You may not be competing in next summer’s Olympic Games,
but you can still show your true
colors as part of the Quiltscape program, said Paul Thomas, a
horticulturist with the University of
Georgia Extension Service.

The community project from the Atlanta Committee for the
Olympic Games offers individuals,
organizations and businesses a list of plants chosen to reflect
the distinctive “Look of the Games.”

The plants will help people create and display the Quilt of
Leaves colors for the 1996 Olympic Games
July 19 to Aug. 4.

“The Quiltscape program gives everyone a chance to be part
of the event and look like it,” he said.
“You can use approved plants that are a part of the venues
throughout the Games.

“You can spruce up your town square, your church and school
grounds, your home flower garden
or your office window box using the Quiltscape plant list,” he
said.

ACOG has released the “Look of the Games” plant list in the
Olympic colors: blue, gold, green,
purple and red.

The Olympic committee worked with Extension specialists,
UGA horticulture faculty, commercial
designers and landscapers to prepare a list of plants to match
the colors of the games.

Plants were chosen for both sun and shade, tall and short,
dry to moist growing conditions and heat
tolerance for Georgia’s infamous August weather.

“The group went through thousands of plants and selected
those that are in bloom in August and
are heat-tolerant and low-risk,” Thomas said.

“The listed plants should look good under most weather
conditions,” he said. “ACOG wanted
plants that would look good two weeks before the Games and at
least a week after.”

The list includes Georgia favorites such as ageratum,
coleus, zinnia, butterfly bush, crape myrtle,
hosta, impatiens and caladium. It also has black-eyed Susan,
Christmas fern, elephant ear, crimson
fountain grass and many others.

Commercial nurseries and garden centers plan to carry these
selected plants to help homeowners
and businesses take part in the Quiltscape program, which will
officially begin in January.

“These plants will be available,” Thomas said, “But if you
know you’ll need a large order, I
recommend reserving your plants with your local nursery now.

“Get a soil test done, decide what to do to your site and
buy plants and supplies early,” he said.
“With so many people involved, there may be shortages of plants
and other materials like fertilizer,
soil amendments, lime or pine straw.”

Even with a tested plant list and the best intentions,
growing flowers in August in Georgia won’t be
easy.

“It’s important to know how you plan to water your plants,”
Thomas said. “If it rains, no problem.
But if it’s dry, you need to plan to irrigate or water early in
the morning, not while visitors are
admiring your handiwork.”

To make sure the plants flower on schedule, consider buying
one-gallon plants rather than the
smaller bedding plants, Thomas said.

“They may cost more, but they have a larger root system,”
he said. “If we have our typical hot, dry
August, small plants just won’t make it.”

For a brochure on the Quiltscape program, contact ACOG,
Quiltscape Program, 250 Williams
Street, Suite 6000, P. O. Box 1996, Atlanta, GA 30301-1996.

Your county Extension agent also has the Quiltscape plant
list and brochures about growing
perennials and annuals for next summer or any time.