A Yard Goes From Dirt Patch to Perennial Paradise

Caught one morning in early May, she ticked off her to-do list. "I have to buy more stones for the water feature, then I'm off to the nursery for impatiens. Then I'll stop by a trade school where they teach gardening and sell plants to raise funds. They have this German ivy I can't find at the nursery and colored geraniums in odd lots." The impatiens were destined for five whiskey half-barrels and the ivy and geraniums for a row of window boxes outfitted, naturally, with automated misters.

Shown: In this container, red pelargonium, magenta celosia, and blue lobelia are echoed by Persian shield.