This weekend marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, and more than half of British homeowners say they will make a colorful effort to celebrate, with 58 per cent planning to hang bunting and plant their garden with red, white and blue flowers.
Wherever you live, decorating your outdoor space for this this once-in-a-lifetime occasion doesn't have to simply be for the short-term, however.
By investing in a commemorative plant to take center stage in your flower bed or switching up your planting scheme, you can enjoy the celebratory blooms long after the special event. Here's how to do it.
Plant a new jubilee rose
Celebration Rose by Dobbies
If you love new types of roses, you’ll want the Celebration Rose, brought out by Dobbies especially for the occasion.
Available in store, it's a soft velvety red, tinged with yellow and white, and would make a beautiful addition to any planting scheme. Due to its height and strength, Marcus Eyles, Dobbies’ horticultural director, recommends planting this rose in beds or at the back of borders, combined with medium-size perennials.
Rose growing experts David Austin Roses have also added a brand-new rose to their collection this year in honor of the Platinum Jubilee. 'Elizabeth' is an English shrub rose with pale pink-apricot flowers.
Suitable for sunny or shady spots, it can be planted in a border or a garden planter, and can reach around 4.5ft (140cm) in height and spread.
'Joining our family of royalty-inspired varieties, Elizabeth is an exceptional and striking rose displaying a generosity, continuity and presence befitting of the character of her namesake,' say the team at David Austin Roses.
Go for a patriotic scheme with vibrant annuals
Petunias are available in a wide range of patriotic colors
There’s a wealth of easy and affordable options if you’re looking for red, white and blue annuals to quickly create a stunning flower bed display or fill hanging baskets and window boxes to give your outdoor space a colorful lift all summer.
Good picks include petunias (surfina), perhaps even a red and white striped variety, cosmos, lobelia – which comes in every shade of blue from pastel to midnight – and red and white geraniums.
'Our Jubilee survey shows that many people hold on to tradition when it comes to celebrating such a significant event,' says Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire's Garden Centres. 'I think we all want to demonstrate our respect and gratitude to her Majesty for her seven decades of service to our country and the Commonwealth. Gathering family and friends, making use of our gardens and outside space all have lots of resonance with people – it’s a very British way.'
Enjoy long-lasting blooms with pretty perennials
Anemone × hybrida 'Honorine Jobert'
Pretty anemones are the ideal choice for a patriotic display, as they produce lovely and dainty cup-shaped blue, reddish-pink, or white flowers. They are adaptable and shade-tolerant, and can be grown in garden borders, around naturally taller trees and shrubs, on in containers.
Be careful about planting in the ground, as they will spread out over the years. Anemones can be poisonous plants for dogs, cats, and humans, so plant with care.
'Besides these considerations they are a wonderful choice for any gardener wishing to add color to the plot,' says Sarah. 'Their white variety would be a perfect selection for the Queen’s Jubilee and beyond.'
