What do you mean doesn't attract butterflies or wasps? Pretty much any flower is going to attract the bees or butterflies or both.

I also don't know what you mean by heat tolerant since you are in zone 6 and will be growing with a western exposure rather than a direct sun southern exposure.

Vinca is fine, but it really isn't a show piece, it is more of an accent in a pot. Impatiens are nice plants, but they are neither tolerant of heat nor a lot of sun. New Guinea Impatiens are a bit of an exception according to the books, but I have grown them from seed and didn't find them much of an exception. They can be grown in strong sun and heat, but man will they ever require constant maintenance to do well. You will be slaving to keep them watered and fertilized. Grow them in cooler, shadier conditions and you can relax much more with them.

So, what do you *really* want? :)

Good question !! Well heres the situation- my wife is scared of wasps and bees. She says dont plant any that will attract them ,and I agree since we have a baby now and she could be walking in our deck soon.

So, Is there any flower that would attract less bees/wasps?
Also Is there any colorful foliage that I can use?
In my deck the summer heat hurts the plants thats why I need heat resistant/low maint.

I agree about N.G. Impatiens - excellent but need to water often.

Guess what I really want is:
How/what do I plant in my deck pots that is least maintenance, doesnt attract bees/wasps,fungi/insects yet nice to see!?
Those big pots already have tulip bulbs and little mums in them for spring/fall color.

Thnaks;)

Have you considered plastic? :-)

Seriously, most flowering plants will attract bees to varying degrees - it's just the nature of things. Most wasps and hornets tend not to be nectar feeders or pollen hunters so they are less of a concern, although they are often attracted to food and sweet smells like perfumes and some cosmetics and if you cook and eat on your deck, you may want to hang lures or traps to entice them away. They also tend to be more aggressive than bees, which are generally rather mild mannered.

Plants with flowers that open late in the day into the evening usually attract moths as pollinators, so that could be an option. Otherwise, IME neither zonal geraniums or petunias attract excessive amounts of bees and both thrive in heat and will bloom all season. And they tend to pretty low maintenance otherwise, needing only deadheading and regular watering.

Eye-catching flowers are decorative because their function is to appeal to insects, so the insects will invest their time and energy to move pollen around!

If you use your deck at night, a night-flowering plant that appeals to moths might be very enjoyable. These are often heavily scented and easily visible at night, an added bonus. Look at Datura or night-flowering tobacco (Nicotiana).

There are some flowers that target flies, these are often very striking and unusual, unfortunately some of them stink like rotting meat. Look at Arums or calla lilies.

How about a decorative grass? Some of these are very pretty (but not as colorful as a bee-attractor). They are wind-pollinated, so won't attract bees/wasps.

Might you consider a non-flowering shrub to create an softening green effect. The grasses are another great choice as mentioned above.
Happy Growing David

Oh thanks , Can Someone guide me if there is a heat tolerant mix of Coleus, that would be perfect...:)

kris s.e.PA

Coleus is tolerant of heat, but it prefers open shade. That's why it is so often grown in the house. I think it would fry in a western exposure, unless it was completely in the shade.

There are some very good sun-loving coleus cultivars now. But Kris will need to make sure that the flower spikes are kept pinched off.

You also might want to look at Perilla magilla for a coleus alternative. This is a great plant for hot, sunny locations.

Please know that plants with pretty flowers grow them just to attract pollinating insects. To avoid the insects you'll need to look into non-flowering alternatives.

If re-considering a non-flowering container plant:
Feverfew (Tanacetum/Chrysanthemum parthenium) will bear up to heat; it is low growing, aroma is astringent tending to cleanly pungent, self seeds & easily propagates from root shoots - the fresh leaves eaten daily is a migraine preventative you'll win friends with.

Quote " There are some very good sun-loving coleus cultivars now."

Where can I get that info?I found this in Rosy Dawn Gardens site, is this right or is there more:

Coleus that can take sun:
Atlas, BeckwithÂs Gem, Big Red, BlairÂs Witch, Brilliancy, Bronze Pagoda, Darth Vader, El Brighto, Envy, Fiesta, Fire Dragon, Giant Fantasy, Grenadine, Haines, Hot Sauce, Inky Fingers, Japanese Giant, Kingwood Karnival, Kingwood Torch, Kiwi Fern, Kona Red, Lavender Lace, Louise, Max Levering, Olympic Torch, Paisley Shawl, Pat Martin, Peachy Keen, Pineapple Prince, Red Witch, Salmon Croton, Schizophrenia, Solar Flare, Solar Shadow, Solar Sunrise, Stormy Weather, Theatre Velvet, Trailing Garnet Robe, Trailing Red, Trailing Salamander, Yellow Splash.

I fear that nothing can be more sad than to see my coleus "Fry" in peak summer(Jul-aug with around 95F or more)

Perilla magilla is great too !

I typed in "sun coleus" and looked down the page for and found "Burgundy Sun" and "Plum Parfait" as two I have seen in Central Texas in full sun over the last couple years. (I just wanted to make sure I have the names right). I have worked with a few of the cultivars named at Rosy Dawn but there has been some mixing of the names and not all of them are the same cultivar from website to website.

I am personally very impressed with Rosy Dawn's info and selection and I would say that several can hold the sun well but a west sun might have some struggle in the hottest part of August for you. It has also been my experience with all the cultivars I worked with over two summers in a nursery container setting is they you have to stay on top of the watering even when they can take the sun they are needy in the watering arena.

I would say that it would work for you as long as the trade offs on daily waterings are acceptable. I hope this helps on the coleus parts of your question.
Happy Growing David

Are there any other Heat tolerant - Foliage plants like 'Perilla Magilla' ?

Thanks all...I am gonna grow some rainbow coleus from seed and put em in pots and move em as needed. BTW how many coleus seeds do I put in each jiffy pellet I have?

How about ornamental foliage corn?

Here is a link that might be useful: Ornamental corn

The coleus idea is great and makes a super pot plant. Also consider dusty miller and dachiea or million bells. An exciting mix of color and texture can be gotten with Mexican feather grass, ice plant and other small leaved succulents.
There are also some very hardy small ivys.
Weldon

Coleus is pretty, but I don't think you really want nature at this time in your life, I think silk is beautiful.

If your wife fears bees and wasps, she will also be discouraged with any insect outside. Surely you would never think of using an insecticide with a baby around, and you would have to worry about what would be poisonous. Then you might worry about the dirt in the pots. Perhaps your best solution at this time in your life is to just decorate, then find a special spot away from your deck, and find out what parts of nature you would accept.

I live for the outdoors, but I have friends who are repulsed with the wind, insects, worms, etc. I would rather just entertain them inside ---- or not at all.

Your wife might have a good time with funny plastic birds, with making silk flowers, and possibly with creating macrame hangers. This may not be the time in your life for real plants.

Sammy

Long blooming but doesn't attract bees is an oxymoron. That is what flowers evolved for.

Plant ornamental grasses. Your other option is to help your wife overcome her irrational fear.

Dan

Thats why I am IN for Coleus and Perilla , They are better than "plastic birds". So are you saying you and your partners have *everything* in common?

I am a jack of all trades - garden is just one!

Why are coleus better than plastic birds? Your first priorities are a wife that doesn't like bees, and a new toddler? Have you ever gone to a nice nursery and seen the garden ornaments? My husband loves them. They add a new dimension to the outdoor decorations, and would be an interesting attraction to a child.

I see nothing wrong with suggesting that you wait for a real garden. I intended no offense, and don't understand why you mentioned that you are a jack of all trades.

Rainbow mix of coleus don't seem to withstand the intense Texas sun as well as the sun tolerant varieties. This has been my experiences of several years anyway.

Perilla is mostly available here in 1 gallon containers. Most folks that I know get one and then self propagate from cuttings if they want to add more to their landscape.

Good Luck and Happy Growing David

I would look into the grasses if I where you. There are both red, pink, white and other alternatives out there, e.g. a pampas called "pink feather". That won't attract any bees, I think. Allthough it might get attention from goats, cows and other livestock.

You've gotten some good ideas already. I'd add a sweet potato vine trailing over the side. A big pot with a spike of tall grasses, a billow of Magilla Perilla or sun-tolerant coleus, and a sweet potato vine would be beautiful and unusual. Check out the photo in this thread for an example in a smaller pot.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0614091211090.html

You might also consider elephant ears, but they won't mimic a flower arrangement.

Nin

Nin,

Nice idea...I never knew Sweet potato vine can be cute...WOW! Where can I get the vine? Or can I grow it easily from potatoes?

Hey that url has pics deleted :(

The sweet potato vines are ornamental so I don't believe you could start with a regular sweet potato from the store. My mom used these a few years ago and raved about them. I found mine at a local hardware store, but I'm sure the Lowe's-type stores here carry them as they are very popular in this area (Southeast). There are several colors, but the chartreuse and dark purple are the most popular. I hate that you can't see that photo. It was the very first photo by Jenny_in_SE_PA. I think it is exactly what you want. The combination of bright green SP vine and dark purple coleus was stunning!

Here is a photo of mine at the beginning of last summer:
{{gwi:7978}}

I *think* that is one vine. It might be two, but I'm almost certain I used one sweet potato and one petunia in each pot. By the end of the summer the sweet potato vine was trailing on the ground. I actually had to give it a few haircuts. When our temps hit 105 in July (and the concrete patio and brick retaining wall held in the heat like an oven!), the sweet potato never flinched. I need something taller in my pots and considered some sort of evergreen, conical shrub like an arborvitae, but I think my heat would kill it. Since you're in zone 6, you might have better luck with a permanent shrub. I may experiment with some tall grasses this year.

Here's a link showing some containers that use evergreen shrubs along with some other interesting non-flowering plants.
http://www.finegardening.com/plants/articles/10-plants-for-year-round-containers.aspx?nterms=74930

At one time I only wanted flowers. Flowers, flowers, and more flowers. Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE flowers, but I've begun to appreciate foliage and texture as well. I think I'm finally maturing a little. (But did I mention that I still love flowers? The gaudier the better?) I think it is fun to think outside the box a little when it comes to container combinations.

Have fun with yours!
Nin