Evelyn Schindler of Yankton selects annuals and perennials in containers for her front entrance area. A skilled gardener, she overwinters plants or cuttings of perennials for the next season. Her story:
http://yankton.net/articles/2013/02/07/river_city/doc51147a8d8556b242471325.txt
Plant Exchange Blog 
I know a lot of people like a rustic look for their outdoor planters, but I prefer them nicely painted. I have found that painting them white helps keep the roots cooler when planters are in a really sunny spot. Last summer, though, even that didn’t help a lot!