Sep 29, 2023

Florida botanical garden features Suntory Flowers’ flamingo topiaries

Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens in Punta Gorda, Florida, highlighted Suntory Flowers’ catharanthus Soiree Kawaii varieties, which adorned 24 flamingo topiaries at this year from Dec. 15-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.

Marshall Nathanson, horticulturist, 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 two colors chosen were ‘Soiree Kawaii Coral’ and ‘Soiree Kawaii Coral Reef’.

“Flamingle Fridays” were a big hit, that encouraged 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.”