Mandevilla and Dipladenia
compiled by Lee Spindler
If you’re looking for hardy plant that will give you colour for months on end, make sure you consider one of the fabulous range of Mandevillas and Dipladenias.
They are shrubby type creepers that are perfect for softening a fence or trellis and they are not overly vigorous so they are perfect for smaller spaces.
They grow well in pots too, so if you’ve got a spot on a balcony or patio where you’d like something colourful to run up a post or railing, they could well be the plant for you.
But perhaps their most remarkable attribute is that they can also be trimmed to form a colourful flowering shrub. It looks fabulous as a massed border planting or simply as a stand alone potted feature.
All the Mandevillas and Dipladenias have attractive, rounded glossy leaves and stunning tubular blooms that show for up to 6 months of the year. You’ll find them in a variety of colours too.
With its large pink trumpet flowers, ‘Alice du Pont’ is an old favourite. So is ‘Parfait Passion’, another pink variety that has outstanding double pink flowers.
If you like red flowers, look out for the popular ‘Red Riding Hood’ as well as the deeper red ‘Crimson Fantasy’.
The pure white Dipladenia ‘White Fantasy’ is a wonderful performer and for something a little different, try the Mandavilla ‘Gold Sundial’
They’re all very easy to grow, as long as you make sure the drainage is perfect. And give them a regular application of all-purpose fertiliser to keep them healthy.
So if you’re after a tidy climber or shrub that’ll bloom all summer and autumn, check out the marvellous mandevillas and dipladenias next time you’re at you nursery.