Judith505's Coleus - Black Dragon
Solenostemon scutellarioides

The Coleus is not doing well. It didn’t help that the cat sat on it but I figured out what the real problem is with it and most of the plants that are near it. The rain. When it rains, the water runs from a diagonally, downward sloping part of the roof with such force that it cascades over the rain gutter, making the rain gutter at the point useless. The water cascades and hits the area at the base of the Japanese Maple causing a trench in the dirt which then overflows the hard black plastic that encircles the tree and the “under the tree” plants – drowning them. I had my husband take a look and he doesn’t have a clue what to do either. I think we will see if perhaps a gutter with a higher wall will have any effect on that side of the house.

The Black Dragon Coleus was doing pretty well for a minute and just about the time I thought to myself “get the camera”, along comes my cat and by the time I got back with the camera, the cat was laying in the garden and quess which tender little plant she decided to lay on? you guessed it – the Black Dragon. Now the poor little thing is laying on it’s side looking very hurt :(
Bad Cat!