As you might know there is a great deal of interest in the mixing of perennials, annuals and tropicals in the garden. One of the best plants in the tropical range that can add a wonderful tone to any garden is the ornamental coleus plant. We offer a "Coleus Craze Collection" in our catalogue and it is unbelievably popular. We have good friends who have a Victorian house in central Ohio you have done us one better in landscaping with coleus in the way the Victorians did. We have a full display of collection every summer here, but we cannot lay claim to the extravagance of the Downers in central Ohio. They do not want to be besieged with visitors, but they have graciously allowed us to show several views of their garden and the setting for their magnificent house. Most of the coleus varieties shown are available from our greenhouses. We have just uploaded our Coleus Gallery of Closeups! Click Here to go to our Closeup Gallery. We heartily recommend the use of coleus as an accent for a great perennial and display garden.

Just click on any of the thumbnail photos below to view a larger version of the picture. You will see a popup window with a large version of the photo. Just click on the "Close Window" button to view other photos. These should inspire you to great gardening feats!

The following are images from the various gardens that MaryAnne and Joel Spinner create every year in the Chicago area. We are pleased to have gotten some photos of the display this season, 2010. The Season has been great (a bit warm for humans--but good for the plants). The garden of MaryAnne and Joel Spinner is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. By necessity, this small urban garden is vertical rather than horizontal, built above their garage. The contianer garden--which consists of over 1000 plants mostly tropicals and annuals--has won first place city-wide for best rooftop garden in the Mayor Daley Landscape Award competition, and has been featured in national publications and websites. MaryAnne, a Master Gardener with the University of Illinois Extension, has been a loyal and enthusastic Glasshouse Works customer for 15 years, and is especially keen on the Big, the Tall, and the Unusual of the plant world. We at the Glasshouse Works are pleased that so many of our customers continually show us that if you love plants, you can grow them in a wide range of environments.

The Gardens of Sue Novello

The following are images from the various gardens that Sue Novello creates and maintains in the New Jersey area. She is well-know for her plant tapestries. Every year she purchases new coleus for her set of gardens. We feel that the use of the "Tropical Look" has never been better used! What a display these must be every year. She works at times with the capable Horticulturalist, John Beirne, in some of her garden work. John is director of the New Bridge Horticulture Department, dealing expertly with Horticultural Therapy. He loves Coleus in the landscape. Some of the pictures below of are her and John's installations. Others are of Sue's actual garden. We are adding Sue's work to the Downers Gardens below as worthy of Internet attention!. Sue has just retired to Florida and we know that she will continue her gardening love in her new location. Carry on, Sue!

The Gardens of Charles & Linda Downer

We visited the Downers again this summer. This set of pictures is from the year 2000. This was their Classic Look. At the top of this page is a link to a Gallery of the Downer Gardens from 2009. They carry on this tradition. This year there were more alternanthera and Iresine and not quite as many Coleus, but the effect is the same. Bravo to your continued use of tropical plants in the temperate zone. The Downer's garden continues to amaze us at the Glasshouse Works.

Go to our Closeup Coleus Photo Gallery.