A CLOUD of colour

Few plants put on as magnificent a display as bougainvilleas in summer.

- Marie Esterhuyse

Pat yourself on the back if your Bougainvillea has more colourful bracts than foliage because then you know it’s in the perfect spot and you’re doing the right thing.

This plant’s brightly coloured bracts that surround three small, inconspicuous flowers provide an abundance of colour from early summer into autumn. And the hotter the plant gets, the more it shows off and the brighter the bracts will be.

Bougainvilleas are available in a wide range of colours, including white, pink, purple, orange and cherry-red. Some cultivars have single bracts, while others bear double bracts or variegated foliage.

Bougainvilleas are robust growers and can get very big. Trained as a climber, it will quickly cover a wall or trellis. Plant it where it has plenty of space to grow and install a sturdy framework on the wall to support the plant. Make sure your pergola is strong enough to bear the weight of the mature plant.