Mandevilla!

Up to this point, I resisted the urge to purchase a mandevilla vine. This despite my love for vines of all sorts. They were always too expensive, even at Wal-mart. However, my willpower broke down completely when I saw this manly red one for the puny price of $3.89 at a local hardware store. Most mandevillas are the deep pink one known as Alice du Pont. This red one is new to me, but it's a beauty. I just potted it up and placed it on my front porch area. Don't know yet where it will wind up, but it should be either a large pot that it can just stay in or in a sheltered area where it might survive the winter. These vines don't take kindly to frosts, but they can come back from the roots if they are well protected. Grow as an annual or potted plant if you live north of zone 8. I've since learned that this variety is known as Sun Parasol Crimson.