How to make my deck a tropical paradise?

Vickie....I would suggest using potted plants. They can be mixed (live or artificial). If you have posts at the corners you can add very light weight material (curtains) and tie back at posts. You can also add string lighting or solar lights. Include your imagination and I am sure you will have fun and it will be beautiful. Tiki lights are also pretty as night!

Vickie: maybe this will help

https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/create-a-tropical-retreat-in-your-backyard/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyW-7Qg-nG8

I make my front seating area like a jungle every year for the summer. Everything comes in for the winter but a few hanging plants. We hang six vibrant colored hanging plants on Shepard hooks, two huge half wine barrels with large elephant ear plants, we have six hibiscus plants in larger pots, two spider plants hanging from the eaves and a couple of pothos. For the Shepard hook plants we normally go with two tuberous begonias, four if we can find nice ones, otherwise we use two angle wing begonias, we also use two other vibrant red plants that also blooms all summer. The far side of the sidewalk is lined all the way with very established Hostas. We love it and get many compliments from neighbors as no one else has done something like this.

Here is what I did! https://alifeunfolding.com/how-i-designed-an-easy-diy-outdoor-living-wall/