Well, it sounds like your love and care of your caladium helped put on a real show!
And glad the weather cooperated.
Each year we plant 60-80 caladium bulbs. Some of them actually do come back depending on how harsh a winter we have. We are getting too old and tired to keep replanting each spring. I think we may try your in-the-pot method next year, then we can try to over winter them....because there is plenty of space in the greenhouse.