America — how wonderful that we will mark its 250th birthday this year! While America’s official birthday isn’t until July 4, there are several gardening-related ways you can commemorate and prepare for the milestone today:
- National Garden Clubs and Keep America Beautiful are collaborating on a campaign to encourage people to pick up 250 pieces of litter throughout the year. Also, they are encouraging everyone to plant red, white and blue flowers at Gold Star and Blue Star memorials and in their front yards.
- It’s time to consider starting plants indoors to get a jump on spring flowers. Planting patriotic-colored blooms will get everyone in the mood to jump in as soon as the weather warms up.
When choosing your plants, consider that annuals, although short lived, bloom profusely if kept watered. Perennials, because they return each year from roots, are not as prolific.
SOME FLOWERS TO CONSIDER PLANTING INCLUDE:
Full-sun red annuals:
- Monarda “bee balm”
- Begonia
- Cardinal flower
- Celosia
- Cosmos
- Crocosmia
- Lantana
- Pansy
- Petunia
- Scarlet sage
- Zinnia
Full-sun red perennials:
- Alstroemeria “Inca red”
- Blanket flower in “Arizona red” shades
- Echinacea “Sombrero salsa” red
- Garden phlox “Red Riding Hood’
- Helenium “red jewel”
- Lupine
- Penstemon
- Peony “red charm”
- Rose
- Valerian
White annuals:
- Angelina
- Cleome
- Daisy “Pure white butterfly”
- Dusty Miller
- Euphorbia “Diamond frost”
- Geranium
- Petunia “White Calibrachoa hybrid”
- Sweet alyssum “Snow princess” Lobularia
- Verbena
- Vinca
White perennials:
- Agapanthus “Galaxy white”
- Anemone “Sylvestris”
- Aster Dumosus “Snow flurry”
- Astilbe
- Bee Balm/Monarda Didyma “White”; Monarda Fistulosa “Snow White”
- Candytuft “Alexander White”
- Columbine
- Coneflower/Echinacea Purpurea “White Swan,” “Milkshake”
- Coreopsis Verticillata “Moonbeam”; Coreopsis Grandiflora “Golden joy”
- Daisy, Shasta; Oxeye
- Dianthus Barbatus “White magic”
- Foamflower “Tiarella cordifolia”
- Foxglove Beardtongue
- Gaura Lindheimeri “Whirling butterflies”, “Sweet spires”
- Geranium
- Japanese Anemone “Honorine Jobert”
- Lillium “Casa Blanca”, “Snow queen”
- Mountain mint “Pycnanthemum virginianum”
- Phlox Paniculata “David”; Phlox Subulata “White delight”
- Swamp milkweed “Asclepias incarnata”
- Yarrow
Blue annuals:
- Ageratum blue foamflower
- Lobelia
- Bachelor buttons
- Salvia “Black and blue”
- Browallia
- Delphinium
- Petunia
- Fanflower “Scaevola aemula”
- Snapdragon “Angelonia agustifolia”
- Bacopia “Blue gem”, bluebird
- Phlox
- Viola
- Ragwort
Blue perennials:
- Periwinkle
- Brunnera
- Aster
- Balloon flower
- Bluebell
- False Indigo
- Blue Star ‘Amsonia “tabernaemontana”
- Poppy “Himalayan blue”
- Hyacinth
- Clematis
At least two weeks before planning, till up your flower bed and amend with a long-release fertilizer. This should last three to four months before needing additional amendments.
By planning now, Coast gardeners can create living tributes that honor our nation’s history, beautify our communities and grow patriotism right at home.