Bougainvillea,Hanbat Arboretum Tropical Garden Evoking not only the true tropics but also sunny coasts as far north as the Mediterranean, Bougainvillea was names after the French navigator, Louis de Bougainville, who came across it during an 18th-century visit to Brazil. The showy vine quickly because a garden favourite and has since been extensively hybridized with forms and c..