At last, I can say my garden of 2012 is finished. It contains geraniums as a main focal point, with a blue border of ageratum, standard begonias, and dustu millers protected by some trees, for shade, and tuberous begonias on the east side of the garden which will be shaded by an ornamental grass.

This is a stunning pot of flowers, which must have been watered 2x per day, and fertilized right.It is already Aug. and not getting tired.

If you want your potted flowers to be vibrant in August, then it is best to plant them yourself as smaller plants. The pots and baskets that look beautiful in may/june such as the ones from Costco, will peak early, and probably not be so vibrant in the end of summer. (unless you are lucky)