Add a warm and cozy feel to gardens this year with the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz. It was chosen to generate a sense of kindness and tenderness and encourage sharing, community and collaboration. Also consider including this color in your garden to convey these emotions or as a good excuse to add more plants to your landscape.
This is the 25th year that the Pantone Color Institute has chosen a color that reflects the spirit of the times. These are colors that you can see in home furniture, advertising, and even our landscapes.
Peach Fuzz sits somewhere between pink and salmon. Many garden plants have flowers that fit into this color spectrum and can be used in containers and garden beds.
Dianthus VivaciaÔ Orange is hardy to zone 7a, but can be used as an annual in colder areas. The large double flowers on 10- to 16-inch-tall plants are prominent during the cooler months of the growing season. They combine well with other flowers and their sturdy stems make them suitable for cutting.
SuperTrouperÔ Orange Dianthus has similar colored flowers that are about 20% smaller. It is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and has a spicy fragrance.
Celosia Celway™ Salmon has the same heat and drought tolerance as other celosias. The spiky flowers are held on 40- to 48-inch stems, making great additions to the middle or back of the border.
If you love salvias, you can find a variety of peach-colored flowers. These plants tend to be deer and hummingbird resistant magnets. Just check the plant label for more specific information on mature size and hardiness.
Luxury Lace daylily has subtle star-shaped flowers. Hardy in zones four through eight it has the same low maintenance requirements as other daylilies. Only water well when needed.
Geum ‘Mai Tai’ has crimson red flowers that fade to a peachy pink early in the season. The 18-inch burgundy trunks are a nice contrast to the flowers. Grow in full sun with moist soil in zones five through seven.
Last, but certainly not least, is the thread-leaf coreopsis ‘Crème Caramel’ (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Crème Caramel’). Hardy in zones five through nine, it spreads slowly making a good addition to a sunny slope or traditional borders. The finished foliage blends well with other flowers, adding a welcome texture to any planting. Watch as the peachy pink flowers deepen to salmon when the temperature is cool.
Use the artist’s color wheel to find colors that look good with these and other peach fuzz colored flowers and leaves. So look for opportunities to add an interesting texture for some additional pizzazz. You and your visitors will enjoy the warm feeling of welcome when you walk through your landscape.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
