Planning a Patriotic Flower Garden
Making a political statement with gardening may seem a bit much, but it can be a fun and beautiful addition to the landscape. A red, white, and blue garden is about so much more than a partisan statement. It is an expression of love and devotion to the land in which you live. American flag flowers may be perennials, annuals, or an entire bulb garden. You may even opt for bushes with colorful leaves and blooms. Choose an area where the bed will be seen and where flowers will get appropriate light. Amend the soil as needed and then it’s time to select red, white, and blue flowers or plants. Using petunias as the base provides an affordable and easy way to build a USA flower garden. There are solid or striped, single or double petals, and even creeping petunias in each of our patriotic hues. They make the ultimate American flag flowers, which will grow and blend together in a tapestry salute to our pennant.
Using Native Plants as Part of a Patriotic Garden
Native plants in the scheme pack a double whammy. Not only can they bring in the red, white, and blue tones, but they are part of this country naturally. Few things will salute our great nation as easily as plants that are indigenous to this part of the world. Some wonderful native selections might include: White
Arrowwood
Silky dogwood
Fringe tree
Goat’s beard
Wild quinine
Calico aster
Red
Cardinal flower
Columbine
Coral honeysuckle
Rose mallow
Blue
American wisteria
Passion vine (maypop variety is native species)
Lupine
Virginia bluebells
Jacob’s ladder
Wild blue phlox
Tips on a Red, White, and Blue Garden
Choosing the plants is the fun part of developing a patriotic garden. You can go with the 3-toned scheme or even use plants with such thematic names like Coreopsis “American Dream,” Peruvian lily “Freedom,” the tea rose ‘Mr. Lincoln,’ and many more. Many patriotically hued blooms need full sun, but there are those that can thrive in partial to full shade. Here are some selections that can fit into either sun or shade locations: Shade
Reds – begonias, coleus, impatiens
Whites – pansy, caladium, bleeding heart
Blues –browallia, lobelia, agapanthus
Sun
Reds – geranium, verbena, salvia
Whites – cosmos, alyssum, snapdragon
Blues – ageratum, bachelor button, love-in-a-mist
As with the aforementioned petunias, many of these plants come in all three colors so you can make a sea of red, white, and blue with just one choice of flower. Easy, quick, and beautiful.
