Tropical Flowering Trees are being used more and more in Florida gardens. The bright colored blooms are highly prized by gardeners and landscapers, pushing us to be bold in our choices, to see which varieties will do well in our particular region. The big box chain stores add to this boldness by offering trees that likely were not offered by local nurseries in the past because the zone and plant aren't traditionally a perfect match. Sometimes this requires a little more effort in protecting these hot climate trees when we get our occasional freezes, but the benefits usually outweigh the extra work. Trees not only provide beauty, but they can also offer shade, fragrance, privacy and added value to your home.