Fly the flag for 2012 (From Worcester News)

Fly the flag for 2012

9:44am Monday 20th February 2012 in Gardening

THE landmark events of 2012 – namely the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics – are set to prompt patriotic gardeners to fly the flag for Britain this year in the form of red, white and blue designs in their beds, borders and containers.

Blue and white lobelia, red salvias and geraniums and other bedding favourites could be the mainstay for many borders. The challenge will be getting these colours in the garden in time for the jubilee celebrations in the first week of June.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has just launched an advisory page on its website (rhs.org.uk) providing advice and suggestions to gardeners wanting to go for red, white and blue planting schemes, bringing together a selection of suitable plants that will go well together.

“Unfortunately, June is not the best time to have masses of colour from plants grown from seeds,”

says Jenny Bowden, RHS adviser.

“But we have come up with some great suggestions that are relatively easy to grow.

“We know how important these two wonderful events are to people and we just thought that some patriotic planting would help in the celebrations.”

The secret will be to buy partially grown plug and mini-plants such as white verbenas, lobelias and Nemesia ‘Wisley Vanilla’, red pelargoniums (geraniums) and blue Lobelia ‘Panthera Cobalt’ to put in containers and hanging baskets. These plants will have to be bought as early as possible.

Plant centres are likely to have supplies from April.

“Although it will be necessary to get the plants into containers and hanging baskets as soon as possible, gardeners also need to ensure that they are kept in sunny, frost-free conditions until the threat of frost has passed. A temperature of 15C (59F) is ideal,”

says Bowden.

Themed selections for June flowering include Petunia grandiflora ‘Jubilee Mixed’, from Suttons (suttons.co.uk). Compact in habit and reaching a height of 25- 30cm (10-12in), they should be sent out as young plants in late April.

Another Suttons celebratory package includes Calibrachoa Superbells ‘Red Devil’, Lobelia ‘Panthera Cobalt’ and Verbena ‘Superbena White’, which should perform all summer in baskets or containers. Young plants will be sent out in May.

Verbena ‘Union Jack’ collection is being offered by Vernon Geranium Nursery (geraniumsuk.com). With delivery at the end of April, there should be time for plants to settle in and start flowering for June.

As the Olympics and Paralympics are being run during the end of July, August and early September, gardeners will have enough time to grow plants from seeds for these celebrations.

The RHS suggests growing red, white and blue sweet peas, redflowered Salvia splendens, Nicotiana (tobacco plant) in red and white, and blue flowers such as ageratums or Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria’.

However, if the thought of a red, white and blue border stirs up images of old-fashioned planting schemes often seen in parks or on roundabouts, vertical displays may provide a more contemporary feel.

Consider planting a wall of blue, white and red with verbenas, ivyleaved pelargoniums, lobelias and begonias.