Mandevilla have come a long way in the past few years. I remember growing the old-fashioned varieties, with their long, lanky stems and relatively few pink flowers. 

Today, mandevilla offer a lot more variety. You can get climbing varieties for trellises and other structures, but now they're available in rich shades of red, pink, and white. They're not as lanky, either -- so you get a fuller-looking plant with a lot more blooms. But there are also mounding types that are perfect for filling a pot (either by themselves or mixed with other tropicals, annuals, or perennials). 

If you haven't grown mandevilla before, give them a try. I've found that they're surprisingly durable when I get too busy to water them as well as I should. They hold up better than you think! 

Looking for some easy-care that grow well with mandevilla? Here are some of my favorite no-fuss, big-impact companions: