Garden Pic Wednesday: Coleus

I've spent the past couple days following butterflies around with my camera and actually did get some good shots!

September is butterfly season in North Florida. It's also dragonfly season. I see them flying around in pairs often, which I guess is part of their courtship ritual.
The type of dragonfly particularly common here is called the "Eastern Pondhawk." The males are the prettiest baby blue color.

Because they tend to perch and just sit, I find them occasionally willing photo subjects. I captured some very find pictures of a young male Pondhawk yesterday "perched" on the top of an old day lily stem.
(Young meaning not full grown in size.)
I also have the biggest toad I've ever seen living in my front gardens. I startle him occasionally out of wherever he's hiding--from under the gardenia a couple days ago. My husband has seen him, too, out on the front sidewalk at dusk, under the outside light.
 He's at least 3 inches in size from head to tail, sitting.

I don't normally see them larger then about 2 inches.

 

The garden photo I have for you today is a photo I took of some Coleus in my border just a few days ago:

 

 

It has lime colored leaves with purple stems, gorgeous here in the autumn rays of late afternoon sun!

 

Though normally a shade plant, this particular Coleus gets a great deal of sun and apparently likes it. A lot. (It's huge)
I had a burgandy one near it earlier in the season, but it hated the sunnier location and died.
Perhaps it's the leaf color that makes the difference.
I have 2 others: another burgandy one and a green/red one that are prospering in a shadier portion of the same row.

Coleus actually performs quite well in a vase and makes a lovely & colorful fall table arrangement!
Below is a vase of Coleus on my table. 

 

Snipping off stems makes more grow, so cutting it creates a large and prosperous Coleus plant!
 I'm not cutting mine right now because I want them to flower and go to seed and maybe bless me with a fresh crop next spring!