Bougainvillea. How do I keep it alive and thriving

[purpledalmation]

Couldn't resist a beautiful plant in Lidl yesterday. I haven't got a greenhouse or conservatory so how do I keep it alive. I want it in the garden but happy to keep it in a pot. Presumably it will die if I left it out for the winter?

Is it small enough to bring inside for the winter? Or could try wrapping in horticultural fleece? Or accept you are just going to enjoy it this summer?

Its very small at the moment, so I think I'll bring it in for a few winters before it gets too big, then try the wrapping. thanks.

Following, have just been googling this as I bought the same plant on a whim the other week.

What pot size would you/others recommend? I plant to keep it inside until summer. It’s currently on a windowsill in its original container as I’m too scared to touch it for fear of killing it😅 it’s such a beautiful plant!

Me too with the whim! Reminds me so much of holidays and of how the plant grows all over the mediteranean like a weed. Holidays in Minorca ...lovely

I ordered one last year from Thompson & Morgan
I left it out on my patio, and sadly it didn't survive the winter. I don't have much room to bring plants indoors so I thought I'd take a chance. £25 down the drain 😂

£6 so I'm not too fussed.

For reference, I live in the Middle East. I argued with my bougainvillea for months. Once I gave up and decided to ignore them completely, they thrived... so, in my limited experience they need lots of sun and not much water. They can't handle frost at all. They CAN handle very high temps.

Mine didn't survive

Sadly we just don't have the climate....it needs heat!

They are my husbands favourite as he lived in Spain for years. They don’t survive outside here sadly. He has tried!