In the Garden: Create an easy-care, patriotic container garden
Add some red, white and blue to your gardens and containers in celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States. When designing your plantings be sure to select plants suitable for the growing conditions and those that will look great not only on the 4th but throughout the growing season.
White petunias, alyssum and dusty millers are traditional favorites. These along with red geraniums and zinnias and blue salvia, ageratum and petunias are often used to complete a patriotic combination.
Consider trying something new for this special celebration. Suntory Flowers Soiree® Kawaii vincas (Catharanthus) retain their beautiful compact shape and impressive floral display all season long and with minimal care. The Lady Liberty Mix features Red Shades, White Peppermint and Blueberry Kiss Soiree® Kawaii varieties (suntorygardenclub.com).
You may also know these and other Catharanthus as annual, rose and Madagascar vinca. The Soiree Kawai varieties like the other vincas are heat and drought tolerant once established. Grow them in full sun or dappled shade with well-drained soil in garden beds and containers filled with a quality potting mix. Plant somewhere you can enjoy their flowers and the visiting butterflies and other pollinators. You’ll appreciate their easy-care nature, pollinator appeal and that deer and rabbits tend to leave them be.
Let your red, white and blue arrangement shine in a simple black, green or terra cotta pot. Or fill containers with all white, red or blue flowers set in a red, white and blue pot. Purchase one or create your own from a plain terra cotta pot or upcycled items like coffee cans, buckets, food tins and crates. Select a paint appropriate for the container’s surface and the outdoors. Add drainage holes if necessary and possible. If you can’t provide needed drainage, grow the plants in a basic nursery pot. Set this container in your patriotic pot and use stones to elevate the inner container to the proper height and above any water that collects in the bottom. Dress it up a bit by covering the surface with decorative moss or mulch.
Give your containers of herbs and tropical plants a festive touch with some additional color. Place red, white and blue bandanas or placemats under these pots and your place settings.
Welcome guests with a few stars painted on the lawn with grass safe marking chalk spray. Just create cardboard stencils and head out to the lawn. Check the label of the paint you select to make sure it is safe to use on grass plants.
As you gather with friends and family, take some time to celebrate the contributions by individuals and organizations that have been instrumental in the creation and preservation of our democracy. It is also a chance to look forward to the future we want to create.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine, and her website is MelindaMyers.com, which features gardening videos, free webinars, monthly gardening tips, and more. She was commissioned by Suntory Flowers for her expertise to write this article.
