage.

There are a few key factors used to design and implement an effective xeriscape landscape. These elements, when used together, can dramatically reduce the need for irrigation while being quite functional and aesthetically pleasing.

  • Group plants by their demand for water. This principle is at the core of xeriscaping because it makes it easy to care for and maintain the plants that compose your landscaping. By grouping plants together by their watering needs, you simplify the irrigation process, leading to greater efficiency while encouraging a gorgeous landscape to flourish.
  • Choose plants that are drought-tolerant. Florida is no stranger to droughts, and when dry spells do happen, you have two choices–excessively water the plants that need it or replace them when they inevitably succumb to the drought. Often, both of these negative outcomes result. By investing in drought-tolerant plants, you reduce your watering needs dramatically and are less likely to have exorbitant maintenance costs in a drought scenario.
  • Use mulch to regulate the moisture and temperature of soil, reduce erosion caused by rain and water runoff, and even stifle the growth of pesky weeds. 


This water-sipping, easy-to-maintain landscaping style is a phenomenal option for Tampa Bay properties to incorporate either as an overall strategy or as a tactic used to add variety to certain sections.

Mediterranean Landscaping

Of the many landscaping ideas for associations in Tampa Bay, Mediterranean landscaping truly stands out. With gorgeous natural elements and peaceful coastal vibes, Mediterranean landscaping emphasizes garden-like aesthetics using fragrant, drought-tolerant plants. Complementing these decorative flowering plants and coastal shrubs are hardscaping elements such as stone and gravel.

While there is no shortage of beauty with Mediterranean landscaping, it does tend to utilize plants that have similar foliage. This creates a somewhat uniform look that is easy on the eyes and soothing to the soul. Consider installing paths that meander a bit, as if you are taking a leisurely stroll through a garden or a footpath to the beach. Planting in layers will add to this feeling by giving the appearance of depth and texture.

To tie the entire Mediterranean feeling together, use stones to create flower beds and boundaries and a neat row of shrubs or small trees as a living privacy fence. The finished landscaping should feel natural, fluid, and calming, yet also manicured and thoughtful.

HOA Landscaping Services in Tampa Bay

No matter which styles of landscaping appeal to you and best complement your luxury community, expert design, strategy, implementation, and maintenance of that landscaping is essential. Who you work with and the quality of their services can be the single most important factor that determines the visual appeal and functional use of your property.


With over 20 years of experience providing outstanding HOA landscaping services in Tampa Bay, Landcrafters has learned a thing or two about designing and caring for different types of Landscaping. If you have a vision for your dream association property or would like to discuss options, don’t hesitate to reach out–we would love to help your dream become a reality.