Hooray For The Red, White, & Blue!

Summer is the perfect time to add a patriotic pop of color to your garden or patio with red, white and blue flowers. When decorating for the Fourth of July, make it fun by embracing an All-American theme with container gardens in star-spangled colors. It’s an easy way to bring seasonal flair to your outdoor spaces.

RED…

Salvia, Geranium, Verbena, Petunia, Zinnia, Gerbera Daisy, Dragon-wing Begonia, Tuberous Begonia, Super Bells/Million Bells, Impatiens, New Guinea Impatiens, SunPatiens

WHITE…

Geranium, Sweet Alyssum, Impatiens, New Guinea Impatiens, SunPatiens, Petunia, Verbena, Lobelia, Gerbera Daisy, Super Bells/Million Bells, Diamond Frost, Bacopa 

BLUE/PURPLE:

Ageratum, Angelonia, Cleome, Lobelia, Petunia, Wishbone, Black & Blue Sage, Fan Flower, Verbena, Salvia varieties, Super Bells. Morning Glory 

Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)

 -Thrives in moist, organically rich, well-drained soil. Plant in partial to full shade but avoid harsh afternoon sun that could quickly scorch the leaves.

-Plants are chosen from many tropical colors: Hot and pastel pink, red, apricot, coral, orange, white, violet, burgundy, and bi-colors.

-Matures from .5 foot -1.5 feet tall and same spread.

-Impatiens are tropical plants that bloom from May until frost in our zone 5.

-Use as groundcover, edging along walks, large swaths in the landscape, in containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets.

-Zones 10-11

New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri):

-Thrives in evenly moist, organically rich soil in part shade.

-Choose from a lengthy list of showy colors in shades of pink, red, orange, violet, lilac, white, and others.

-Matures from .75 foot – 4 feet tall and spreads from 1-3 feet wide. Pinch back stems of young plants to encourage branching and/or compact growth. Trim back plants in mid-summer if they become leggy.

-Blooms from May until frost.

-Zones 10-12

SunPatiens’ (Impatiens x hybrida):

-A hybrid bred from a cross between standard garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri).

-Thrives in evenly moist, organically rich soil in sun or shade.

-Available in many shades of pink, red, orange, violet, lilac, white and bi-colors. \-Matures form 14-32 inches tall and spreads from 24-36 inches wide. Upright, compact growth with a mounding shape. Perfect for tidy containers or gardens that will bloom spring through summer.

-Very showy, low maintenance flowers. No pruning or deadheading required.

-Zones 10-11

Calibrachoa or Superbells/Million Bells (Calibrachoa)(See photo):

-Small, petunia-like flowers will bloom all season in evenly moist, organically rich soil in full sun to part shade. Little to no maintenance.

-Apply fertilizer throughout the growing period.

-Available in almost every color and bi-color with single or double petals.

-Superbells are a mounding or trailing plant. They grow best in containers and hanging baskets where soil moisture levels can be more easily controlled, since they don’t tolerate constantly wet soils well.

-Reliably blooms from May – September.

-Zones 10-11

Begonia ‘Dragon-wing (Begonia ‘Bepared’ Dragon Wing):

-Thrives in evenly moist soil in full sun or shade. Tolerates heavy shade and hot, humid summers.

-Red and pink flowers are standard.

-It is a compact, bushy, & fibrous-rooted plant that typically forms dense mounds up to 15-18 inches tall and wide with trailing stems.

-Reliably blooms from May through October… one of the last annuals to give up in fall.

-The showy flowers are perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes, containers or bedding areas… Also a good choice for accent or edging in shade gardens.

-Zones 10-11

Geraniums (Pelargonium x hotorum): Annuals are known as zonal geraniums, typically grown for containers or as bedding plants. Flowers appear in clusters (umbels) atop long flowering stalks throughout the growing season.

-Thrives in good soil and full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. Appreciates some light shade in the heat of the day.

-Flowers are available in a wide palette of colors, including various shades of red, pink, orange and white, too.

-Matures from 1-3 feet tall and spreads from 1-3 feet wide.

-Rabbit resistant and drought tolerant, once established.

-Blooms from May through August and sometimes into autumn.

-Pinch stems to promote a fuller plant.

-Zones 10-11

VERBENA

Purpletop Verbena (V. bonariensis): Also known as tall verbena, Purpletop is an upright form with only purple flowers. Plants grow 3-6 ft. tall and 1-3 ft. wide in full sun. Highly attractive to butterflies and other pollinating insects, this open, airy form is useful as a background or structural plant.

Garden Verbena (V. x hybrida): This verbena is most commonly grown with a mounding or trailing habit Plants can reach 6-18 inches tall and 12-30″ wide. Dozens of varieties come in a range of flower colors which are popular in hanging baskets, containers, window boxes, and garden beds. 

-Attracts birds and butterflies.

-Thrives in moist soil that is rich in compost, yet drains well.

-Garden Verbena blooms in red, pink, apricot, coral, lavender, purple, white and bi-colors in summer’s part sun to full sun.

-Proved consistent water but allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Does best in moist soil but can tolerate some drought.

-Deer resistant

-Zones 8-11

Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum): Ageratum is grown for its pompom-shaped flowers that occur mostly in shades of blue. Although,  you can find white, pink, lavender and red occasionally.

-The ornamental varieties are grown as annuals, and are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and insect pollinators.

-Thrives in good soil and full sun, but plants benefit from some afternoon shade. 

-Flowers are produced in dense clusters.

-Provide consistent water at least weekly or more, as needed in hot weather. Well-draining soil is a must to prevent powdery mildew or root rot.

Ageratum are heavy feeders and do best with a slow-release fertilizer at time of planting. Re apply mid-season.

-Deer resistant unless deer are really hungry.

-Zones 10-11

Salvia (Salvia splendens): Commonly called scarlet sage, this is a clump-forming, tender perennial that typically grows on 1-2 feet tall, square stems. Features long-tubed, red bracts of bright red flowers (up to 2 inches long) from late spring to frost. 

-This classic scarlet sage is grown as an annual in our zone 5.

-Thrives in good soil and full sun to part shade, but plants benefit from some afternoon shade.

-Flowers are produced in dense spikes of red.

-Provide consistent water weekly or more as needed in hot weather. Well-draining soil is necessary to prevent powdery mildew or root rot.

-Perfect for beds, borders, cottage and cutting gardens. Compact varieties are good for edging and containers.

-Attracts birds, butterflies and especially hummingbirds. 

-Deer resistant

-Zones 10-11

Salvia ‘Victoria Blue’ (Salvia farinacea): ‘Victoria Blue’ is a compact, densely branched, compact cultivar thaty typically grows from 15-24″ tall and features spikes of violet-blue flowers from summer to fall. Cultivars are available in shades of blue, purple, lavender, white and bi-color.

-The ornamental varieties are grown as annuals, and are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and other insect pollinators.

-Thrives in evenly moist, well-drained soil in full sun and part shade. Tolerates poor soil and some drought.

-Plant in containers, beds, borders, meadows, cottage gardens, & cutting gardens.

-Deer resistant

-Zones 8-10

PHOTO CREDIT: Proven Winners