Red, White, And EW: If Your Fourth Of July Flowers Don't Pop, Your Garden Is A Flop

I get it: you want to have your flower pots look seasonally appropriate for the 4th of July (and this year it's our 250th anniversary as a nation, so you may even be considering having them all season long). But, speaking as a professional garden designer, the majority of red, white, and blue container arrangements I see are, well, not that great. I'm talking about that sad combination of red geraniums, dusty miller, and purple floss flower. Ugh. I mean, I love floss flowers, but people, they are periwinkle — not blue! And the operative color combo here is red, white, and blue.

Here's the thing: if you're going to go with this tried-and-true color scheme, then you really need to go for it. That means actual navy blue flowers, and while there are many stunning blue flowers you can grow in your garden as perennials, summer-blooming blue annuals can be tricky to find. Trailing lobelia or annual salvia are the best option for vivid deep blue color that lasts. 

Another good blue option: you can try using some potted blue flowering hydrangeas in your display. However, this is a much costlier option than annuals, and the flowers can be vulnerable in hot weather conditions. On the plus side, you could plant the shrub after the holiday season ends. If you have blue flowering hydrangeas already growing in your garden, they're often blooming by early July, and you can place pots of red and white annuals near them for an easy and flexible display option.

I cannot stress this blue thing enough. The key to vibrant Independence Day floral arrangements is to really get those reds and blues right, especially the blue. No periwinkle, no purple, no violet: get as close to navy blue as possible. And that usually means trailing lobelia. This colorful annual is sold in nurseries starting in late spring, so be sure to grab some and plant it in your containers. Once the first round of blooms fades, you can deadhead them by pinching off any spent flowers or shearing the tops gently, and you'll get more flowers. If you plant in June, keep them trimmed regularly and don't shear or deadhead them all at once, to allow some blooms to remain.

Your red flowers should be a bold shade of cherry (blue undertones) red, not tomato red, not maroon, not hot pink. Petunias come in plenty of bright red and white varieties, but you could also go bold — try those flashy red and white striped ones! You can get vivid red annuals in many varieties: celosia, begonias, portulaca, zinnias, verbena, coleus, and geraniums. 

For white flowers, there are plenty of interesting options for shape and texture. Sweet alyssum makes a good trailing "spiller" or "filler" choice, as do four o'clocks, petunias, verbena, or lobelia. For a featured "thriller" white flower try dianthus, tall snapdragons, or miniature white roses. You can also try summer-blooming flower bulbs in shades of red or white, like cannas or dahlias. For containers in shady areas, wax begonias and classic impatiens are perfect.

Oh no! Tragedy strikes! You waited too long and the nursery has no more blue lobelia. Your red petunias all decided to drop at once and the new buds are too tiny to bloom. Or, there was an unexpected heat wave and your blue flowering hydrangeas fried in the heat. Or ... well, you get the idea. Stuff happens. You can still salvage your container plants in time for the holiday.

What about navy blue pots with white and red flowers? Yes, navy blue, or cobalt blue: not turquoise, not teal, not sky blue, not powder blue. Or you can get red pots and fill them with white (or red and white) flowers and blue decorative accents. Heck, you can even get fake flowers. I promise not to judge you (unless you get purple ones and try to pass them off as blue).

Of course, your local Dollar Tree store has summer gems you should stock up on and will also have plenty of seasonally appropriate decor you can use to dress up your planters. It'll have garlands, pinwheels, statues, toys, and probably some things you and I have haven't even thought of yet. Some of these items may have a stars-and-stripes theme, but you can also find plenty of solid color stuff to help you get creative. Just remember: no periwinkle allowed!