The coleus plant was a favorite of mine when I was a young child. Looking back, I realize that I always loved plants. My Mom’s best friend in Canada, who lived across the street from us always grew coleus in her yard. I used to ask her for a piece and I would root it in water, then plant it in the backyard. In Canada, the coleus died off every winter, and that makes me wonder if our neighbor kept some plants indoors during the  winter months, or did she plant seeds the following spring? I have a very shady side garden, and I thought that the coleus would do well there. Continue reading →