Melinda Myers: Heat-tolerant beauties for gardens and containers

Boost the summer-long beauty and heat tolerance in your gardens and containers with new varieties of annual vinca (Catharanthus). The unique Soireeâ vinca varieties provide added appeal with their cute, double, and ruffled flowers. Annual vincas, also known as Madagascar and Rose periwinkle, thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.

Once established they are drought tolerant. Similar in growth habit as impatiens but these flowers thrive in hot sunny locations where impatiens struggle. Hardy in zones 10 and 11, vincas are grown as an annual in most parts of the country.



Include annual vincas in containers, hanging baskets, and garden beds. Mix them with other plants or allow them to shine on their own. Soireeâ Kawaii vincas light up any garden with their vibrant mini flowers.

You’ll enjoy an abundance of flowers that cover the 9 to 18” tall by 12 to 18” wide mound of glossy deep green foliage. There’s no need to prune away long leggy branches as this plant maintains its compact habit all season long. Kawaii means cute in Japanese and these flowers certainly are just that.

Select from eight Soireeâ Kawaii (suntoryflowers.com) flower colors ranging from white to coral, purple, and red. Add some sizzle with Paprika Red, a patriot flare with the Lady Liberty Mix, or a harmonious mix of pinks and purple in the Berry Blast mix.

Grow White Peppermint, Coral, or Coral Reef Soireeâ Kawaii if the disease phytophthora has been a problem in the past. These three are as res.