Finding flowers that work perfectly in a cottage garden can be frustrating. You spend long periods of time away from your lakeside getaway, and you can’t give your cottage plants the daily attention and maintenance that your home garden receives. You also have to rely on unpredictable weather to nourish your plants, and there are far more bugs and pesky creatures up in cottage country that could ravage your beautiful flowers. But don’t ditch the hoe in despair—you still have options. The Rio Dipladenia is a gorgeous trumpet-shaped tropical flower that actually thrives in low-maintenance environments. Here’s why they make the perfect centrepiece in any cottage floral display.
They have a long bloom period
Short blooming flowers are okay when you can guarantee you’ll enjoy every colourful moment. But with cottage time limited to weekends and vacation time, you can’t afford to miss out on prime bloom periods. There’s nothing worse than driving up to the lake to discover your flowers have already wilted and disappeared. Rios remain lush and blooming from May all the way through October, so they’re guaranteed to bring a brilliant pop of colour to every cottage visit.
They are insect and disease resistant
Any cottage lover knows that bugs are part of the deal. If you want to spend time in a beautiful natural environment, you have to put up with winged pests and creepy crawlies. Unfortunately, there’s often little defense when bugs decide to mess with your flowerbeds. Luckily, Rios are disease and insect resistant. And while they repel all the nasty elements, they attract some very pretty things like hummingbirds and butterflies, which are drawn to the bright colours.
They can withstand drought
There’s nothing worse than spending a rainless week in the city, panicking about the havoc that the dry weather will wreak on your delicate cottage flowers. But short of praying for a downpour, there’s not much you can do until you can rush back up there to whip out the hose. Planting Rios will set your mind at ease, because they’re heat-tolerant and they require very little watering. Their roots are equipped with “tubers,” which store water and nutrients beneath the soil and nourish the flowers during dry spells. No rain dance necessary!
They stand up to cold weather
Canadian weather can be temperamental, and cottage gardens are often destroyed during unexpected cold fronts in the spring or early onslaughts of chilly fall temperatures. But Rios are surprisingly cold tolerant, which makes them the perfect choice for a full-season garden. For a tropical flower, they’re incredibly hardy, and they will continue to bloom until the first hard frost of fall.
They’re very versatile
Rios not only thrive in traditional gardens, but they also work well in other growing environments. Their beautifully shaped trumpet blooms thrive in any container, from hanging baskets, window boxes, or planters to pots placed on patio tables as centrepieces.
There are great colour options
A cottage is already a little piece of paradise, so why not invite something tropical to the party? Rios are a bright, bold flower that will bring a unique flavour to your cottage garden. You can purchase them in pink, white, or vibrant red. There’s nothing muted or subtle about these flowers. They scream summer in the best possible way.
