January 22, 2011

Oh, Mandy.......

Oh, Mandy, you came and
You gave without taking
But I sent you away
To live in the bathroom that
Has gosh awful 1980s pink wallpaper.

A silly play on Barry Manilow's lyrics.

‘Alice Du Pont’ made her way home with me from the green house in late June. It was my first time to have a Mandevilla. The plant was small. There were a handful of leaves and a couple of buds, but no blooms. In a matter of days, there were several showy flowers.

I moved the pot off the deck onto the ground and the vine made its way around the railing. This tropical plant looked pretty first thing in the morning and equally as beautiful in the early evening after a light rain.

I don’t normally overwinter plants, but in late September an exception was made and I moved the plant into a sunny bathroom. Butterscotch immediately thought that ‘Alice Du Pont’ was placed there purely for his entertainment.

This last photo was taken in late December. I’ve kept the plant on the dry side and it’s only lost a few leaves. There’s a small newspaper article taped to the plant stand that says if you’re going to overwinter a Mandevilla and don’t want to wait until the following August for it to bloom again, do NOT prune it any later than February. I’m interested to know what you might have to say about caring for a Mandevilla that’s been brought inside for the winter.

I’m sure many of you have grown Mandevillas that make mine look puny, but I thoroughly enjoyed this plant and will most likely make sure that there’s always one in my summer garden. How do you like the pink wallpaper? It's old, but not as old as Barry Manilow's song.

30 comments:

  1. Hi Donna, your Mandevilla was gorgeous in bloom, and I am sure with this extra care it will once again flower & bloom it's heart out come spring/summer. But I am not here to give any advice, as I know NOTHING about Mandevillas! I like the idea that you over-wintered the plant though and hope you get some great advice;-) One thing I 'think' I can offer is the lyrics are from Barry Manilow's song, not Rod Stewart. At least that's what I'm remembering...I haven't double-checked this on google to verify--so it could be that Rod did this song first. Anyway--Rod, Barry...whatever--they're both from the same time frame so the connection can easily be drawn between the two;-)

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  2. Wonderful...mine is red, but not in flower now!!! Congratulation...have a nice weekend, cioa Flavia

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  3. Ha! Thanks for the giggle, you silly poet. I've never grown a Mandevilla but, I'd really like to. And, I'll confess... I'm kind of diggin' that pink wallpaper. Hope you're having a marvy weekend.

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  4. It was Barry Banana nose, Jan is right on.

    I think your Mandevilla looks very healthy and content. I can tell you dusted the leaves, something I should do with my houseplants once in while but I don't.

    You have a very green thumb, my dear.

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  5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK8-gZVkYsk

    This is not spam! This the link to "Oh Mandy" on youtube!

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  6. Jan and Rosey....I typed Rod Stewart just to see how sharp you are. Pretty dang sharp, I see. I was only off by about ten years.

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  7. This is incredibly beautiful ...

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  8. So funny!
    I have to admit I've never heard of this plant. Scotland isn't a very tropical plant sort of place. But it looks gorgeous twining around your deck, so I can see why you want to cosset it through the winter.

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  9. Mandy is beautiful. I hope you gets lots of blooms from her again. I think she'll be inspired by the pink wallpaper to give you lots of pink flowers. I rarely overwinter plants either, I have no space inside for them. I love seeing all your lush Hostas in the background, I never can get mine to look like that.

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  10. I can't help with the Mandevilla but I think she looks great. She was beautiful last summer and I'm sure she will be beautiful again this summer.

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  11. I love Mandevilla. I'm not normally a pink person, but the blooms are just so beautiful! How clever of you to bring her in for the winter.

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  12. The flowers are so pretty I haven't tried growing Mandevilla. But I saw one the other weekend during a fund raising close to where we live.
    I like that pink wallpaper. Pink is one of my favourite colours.

    Have a great week.
    Hugs.

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  13. A beautiful plant, Donna. I grew one on the deck in a pot one summer but it wasn't as gorgeous as yours - kind of dissapointing.
    I may try one in the ground this summer (thanks to your pretty pictures - wallpaper and all).

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  14. I love mandevillas, and yours is so pretty, Donna! I don't know why I've never grown one, so I can't give you any advice. I do know my mother has overwintered a hibiscus I gave her several years ago, and it's still blooming its head off.

    Butterscotch looks just like our Tarzan--they could be brother and sister. And I like your pink wallpaper--it looks better than my red and white bathroom wallpaper:)

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  15. Mandy's beautiful! So is Butterscotch. I could live with the pink wallpaper. (Bill would need his own bathroom ;>)

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  16. I was just thinking as I clicked away from your blog that I have a lot of nerve commenting on anybody's wallpaper, pink or otherwise, when I live in a trailer ;>)

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  17. I like the mandevilla in your pink bathroom, Donna! I once owned a stunning mandevilla, too large to bring inside ... the trouble for those of us living in the north, tempted by stunning tropical plants, without a greenhouse!

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  18. Hi Donna, I sure hope things work out with this beautiful baby of yours.
    And do take your cat away...she's to beautiful to be use as a litter.
    Smiles.
    Dagmar
    ps how are you feeling...?

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  19. Donna I love Mandevillas, I bought one about four years ago for my Mother on Mother's day.

    If I can recall, I think it was called Sun Parsol Red... One day I was having lunch with my mother in her garden, when two hummingbirds stopped to feed from it.

    They were only there for an hot second but the thrill stayed with us all day for this was a rare site in our area, just a short glimpse was good enough for us.

    My mother tried to overwinter her's in the house as well, but sadly it died. Yours appear to be fairing beautifully good for you.

    I too am a fan of this plant and well include it again in the near future.

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  20. It looks beautiful! and so nice all tangled on the deck

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  21. To reveal my utter ignorance I've heard of it but not familiar. What a gorgeous plant. I need to check on it further.

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  22. What a beauty! I have a unique problem with plants in the house.. one of my cats like to not only gnaw on the leaves, but she actually eats the dirt! Anyways, I couldn't hep but notice the lovely Hostas in the background in one of the pictures. I love Hostas and yours are beautiful!

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  23. What lovely, vibrant colors on those blooms!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I just have seemed to run out of blogging energy this winter.

    I'm from MN but this is definitely Packer country around here in western WI. How can someone in WI not root for the Packers this year! I can't wait to watch them in the Superbowl.

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  24. Beautiful photos, and a cute post! I was smiling all the way through, love the kitty! You do such a wonderful job with plants, I wish I had more of your skill!

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  25. Your mandevilla looks nice with the wallpaper. :-) I have no experience with that. They're very common here although will not make it through the winter (at least not these last two winters!). But I've heard wonderful things about how carefree they are.

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  26. I love Mandys. I grow one every year on the patio but have never tried to winter over as I don't have much natural light. So hope yours makes it through the winter. Let us know in the spring.

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  27. Your plant sure looks healthy!!! I think it likes it's bathroom spot! I have never had a Mandevilla...I know it would be hard to prune this purdy girl though!!! I LOVE your wallpaper... :)

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  28. It's cool that your mandevilla bloomed inside. I've never tried to overwinter one.

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  29. What a great plant with sunny pink flowers. Looks like it is doing great!

    Can't wait to hear about your Fun with Succulents class!

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  30. Hi, My first time here. I brought my Mandevilla in for the winter. It's in a cooler place than yours..my basement, in front of big windows. I keep a light on over it all day into the evening. The leaves crisped up and dropped off around Christmas time, but now it is getting new growth and has many new leaves. Maybe I should bring it up from the basement into a heated house. I found a bushy Mandevilla..a Dipladenia in my neighbor's yard last year and it filled his huge container with beautiful reddish blooms.It doesn't vine as much as these. I was going to try one of those this year. Sorry this comment is so long, but I couldn't shorten it. I really enjoy your blog. Balisha

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