These were photos I took during the #GWAIndy2011 symposium in Indianapolis, Indiana. I hope you will enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking the photos and seeing these awesome plants in person.

Banana, coleus, million bells and sweet potato vine 'Blackie.'

I love bright colors in the garden – and what could be more tropical in appearance than this setting? The red coleus really sets off the color in the banana leaves. The dark-colored sweet potato vine is ideal for creating depth. The flowers seem to tie all the colors together.

An array of colorful flowering annuals - which are plants that grow, flower, set seed and die in one growing season.

Nothing says summer like a garden filled with annual flowers that bloom non-stop all season long such as the ones in this picture.

Tall yellow fennel flowers, white hydrangea and an array of flowering perennials - which are plants that come back from their own root system year after year in the garden.

Yellow is my favorite color. Notice how the yellow fennel flowers create a screen – or entryway – that one must look past to see into the garden. The hydrangea is certainly the focal point with its mass of white flowers. The purple flowers harmonize nicely with the white and yellow.

I love the sound of water falling from the fountain into the pond below and the formal look of this garden.

Water and gardens go hand in hand in my mind. I love ponds, waterfalls and fountains. This fountain is in a formal garden, but it wouldn’t have to be. Don’t be afraid to include water in your garden, not only for the soothing sound, but for the wide array of birds, insects and small animals it will attract.

Variegated oleander.

Variegated foliage is all that – and more! Get a load of how nice these pink oleander flowers look against the green and yellow foliage. Yes, this plant is tropical and toxic – but I sure do love it!

Banana and lantana.

Another banana surrounded by lantana! If you live in United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zone 5 or warmer, do plant the Musa basjoo – also known as the hardy banana. You will need to mulch it over winter – but the large, tropical leaves are well worth the extra work!

Silver Thatch Palm.

Grey foliage, such as this palm tree has, creates a cool, soothing effect in the garden – and you can’t beat the awesome look of the fronds!