Area 1 - low terra cotta planter that sits on the ground, by a bird feeder and bath, along with a larger planter. The larger planter will likely be filled with an elephant ear.

Area 2 - blue plastic planter suspended on a cut tree trunk. I might change the planter or possibly spray paint another colour, but you get the basic idea...

Area 3 - cone planter, hanging and surrounded by climbing hydrangea.

Area 4 - identical terra cotta ground planter to the one in Area 1. Sits below my birdhouse luxury condo hotel :-)

Area 5 - vintage metal corn planter turned into planter. Sits at the base of the willow tree (there is actually a steel rod that was hanging out of the ground for some reason, so this is suspended on it and hiding it). The huge yellow planter beside will likely hold an elephant ear.

Area 6 - red hanging plastic planter. Hangs under/by a dark Japanese Maple.

Area 7 - another low terra cotta planter, situated at the bottom of a small potting table (which I mainly put planters on) and under my 'garden face' (which also has a planter behind it, which I usually fill with grasses, or elephant ears...)

Area 8 - another vintage corn planter, in the far corner of the garden, tucked beside a narrow outdoor storage space (where the door is).

Area 9 - hanging planter on corner of deck.

Area 10 - cement head holder. Okay, I really like this planter, but the actually planter part is not very deep at all, which means everything I've planted there can barely fit, and needs to be watered constantly. But sweet potato vines did will, as long as I kept up with the watering.

Area 11 - plastic container sitting in "welcome" heart holder. Was a gift, so it has a certain sentimental value, though you see this everywhere. I was given a cyclamen, which I'm thinking would go well in this container. Sits beside my BBQ on the deck.

Area 12 - terra cotta planters sitting against the house beside the back door. These ones really bake against the brick of the house. Sweet potato vines usually thrive though, with constant watering. Any other ideas?

That's all for now folks - thanks for your input!

zone 6 my usual fail safe I use in my planters are impatiens, sweet potato vines, wave petunias elephant ears, and ferns.

If you have a sunny spot and a large enough container, check out redbor kale. Ranges in color from bluish to purple to mahogany depending on time of year age leaf age. Very curly and tastes good too.

In July in the front garden in a container. This looks a bit darker than my memory says it is.

After fall frost it lost all green and became an incredible burgandy color. I actually had neighbors stop and ask me what it was. I've had that happen before with flowers, but never with a vegetable!

NHBabs..I looked up the kale you suggested..it's beautiful..

Visit Palatine nursery, you’d find roses and fruit trees and bushes there.

So many cool types of coleus, they're a must have in our shady annual spots.

A few that quickly come to mind — Perilla ‘Magilla’ would look great in any of the deeper containers. One of the fastest growing, tough annuals, and lovely leaf colors. I’m never without a pot or three of Mandevillas, and usually I let them go free form (not vining). I have red or pink cordylines in containers yearly, part sun. Dragon Wing begonias are great in pots. Caladiums. Purslane. Rosemary. Feather grasses. Pentas. ETA: Ivy geraniums are nice, and like dappled shade, as well as the colorful Crossandras with non-stop blooms.

I don't know about the rest, but trailing sedums do really well for me in sun baked or shallow planters. Might need less watering than what you've used previously.

How do you feel about kooky annuals? I did a mad Victorian combo of begonia Jurassic silver swirl, Persian shield and hot pink New Guinea impatiens that did fine in dappled light. I also love Icelandic poppies. Also deeply colored huechera which I struggle to use in the landscape but quite like in containers. At the moment I have some deep pinky black (maybe midnight rose) in a large planter with pale yellow Aquilegia and pale pink and white English daisies all tied together with a watercolor mix of pansies in pinks, purples and pale yellow. Sounds awful as I write it out but looks kind of lovely.

I was going to say that head planter would look great with lemon coral sedum. It does well in full sun or dappled shade and doesn't need much water or hens 'n chicks or that really brightly-colored creeping jenny (it does well anywhere).

I agree with above about coleus too. There are so many color variations you really can't go wrong. What about some of those huge New Guinea impatiens or sunpatients (the ones that can take some sun). Mona lavendar is cute and does well in morning sun. If you haven't used Ptilotus Joey yet, you really must! It's so cool looking. It does like full sun but may do okay in part sun.

Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) is an awesome accent plant if you have a sunny area.

Portulaca might look good in those shell planters attached to the brick wall. Area 12

In the cement head, you could plant some miniature hosta. Area 10

Depending upon the location, zinnia, dahlia, tuberous begonia, and celosia all can add a lot of colorful bang for the buck.