Have you tried using that soil that's water retentive? I've had pretty good luck with that with my outdoor container plants. I have a large Peace Lily that I keep outdoors in summer, and the first year I potted it with that stuff, and I watered it maybe once a week (this was 2007.) Last year it seemed like more, so I'm wondering if maybe it loses its effectiness over time. I was actually thinking of trying some hanging baskets with it, too. Annuals for some color in the shade...wishbone flower (torenia) and coleus. I was thinking about fan flower (Scaevola) for a more sunny spot. Still thinking about something for some height with that one. I know a lot of people like melampodium and gomphrena for good drought and heat tolerance.

Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) is a great annual for me - does especially well in clay areas (say what you will about clay - it holds the moisture!). The thing about annual Vincas - they are like the LAST type of annual to show up in the store (often after people have already made their choices). I asked a local grower once and she confirmed that they are late due to growing conditions (they need warm soil temperatures). They come in white, magenta, pink, purple - but you have to wait for them. And I do (for certain areas).

Another good annual is Melampodium divaricatum (doesn't have a good common name). You don't find it in stores a lot, just in small quantities. But again, those that like it will look for it. It is a reseeding annual for some, you'll have babies next year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Melampodium divaricatum

Esh has two of my faves there. I also like Gomphrena (especially with Vinca), dusty miller, succulents like the bolivian "jew" that Vroomp gave out at a plant trade, and the helenium that was around a lot last year Helenium Dakota Gold.
We have oodles of Vinca in this year at Holy Comforter!! First date is THIS SATURDAY!!!!

Thanks for the suggestions, I've had my eye on Vinca for a while, and I like the looks of the torenia (wishbone). Are these varieties i should be able to find at a big box store? Also, regarding hanging baskets, what are the best kind, any recommendations for baskets that hold water? In the past I've just purchased Begonias and Impatiens already in baskets and left them there and those are the ones that I just could not keep enough water in. Thanks

Blazepepper~~ There is a local nursery called Quail Hollow in Dacula. It is off of Bailey/Fence road. (if you take 324 from Auburn towards Buford and make a left on Bailey. Quail Hollow will be on your left). They sell wholesale and also to the public. I go there every year for my flats of vinca. They have other annuals also.
Sometimes I will put a purple fountain grass in the center of a pot and place vinca and creeping jenny around it.

Wow, that is awesome, thats only about 3 miles from my house, I'll have to check it out. And come to think of it, I think I just passed by it just the other day. There is another one closer to Fence road behind a home, I dont know the name off hand, but I've always seen the sign there.

One of my favorite flowers for pots is the beautiful fanflower.

For hanging baskets there are a lot of choices.
I would recommend petunias and ivy geraneums.
(German varietie, with small blooms if you can find, are my favorits.)
they both bloom all summer and like sun.
with petunias get cascading type. Last year I had one kept blooming almost till thanksgiving. But you have to pinch the expired flowers to avoid making seeds.
In the plant world, the reason for blooming is to make seeds and thereby to guarantee the survival of their genes.
They don't bloom just to make us happy.
So, onces they have produced enough seeds, they channel their energy to mature the seeds and bloom less and less.
Nowadays they have hybrids that wont make seeds.