Crazy for Coleus

It’s easy to understand the appeal of coleus. Its virtues are numerous—it’s beautiful, easy to grow and propagate, available in endless varieties and lovely from early spring through the first hard frost. Because coleus is a tender perennial usually grown as an annual, you can even overwinter plants in the house. As if those qualities were not enough, coleus is also sun and shade loving and equally at home in beds, containers and on windowsills.

Collecting coleus can be addictive. Just ask Indianapolis-based garden designer Chris Turner, a self-proclaimed coleus fanatic. His current collection includes some 80 different varieties. “That number varies as I get new cuttings,” he says. “I should