2. Bodacious beauty:

The beauty of this planter (approx. 16″ diameter) is its ability to transition through the season in a partial shade location, with four out of the six plants chosen for their awesome foliage color and form. Flowers are just accents until early August when the Pachystachys lutea (lollipop plant) begins to bloom. The pot holds one of each of the following:

• Cyperus involucratus ‘Baby Tut’: (umbrella grass) this little cutie stays under two feet tall and provides soft tufts of green fireworks that add a little exuberance to any planting.

• Coleus ‘Saturn’: is one of the big boys, growing bushy and tall—up to three feet toward the end of summer. Besides its velvety, deep maroon leaves splotched with a generous dollop of chartreuse, this variety doesn’t burst into bloom by mid-July—a real plus with a plant grown for its gorgeous foliage.

• Ipomoea Bright Lights Camouflage: I love the bi-color, green-purple look of this sweet potato vine, which is effective even in partial sun. It doesn’t become as rampant as some of the others. Height: 8-12”, 18-20” spread

Cont.

• Pachystachys lutea: I fell in love with this little beauty (AKA lollipop plant) while vacationing in Jamaica, where it surrounded the walkway around the hotel. It has finally become more available in the Midwest, and it’s spiky, lemon-yellow flowers thrive in the heat.

• Pelargonium ‘Indian Dunes’: It was the name of this annual geranium that caught my attention. With an additional “a,” its name would become Indiana Dunes, which is just down the road from where I live. Either way, this little plant’s flowers are somewhat of an afterthought. It’s rounded leaves feature chartreuse around a rosy center, the opposite of the Coleus ‘Saturn’. Leaf color (both) becomes more pronounced with more sun, and when the temperatures heat up, it produces bright, tomato-red flowers.

• Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’: This plant took the gardening world by storm when it appeared at garden centers. Its versatility, long bloom period and go-with-anything appearance are what have kept it on my list of plants to buy every season for the past 10 years.