Plant a pretty pot. (Say that 5 times!)

Do you ever get caught up in a moment of gardening zeal and find yourself at the landscaping store trying to select flowers for your pots? It's much harder than it looks isn't it? Here's a basic, no-fail design that works every time.

• Choose a tall plant and place it in the back of your pot.
• Use a brightly colored flower for the main color and plant it in the center.
• Fill in with "neutral" plants that have simple flowers or are leafy.
• Finish by planting a trailing plant off to one side.

* Try to incorporate different textures and tones or throw in a dark leafy plant for contrast. Have fun with it!

Popular plant choices:

Shade or part-shade: begonias, coleus, and impatiens.

Sun: geraniums, gerber daisies, vinca, and petunias.

Trailing plants: bacopa, licorice vine, sweet potato vine, and vinca vine.