Bold, bright and colorful, Coleus adds instant pizzazz to garden and container plantings. A summertime favorite, this hearty annual is prized for its lush, colorful, textured foliage. Available in a wide variety of exuberant colors ranging from lime green to brilliant fuchsia to deep chocolate, Coleus is most often used as a bridge plant to tie together garden flowers with clashing colors. Coleus also performs beautifully as both an attention-getter and backdrop for other plants. Its thick, cushiony leaves add desirable texture to mixed garden plantings and container groupings. Available in a variety of sizes from tiny minis suitable for terrarium plantings to large plants that can reach the size of small bushes at maturity, Coleus is one of the most versatile summer annuals available. ...read more

Every year the National Garden Bureau announces its selection of the 100 best new garden plants introduced that year. While the list includes new varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables, it’s usually the annual and perennial flowers that receive the lion’s share of the attention from home gardeners. In past years, new varieties of Petunias and Impatiens have sold out quickly at local garden centers as gardeners rushed to add the latest must-have flowers to their garden beds. This year’s crop of new annuals and perennials promises to generate just as much gardening excitement. ...read more

To create pleasing container arrangements, floral designers use what is called the thriller-filler-spiller technique. In selecting plants to be combined in a container or hanging basket, florists look for plants that will fill each role: ...read more

Fall is already turning the garden brown and brittle, but you can continue to enjoy the lush greenery and fragrant blooms of your summer garden by moving favorite plants indoors. Some plants can be planted in large decorative pots and moved inside in stages to allow them to adjust to the warmer indoor climate.  ...read more