Beautifuuuulllll!

Ok. You definitely didn't get the title of Coleus Queen for nothin'!

Stunning! I really love how all the different colors of the coleuses blend so perfectly together. It's a riot of color, but perfectly blended. And low maintenance. Can't beat it.

Your birdhouse turned out great! LOVE it! Isn't it great how a whimsical birdhouse can create a nice impact. Not that the coleus themselves aren't impact enough... but you know what I mean. ;-)

Thanks, Zozzl! Glad you like them! I'm having such a good time with all my coleus this year. What a lot of bang for the buck you get with them!

Marcia

Thanks, Nicki! I'm glad you like it, especially, since you see it so often! And I knew after seeing all your really cute birdhouses and other garden art that I HAD to have some of my own. Makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it?

Marcia

Oh my, I never knew they could have that much impact when grouped together like that. Beautiful. I know what you can do for that 'ugly ol' circle' Go grab yourself some concrete paint, first pressure clean it, buy your paints in different colors, pick one for the grout color, mask off a design and have at it. you can do it with a roller, get a large flat cookie sheet smear all different colors of paint and roll the roller in it and paint away. it will all blend like stone. Do some practice sheets of plywood or something to get the feel for it. Google painting concrete and it will throw up alot of links. Oh and be sure to peel off the tape while it is still wet. Dena

I have thought about painting the concrete, Dena, and since I've been a decorative painter for years, I know I could do it, but my husband has his heart set on brick pavers. *sniff* So that's what we are aiming for right now.

Glad you like the coleus. They can be just fantastic massed together, I think.

Marcia

WOW Marcia,

looks great and gives me inspiration as I need a bunch of them for color out in front. Its as hot as the surface of the sun where I could sure use em, I need to study up on the heat tolerant ones.

I take it they are not cold hardy, right?

When is the NEXT heat tolerant Coleus swap? (hint hint)

Thanks for sharing and inspiring

Tony

Wow Marcia,

That is beautiful!! I have always loved Coleus. What is the green plant in the back with the big leaves right behind your blue pot on the left side? And what's the bush on the right corner? I'm just full of questions ;)

Brat

Marcia, That is so beautiful. I love the color and textures used in the bed. It is good to meet a fellow decorative painter. In the past I painted pavers on a walkway and also river rock with the little plants peeping through the grout. Too cute and looked like real pavers and rock. Maybe hubbie will compromise till he can do the real thing. Inka

Tony, I don't know if ALL of these would do well in blazing sun. Many of them were in full sun out back, but as June began to really sizzle, I moved them out front where they only get half a day. The pots were drying out too fast. But I do have several out back in the ground that scoff at June/July heat and sun. I'll try to point you towards some good ones. Saturn comes to mind, right off the bat. I'll be bringing some to Kate's swap, and will get with you before then to have some good ones that will work for ya.

Brat, the big leaved plant behind the blue urn is fatsia, aka Japanese aralia. It isn't really happy where I have it, and I've been planning to move it, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. And by "right corner," do you mean the right side of the bed with the birdhouse? If so, that's Orange Jasmine. It would really prefer a sunnier spot, too, so doesn't bloom nearly as heavily as it would somewhere else. But it stays lush and green and gets SOME flowers, so I've left it there. There are also some Gold Mound durantas mixed into the beds here and there, too, and a bit of Margarita sweet potato vine for extra color.

Inka, I've done so much painting over the years, there's not much I haven't tried and/or taught. Recently, I've switched to digital painting using an electronic mouse, and I've been doing commissioned pet portraits, but I know I could do the driveway. However, I would also like the pavers, so I'm willing to wait a bit longer for them.

Marcia

What a beautiful bed, Marcia! The urn and birdhouse top it off perfectly. Please show us again at the end of the summer so we can see its progression. I have always loved foliage plants, so this is candy to my eye. Thank-you.

Anna

Your coleus are beautiful ... What a grand idea! Seeing your's, I think I'll get some for the back yard. What's cool too is that they're so easy to multiply.

Dena, I'm going to do that with my driveway too. Since it has sooooo many discolorations already, I thought I'd add a few more stains with a sponge on a long pole and then all I'll have to do is draw in the grout creating big and small areas. I should think it will look a lot more creative than the store bought pavers (and cheaper, tee hee).

Wow, wow and wow!!!!THey look spectacular. Do you snip off the blossoms? That is a great look all massed together like that.

They are absolutely beautiful. I just started a coleus garden this year so, I hope it gets that beautiful with time. Great job on the bird house too. VERY TALENTED!!!!
Wonderful job, Marcia. An inspiration!
Jardinera

Beautiful, Marcia!

I remember a very dark coleus from childhood. It was about the only plant we had. Also, love the bird house. Gives me ideas :) I've been making garden totems...may have to switch to birdhouses.

BTW..does coleus root in water?

Wanda, coleus will root in water or soil, and easily in both. I have them in vases all over the house, and I have a whole potting bench outside full of cuttings in pots. And I have broken off stems and stuck straight in the flower bed, too. If you can keep them moist, they'll root like that, as well. Only takes about a week to get good, healthy roots going. They are EASY!

Thanks for your kind comments, Jardinera! Hope your coleus do well for you, too. They are so rewarding!

Barb, I DO pinch the blossoms off, until the plants are about as big as they will get. Then I sometimes let them bloom, as the bees love them so much. But keeping them pinched helps make the plants fuller, so mostly I do.

Thanks, Wert! I highly recommend giving them a try. They are cheap and easy to multiply, so you have nothing to lose. Good luck!

Glad you like the photos, Anna. I hope they continue to hold up well throughout the rest of the summer. This hot, dry weather is just so hard on everything. I'm watering way more often than I want to.

Thanks, everybody! I'm proud of the way they look right now! They make me feel good!

Marcia

The pictures are GREAT !
I forward them to one of my girlfriends !

Thanks, D'Ann! I knew a fellow coleus lover like you would enjoy them. How are yours doing?

Marcia

Marcia, your coleus are so beautiful, I've got to go out and get me some more!!
Brenda

Beautiful! What are you feeding yours? Are you still grinding up small neighborhood children as fertilizer? I though you said you were going to stop doing that.
My coleus are no where near that size! A few of them maybe but everyone of yours is fabulous! I bow to you. You really are the Coleus Queen. All Hail!
(Run, Children, run!)

Kate

Love~Love~Love all your pics! You have done an amazing job with your design! Now you had me researching coleus for hours last night! You've got mail!
Your humble servent!
Kat

Marcia, you did a wonderful job putting the coleus garden together. I love how colorful it is. Just stunning. Now we all know why you are the coleus queen. :o)

Marcia, I've looked at your coleus pictures several times now and they are stunning. They really do show off grouped together like that and look so happy. Your birdhouse and vase are the perfect ornaments. Inspiration, inspiration oh coleus queen.

Ginny

Marcia, WOW WOW WOW. I love your yard and the coleus. I knew you liked them a lot but you truly are the Coleus Queen of Sanford maybe the entire state.

Can you tell me, how tall does Kona Red get?

I can see you are an artist. Your plantings and beds have that quality to them.

TFS,
Nami

Kate, sadly I have run through all the small neighborhood children on our block. Now I either have to get a larger grinder and start on the parents or broaden my search area! I know I promised, but hey...I'm the Coleus Queen. I have a reputation to uphold. Whatever it takes to keep those coleus happy is what I gotta do!

You guys have really made my weekend! I was feeling a bit down due to this stupid !@#%$##$**!! neck problem, but now I feel all warm and happy inside! Thanks for all the very kind comments!

Nami, the Kona Red is about 2' tall, so far. Don't know if it will get a lot bigger or not. It is listed at Rosy Dawn as being "medium, upright."

Thanks again, y'all!

Marcia

Marcia, wow, just incredible. I'm enjoying mine, hope to get the fuller effect that you have.
Lynne

Marcia, Thanks for asking :)

All the little jewels that everyone gave me at Kathy katkins swap out grew their 4" pots, and I spent a good hour or so today uppoting :) In fact , the order I got from them (June 4 th) had all their little feet pokin out of their 4 in pots......and I only had them 2 weeks !

Still trying to decide exactly were to put them in the yard . The storms took down almost all my shade. I do have a few oak trees left but then they get TOO much shade. sun coming up , and then down. But now ,some of them are getting a little blanched. BUT THEY ARE GROWING !

When I sent Kat R. Dawns website.... I thought we would split a few plants and that would be the end of it. Boy was I wrong !

I am glad everyone is enthusiastic about buying/sharing as I am

I will be posting my picks for my December order latter on in the year ! LOL
D`Ann

Beautiful coleous!!! Mine are still small, but growing, I hope they will be full like yours later. My King Kong is getting really big, after I dumped it over as I was re-potting it. It really seemed to do it good after it recovered. Rene

Marcia , one more thing........
i have about 4 that don`t seem to want to grow as fast as the others.
Sparkler
Ruby Laser
Strawberry drop
Trailing plum brocade.

Anybody else ???

Hi!

Absolutely beautiful....... We are working on the front of our house too with plants, but your's is stunning!

I enjoyed those pictures alot!

Cometgirl

I agree on the Ruby laser - mine is still almost the same size it was when I got it from RD before the swap. The other ones have all grown very well.

Does anyone have the Fishnet Stockings? I'm thinking about that one for the next time.

Ginny

Hi, folk! D'Ann, I have several that are much slower growing. Or maybe it is just that some are really FAST growing, and the others are normal? Either way, some are not nearly as big as others, even though they seem healthy enough. Felix took forever to start to put out any new leaves at all, but has finally begun getting taller. Envy (the giant green one) is just one medium sized stem with huge leaves so far, and I know it will do better than that, eventually.

My strawberry drop (from Nova) is HUGE. And it got that way pretty fast. But it was an established small plant when she gave it to me, rather than a newly rooted cutting. That probably makes a difference. A couple of others are still smallish. Oh, the cutting you gave me of Fright Night is still only 3" tall, though it looks well rooted and healthy. I put in in a combo pot last week to see if it would start taking off. I don't have any of the others you mentioned. (We will rectify that at the next swap, maybe??? I hope, I hope!)

One thing I have noticed with mine. If you start the cuttings from tiny tips of the plants, they take a LONG time to establish. I firmly believe in taking a nice, longish cutting...maybe 10" or so...with plenty of leaves to break off along each side, and putting that in a 6" pot with a good potting soil. The ones I do that way root in about a week, and look like an established plant in about three. (I use Miracle Gro potting soil with timed release fertilizer to root mine, and am having really good luck with it. I don't bother with rooting hormone with coleus. No need.)

Fishnet Stockings is on my wish list, too. It's lovely.

Cometgirl, nothing else in my front yard is even planted. It's just dying grass and big trees, so the coleus bed is all I've accomplished out there. But I'm glad you like it. I'm happy with it, too, and it does make a nice entry garden, I think.

Rene, Kong is a great plant, but it really loves shade. They just don't get nearly as big or bright in the sun. It fades them a lot. But D'Ann, most of my other coleus are getting at least half a day sun, and some are getting flat out full sun, and doing well. I have a few that don't like it, and those are tucked into shady spots here and there. Sizzler, aka Pineappletee, turns way too yellow and loses its pretty splotches if the sun is on it all day long, for one. I think the secret is just to watch them, and move them if they complain. A couple that I had in shadier spots were getting too leggy and they are much happier in more sun. It's definitely trial and error, I think, plus I printed out Rosy Dawn's list that tells you some that prefer sun and some that prefer shade. It's helpful with the plants I got from them.

Thanks again, everyone!!
Marcia

Well Marcia,
Your beautiful pictures got me off my lazy butt.
Yesterday and this morning I've been potting up combinations, singles and lots of different coleus.
Didn't realize how many I had.
I swear the ones I planted yesterday are already much larger and prettier with more root space and fresh fertilizer.
Hopefully I will share pics later.
Still more to do.

I was startled by one of those Knight Anoles when he jumped from behind the pot I was planting up into the mahogany tree this morning! heeheehee. What fun!

Oh, I'm so glad I inspired you, Tree! You have certainly inspsired ME on many occasions! Funny about the Knight anole. They sure look like they are pretty, but I've never seen one in person. (In lizard?)

Good luck with the coleus. The pretty frilly ones you gave me cuttings of are just gorgeous now. Will have to share some pictures of my BACKyard coleus!

Marcia

As promised here are a few pictures of what I've been up to.
They don't hold a candle to Marcia 'Queen of Coleus's wonderful arrangements, but anyway...