While palms are my first love, to me a tropical-themed garden needs Bougainvillea. I dug up this standard last October and kept it inside for the winter. It lost all leaves and I wondered if it would come back. I planted it in the ground in April and it struggled initially, but for the past couple of months it has been covered in blooms. The hummingbirds and butterflies (photo) love it.

Does anyone else grow Bougainvillea? If so, as disposable "bedding plants" or do you try to overwinter them inside?

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href=" https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bS97RzkZynNu4NtP1NtPGQ?feat=embedwebsit e"><img src=" " height="531" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href=" https://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm/August2011InTheGarden?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsit e">August 2011 in the garden</a></td></tr></table>