Suntory Flowers’ flamingo topiaries dazzle at Florida botanical garden
Suntory Flowers’ catharanthus Soiree Kawaii varieties adorned 24 flamingo topiaries at Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens in Punta Gorda, Florida, from Dec. 15 through Sept. 13. The first half of the year, the flamingos were planted with begonias, but they started burning up in May under 100-degree temperatures. The solution? Heat-loving Soiree Kawaii catharanthus.
Horticulturist Marshall Nathanson visited Sun-Fire Nurseries in Sarasota to see if these plants would be a good replacement.
“I could trust they weren’t going to grow tall and lanky,” he said. “Indeed, top pruning them early on caused them to branch out exceedingly well, and they conformed to the body shape with very little successive pruning.
“The color palette matched the true color of American flamingos. The compact growth habit, heat tolerance and abundance of rich, flamingo-colored blooms made Suntory Flowers a no brainer!”
The two colors chosen were ‘Soiree Kawaii Coral’ and ‘Soiree Kawaii Coral Reef’.
“Flamingle Fridays” were a big hit, encouraging visitors to bring blankets, picnic baskets or purchase food from nearby food trucks.
“The public was absolutely enamored of the display of flamingos,” he said. “It was an eye-catching and dazzling display. Our staff, visitors and guests alike could not stop talking about our ‘flamboyance,’ which is what you call a flock of flamingos.”
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