Question
This email comes to you from Melbourne, Australia.  

We have just come to the end of our summer and the past three to four weeks were exceptionally hot.  I purchased two Canna Lilies recently, each about a foot and a half tall.  They are still in their containers and the flowers have now died down and but I find that the leaves are also turning brown and dying off.  Is this supposed to happen and if so, what do I need to do next?

Answer
Cannas are not evergreen plants unless they are grown in tropical climates, last I checked.  Is your climate that mild?

It is otherwise normal for Canna foliage to die back as the plant enters dormancy.  Flowers should be removed, before they set Seed (which takes a lot of energy and saps plant strength in anything you grow).

I am unfortunately not familiar with the Australian continent, so I don't know how cold it is in Melbourne.  If it's like New York, please let me know -- if it's tropical, let me know that too as we will have to review the situation.  Thanks for writing, rsvp,