The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is showing its support for the first UK Armed Forces Day on 27 June 2009 with special floral tributes across all four RHS Gardens.

Staff from the UK’s leading gardening charity have recreated the Armed Forces Day flag at RHS Gardens Harlow Carr, Harrogate; RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey; RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon and RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex.

In conjunction with gardening correspondents from the Sun, the RHS has also produced a floral design based on the flag that people can download and plant out in beds, containers or even on their windowsills. The design includes a planting plan for both summer and winter bedding, and is available from www.rhs.org.uk/Whatson/Gardens/armedforces.html

A number of the plants chosen have military names representing the three armed forces. These include Tulipa praestans ‘Fusilier’; Lobelia ‘Blue Wings’ and Viola cornuta ‘Lord Nelson’. In this unique way the Great British gardening public can show its support for the UK’s Armed Forces – past, present and future.

RHS Director General Inga Grimsey says:

“The RHS is delighted to support this day of national celebration of our armed forces recognising all they contribute. We would love people to visit our gardens to see these splendid floral beds and brighten up their own gardens, patios and homes with this unique design of the Union Jack.”

The floral flag displays will be on show for at four RHS gardens until the end of July. For more information on the RHS and its gardens visit www.rhs.org.uk.