How to Plant a Patriotic Flower Bed With Designs

Patriotic flower beds are attractive and symbolic.

Patriotic flower beds are a fun way to show off your American pride. While most people tend to think about patriotic floral designs around patriotic holidays, these designs will fit into most landscapes through the entire year. The basic premise of patriotic flower bed designs is that they use colors and symbols associated with the United States. There are many ways to plant a patriotic flower bed and the project allows for a wide range of creativity.

Things You'll Need

• Spray chalk
• Shovel
• Red, white and blue flowers
• American flags
• Pinwheels
• Garden spade
• Ribbons
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Choose a shape for the flower bed. Rectangular shapes are good options if you want to create a flag design. To get more creative, opt for a star shape. Use canned spray chalk to mark the outline of the flower bed on the ground.

2. Dig up the center of the flower bed design with a shovel to prepare the ground for planting. Discard the top layer of grass, if applicable, so that it does not compete with the flowers.

3. Choose flowers that are in patriotic colors and set their pots in place within the design. According to the Horticulture and Home Pest News, use the following examples of colored flowers. For red flowers, use petunias, geraniums, verbena, snapdragons, zinnias and cosmos. For white flowers, use petunias, zinnias, cosmos, salvia, impatiens and begonias. For blue flowers, use petunias, bachelor buttons, salvia, morning glorys, pansies and forget-me-nots.

4. Begin planting red, white and blue flowers inside the design by digging 6-inch-deep holes with a garden spade. Remove each plant from their pot and place them into a hole. Cover the roots with soil.

5. Add accent objects to the flower bed to create more visual appeal. Objects such as small American flags and pinwheels can be inserted into the ground around the flower bed as a border. You can also place them interspersed throughout the design. If there are lamp posts, mailboxes or walkway lights in the flower bed, tie red, white and blue ribbons around them.

6. Water the patriotic flower bed with water until the ground is saturated.

References

• "Horticulture and Home Pest News"; Plant a Patriotic Garden; Cindy Haynes; April 2003
• Jelly Jar: Patriotic Victory Garden Flowers
• Better Homes and Gardens: Red, White and Bloom