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Bougainvillea
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Posts: 279
in Plants
Morning all and Happy Easter.
I'm planning our new patio planting. It's large. South facing. Surrey UK, and will have 2 long brick walls at right angles to create a warmish seating spot.
Def. going to get a couple of scented rose climbers for one wall.
For the other wall,which will be south west facing but gets sun most of the day too, I'd really like Bougainvillea.
Aware it's a med.plant so not hardy. Has anyone tried it outdoors or more importantly know of a hardy alternative that will look a bit like it? Aiming for that lovely pink flower wall cover you get in Portugal and Spain...to let you know it's really summer.
Cheers.
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I agree with Tetley. It will die at the slightest frost.
They grow well in pots. Overwinter in a cold greenhouse, they will lose their foliage but it will come back, they can also be pruned every year to keep them in check. Mine are 10 years old and always put on a good show
Thanks Tetley, Redwing. Food for thought. I suspected as much.
AWB thanks too. I don't have a greenhouse yet (it's at the end of our house and garden renovations list!), so perhaps one to try later on in a pot when I finally get my greenhouse.
just got one of these as a gift, so I'm going to try growing up a south facing fence close to the house, and overwinter in my mini greenhouse. We are in East Devon. fingers crossed!!
Wldflowers, you could try Campsis radicans as an alternative. Not quite the same colours but does give that sense of tropical luxuriance. It is hardier than Bouganvillea and should do well if you have a sheltered sunny spot for it.
white jasmine? fragrant and evergreen (mostly)
I once heard similar question on 'Gardeners Question Time'(R4) and expert said only way to grow bougainvillea successfully was round an indoor heated pool.
good luck with trying, though.
i nearly bought one yesterday from esk eastbourne, but although they said it was the hardiest version, it needed to be sheltered and i live in a bay by the sea so is much too windy here, but they were pretty big plants too