Texas gardens…where every day is Flag Day

What better time to talk about flags than on Flag Day, an American holiday set aside to honor the country’s great stars and stripes. But here, in Texas, there’s another flag that shares the spotlight, and it’s everywhere.

Depictions of the iconic Texas State Flag appear on everything from barbecue aprons to ball caps to bumper stickers. The familiar red, white, and blue blazes across roofs, fences, and the sides of barns and buildings. And, not to be left behind in a cloud of down home dust amid the beeps, bites, and tweets of modern communication, there’s a Texas flag emoji.

 

Here in Texas, pride runs deep.

Pride in the flag existed even before Texas joined the United States in 1845 as the 28th state. An early version of the flag was introduced in 1838. Later, it was adopted by the Republic of Texas. According to the Texas Flag Code, the color blue represents loyalty, white represents purity, and red stands for bravery.

It is apparent by the swell of garden and patio décor emblazoned with likenesses of the Texas flag that gardeners enjoy expressing the no-nonsense, get-things-done attitude associated with the state. Look around. Nylon flags flutter from porches and patios; the tail vanes of garden windmills are dressed in the time-honored color block of red, white and blue; and, underfoot, stepping stones face skyward in an expression of Texas bravado. Flags appear on wind socks, wind chimes, watering cans, and welcome mats.

Yep, Texas attitude is everywhere.

So grab some paint and show some pride. Scraps of tin, bird houses, wood pallets, buckets, boxes, or pots; when you’re keen on your state, there is no shortage of flag-painting canvas.