By Eddie Smith, MSU Extension Service
It’s summer, and we’re celebrating a historic milestone — the 250th birthday of the United States of America. As families and friends gather for Fourth of July fireworks, food and lots of fun, consider bringing the patriotic spirit into your garden all year long.
Gardens often serve as beautiful backdrops for those special moments in our lives.
Using bold shades of red, white and blue flowers is one way to honor our country’s independence. With hundreds of plants to choose from, here are a few summer-blooming options to consider for your landscape.
Summerific Garnet Globes Hardy hibiscus is a perennial that produces large, deep garnet-red flowers all summer. (Photo by MSU Extension/Eddie Smith)
One of my favorites is Summerific Garnet Globes Hardy hibiscus. This perennial hibiscus produces large, deep garnet-red flowers that create a dramatic summer display.
Hardy hibiscus thrives in full sun, appreciates consistent moisture and returns year after year with impressive blooms. A layer of mulch helps conserve moisture and protect the roots during summer heat.
In late winter, cut back the old stems to encourage fresh growth in spring.
The clean, elegant The clean, elegant blooms of Butterfly white pentas stand out beautifully against green foliage and combine well with other flowering plants. (Photo by MSU Extension/Eddie Smith)
For a clean and elegant white accent, I recommend Butterfly white pentas. The clusters of pure white flowers stand out beautifully against green foliage and combine well with other flowering plants.
Pentas are excellent choices for containers, borders and pollinator gardens because they continue blooming through the heat of summer. Remove spent flower clusters to encourage continued blooming and keep plants looking their best.
Pentas are heat-loving annuals known for attracting butterflies and other pollinators. If you like the white pentas and want to expand the patriotic color theme, there are also many varieties with beautiful red flowers.
Blue My Mind Evolvulus is a low-growing plant that produces sky-blue flowers that create a cooling effect during hot summer weather. (Photo by MSU Extension/Eddie Smith)
One of my go-to plants for adding the perfect touch of blue is Blue My Mind, an Evolvulus hybrid.
This low-growing plant produces beautiful sky-blue flowers that create a cooling effect during hot summer weather. Blue My Mind is a great choice for containers, hanging baskets and garden edges.
It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, making it a reliable performer in our Southern summers. Give it a light trim during the growing season to help it maintain a compact, attractive shape.
Creating a red, white and blue garden does not have to be limited to patriotic holidays. With careful plant selection for each season, you can enjoy these colors year-round and let the plants remind you of the natural beauty of our country.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Eddie Smith is a gardening specialist and Pearl River County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. He is also host of the popular Southern Gardening television program. Locate Southern Gardening products online at http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/southern-gardening.]