The Handbook on Plumeria

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Plumerias in The Landscape

DESIGNING WITH PLUMERIAS

One of our most memorable experiences of plumerias in the landscape occurred while visiting the Singapore Botanical Garden. We were walking along the rise of a small hill when suddenly below us were the tops of plumeria trees, a visual symphony of color and fragrance. This special moment prompted us to consider using plumerias in the design of the Matrimandir Gardens in this way, for the enchantment of looking down on a valley of plumeria flowers clustered on a living carpet of dense green foliage was unforgettable. Similarly, those in sub-tropical and tropical areas, could " weep up from dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties to intermediate and finally the tallest varieties. There are so many creative ways to use plumerias. They are the conversation piece of the neighborhood as front yard trees and one often sees them in full bloom throughout the summer. We plant them in half barrels as accent pieces or mass a number of containers together to create a palette of color in our landscape. Given enough hours of sunlight they can transform atriums and courtyards into tropical oases.

COMPANION PLANTS

During our years in the tropics we experimented with plants that would be compatible with the dominant and imposing form of plumerias. We found bougainvilleas to be excellent companion plants, especially as ground covers around our plumerias, for they were at peak bloom in India when plumerias were fully deciduous. We planted some of the more colorful bougainvilleas at the base of several plumerias where they could climb into the branches and festoon the trees with color when leaf- less in early spring.

Here in the U.S., where most people must grow their plants in containers, the challenge is a bit different. Ours is a tropical garden and we like to have as many plants in bloom as possible every day of the year. In September and October, when plumerias wind down from their months of spectacular display, there are dozens of varieties of gingers, also famed for the beauty of their blossoms, their many colors and sweet fragrances. In the spring we have flowering bulbs, early gingers (Curcumas, Kaempferias, etc.), the renaissance of dwarf bananas (if we haven't had a hard freeze

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they will continue growth and flowering throughout the year), and a succession of perennials and flowering vines from early spring until winter. All of these combine harmoniously with plumerias, the "centerpieces" of our tropical garden.

We change the color displays under our potted plumerias each year and enjoy a long season of color from the flowering annuals and perennials spilling over the halfbarrels and pots. Our greatest success has been with such plants as verbena, especially Verbena peruviana in various shades of lavender and pink, trailing periwinkle in white pink and lavender-pink, the blue evolvulus, and many colors of moss rose and purslane. These and other low-growing bedding plants add a colorful touch and fullness to the base of plumerias that delights the eye and soften the look of container planting.

Beautiful must be the mountains whence ye come, And bright in the fruitful valleys the streams, wherefrom Ye learn your song:

Where are those starry woods7 0 might I wander there, Among the flowers, which in that heavenly air Bloom the year long!

Bridges, 'Nightingales

Plumeria tree

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