30 degrees to 90 degrees with lots of rain took a tole on this years garden. All my containers are very late this year. Here are my 2011 combo's.

Tropicanna Canna is one of my favorites and I used it as the thriller in many of my containers this year. KATG introduced me to Florida Beauty caladiums last year and I will order them every year they are available. Tip...the small Florida Beauty bulbs did just as well for me as the large and got a much better value.

Susan those are gorgeous containers. What state do you live in? I see your zone is 5. Do you over winter your caladiums?
The Tropicana is positively striking striking. How much sun do these containers get?
Oh my, I just noticed the caladium in the background.

Seems like the mini EE's were made for urns and they overwinter great in the midwest. I bring the pot in and throw a little water on it once a month. It goes dormant and looks like white worms in dirt. When temps get to be consistantly 60 degrees at night I put it out but they are very late here and usually appear the last week of June.

So are both of those in the background mini EE's?

I was told EE teacup doesn't winter over very well. I brought the pot to the basement and watered it once a week. Tried to keep it going as a house plant but appeared to have died. I pretended it was just dormant and planted the big pot of dirt into my container after the temps were consistantly 60 degrees at night and this is what happened a couple of weeks later.

Oh Susan, I love your garden and all of your containers, especially the urns. Now that makes me want to come visit you and enjoy a cool glass of iced tea, as we walk around and enjoy all of your beauties.

I live in a county just outside of St. Louis, MO. I bring all my containers to the basement on a table with two fluorescent lights and one small window and water once a week. I dig up plants in huge containers and repot into black nursery pots for easy handling. I do not have a walk out basement so this year I decided that is it. The only plants coming in are caladiums and EE's. Most of my garden gets sun until 2pm. It faces south but I get lots of shade from the trees. If I lose a tree I will lose the shade. I collect head planters which I plan to eventually get all planted in hardy sedums. This one is ready to go and won't have to be carried to the basement this fall. I will move all my head planters to a covered screened porch in the future. The basement is not a walkout and lugging is getting to be too much. I donate all plants I don't winter over to my local master gardeners for their gardens and plant sale.

Lyn the chartreuse EE is Lime Zinger. It is happy as long as it's kept soggy. The Tradescantia pallida - Purple Heart Plant looks pretty scawny when I put it out in spring but I cut it back hard and use the cuttings as fillers for other containers. It's a good performer in my garden.

Debbie my garden gate is open. Wouldn't that be fun☺This bench is a nice shady spot in the afternoon to rest and enjoy the garden. I think it needs to be painted a bright color I just haven't been able to commit. I'm thinking a shade of purple.

I can see this brugs from my kithchen window and now I wonder why I never planted one there before. Great view from the table.

This is the other container that I see from the kitchen table.

The new guinea impatience makes a nice combo with the tropicanna

I usually buy an ogon sedum but this year I found this golden sedum with no tag. I really love it. It's an annual ground hugger and would look spectacular with a big agave in the middle.

Hope I can count on my new friends at AllThingsPlants to please remind me at the end of the season how much I really love my EE's, caladiums, and Tropicanna's and inspire me to get out there and get them all dug up and brought in to over winter in the fall.

We will definitely be here cheering you on this fall Susan.
What is the plant in the container just above Lime Zinger? Is it an EE or caladium. I am know nothing about these plants, but love them.

Lyn it's Colocasia affinis jenningsii

It is beautiful Susan and is even more stunning growing with the Lime Zinger.

Susan, What in the world are you doing to your EE's. My Colocasia, Xanths and Canna are at least a month behind you. Of course I've planted in ground and pots warm up faster, but wow! You're plantings look great. I'm thinking of buying some potted up Canna as the the tubers(?) are taking they're time to get going.

Evan I would guess it takes the ground temps a bit longer to warm up in Mass. Once the leaves appear I top dress the bed with a bag of compost manure and keep them well watered but I really think they enjoy and thrive in our heat and humidity. I add osmocote14-14-14 four month in the spring in my beds and containers.

Too bad they are not winter hardy, huh.
we are trying to survive the japaneese beetles for two more weeks.