Weekend Gardening: A Red, White And Blue Garden

July 2, 2011

theresafriday.jpgA patriotic flower garden is all about combining dazzling colors of red, white and blue. Red and white flowers are the easiest to find. Flowers that have a dark blue color like the American flag can be more challenging to locate. Generally the blue seen in flowers is a lighter blue, not a navy blue. But feel free to use dark purple flowers for a dark blue effect. Here are some plants that will perform in your garden throughout the summer, not just for the Fourth of July.

Firecracker Plant

Bright red, tubular flowers that resemble little firecrackers hang on this plant during much of the year. Known scientifically as Russelia equisetiformis, this tender small shrub has an unusual look. The rush-like stems are lacking obvious foliage. It has an attractive weeping growth habit with wiry branches that start out erect then fall over to cascade down in lengths as long as four feet.

Firecracker plant grows well in full or broken sun. It will tolerate different soil types but thrives in areas that are well-drained but are regularly watered. This is a must for the butterfly or hummingbird garden.

Bee Balm

Another flower that is a hummingbird and butterfly attractant is this easy-to-grow perennial. Its bright colors and nectar-filled blooms attract a wide variety of “flying jewels.”
The sweet and minty, citrus-scented plant isn’t just for our winged friends, however. Both the leaves and the flowers are perfectly edible-add them to salads or use as garnishes. The dried leaves have been used for centuries to make tea.

Bee balm, or Monarda didyma, comes in many different colors. ‘Jacob Cline’ is an outstanding dark red, powdery mildew-resistant cultivar.

Cat’s Whiskers

Cat’s Whiskers is a member of the mint family and is native to tropical East Asia. Its scientific name is Orthosiphon stamineus. In zone 8, consider this plant an annual since it is tender and will not reliably come back after a freeze.

Cat’s Whiskers has beautiful dark green leaves and unusual white flowers. The flowers consist of an upright spike that contains long flowers and even longer stamens, reminiscent of cat whiskers. Flowering occurs on new growth.
This plant performs best in full sun. It will however grow with several hours of filtered light or spotty direct sun. Cat’s whiskers is a shrub-type plant that will reach heights of two to three feet and spreads three to four feet.

Blue Mist

Caryopteris x clandonensis, sometimes called bluebeard or blue mist shrub, is a cross between two species, and is one of the best small shrubs for late color in the landscape.

It is a low mounding, herbaceous shrub that prefers loose, loamy soil and full sun. It produces sturdy stems with several whorls of blue flowers in the fall. There are several cultivars available. The famous variety ‘Longwood Blue’ has sky blue flowers.

Another popular type, ‘Worcester Gold’, has yellow foliage and blue flowers. Proven Winners has one called ‘Petit Blue’ that is known for its tight, compact growth habit.

Bees and butterflies love them, but deer don’t — a happy combination. The flowers are so attractive to the bees, that the insects aren’t bothered by the presence of people

For more information, contact Theresa Friday at 850-623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News