There is an annual bedding plant that dazzles in the shade or the sun. It is among the last plants planted each year as if it were placed at the back of the line.
But from the hottest days of summer to the cool days of fall your eyes are drawn to its beauty. It is the ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset coleus.
If you have ever been to Sedona Arizona, you know the color I am talking about. It is a glorious rusty orange. It mesmerizes and you wish you could just look at twenty-four seven.
Right now, at The Garden Guy’s house that rusty orange of ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset gets hit by sun about 5 in the afternoon in a bed with various shades of chartreuse courtesy of Shadowland hostas like Coast to Coast and Giant Lone Star.
But there is also ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse coleus. There is something special about rusty oranges and chartreuses paired together.

Read the full Garden Guy column in your Thursday Bowie News.

This summer the plant trials have been riotous in their displays of colors in the recipe section.
One that caught my eye this year was Merry Go Round which was full of colors from the hot side of the color wheel. One featured plant was Campfire Red Ember.
Red Ember is one of the three in the Campfire series. Campfire Marshmallow, Campfire Flame and Campfire Red Ember. They are known botanically as Bidens and are native to Mexico and the Southwest.

Perfect Score, Director’s Select, Best of the Best and Leader of the Pack are just a few of the awards for Superlophus. I’m also reasonably sure you are thinking: What is a Superlophus?
Superlophus Sunglow is the official name botanically known as an Oenothera commonly called Texas Primrose. That’s right: This golden yellow flower that is a non-stop bloomer and tough-as-nails is a native selection and winner of 15 awards from Canada to Mississippi.

Read the full Garden Guy feature in the Thursday Bowie News.