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Clayton Garden Center: Quality Service with a Hometown Touch

By Melinda Myers
Guest Columnist

Heat and drought-tolerant Celosia Celway Salmon has spiky blooms atop 40- to 48-inch stems. Photo provided by Ball Horticultural Company.

Add a warm, cozy feel to this year’s gardens with the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year, peach fuzz. It was selected for generating a feeling of kindness and tenderness and encouraging sharing, community and collaboration. 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 the Pantone Color Institute has selected a color that reflects the spirit of the times. These are colors you are likely to see in home furnishings, advertisements, and even our landscapes.

Peach fuzz lies 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 Vivacia orange is hardy to zone 7a but can be used as an annual in colder areas. The large double flowers top 10- to 16-inch-tall plants and are showy during the cooler months of the growing season. They combine nicely with other flowers and their sturdy stems make them suitable for cutting.

SuperTrouper orange dianthus has similar colored flowers that are about 20% smaller. It is hardy in zones five to nine and has a spicy fragrance.

Celosia Celway Salmon has the same heat and drought tolerance as other celosias. The spiky blooms are held atop 40- to 48-inch stems, making them great additions to the middle or back of the border.

If you love salvias, you can find a variety of peachy-colored blossoms. These plants tend to be deer-resistant and hummingbird magnets. Just check the plant tag for more specific information on the mature size and hardiness.

Luxury Lace daylily has subtly fragrant star-shaped flowers. Hardy in zones four to eight it has the same low maintenance requirements as other daylilies. Just water thoroughly when needed.

Melinda Myers

Geum ‘mai tai’ has vermillion red flowers that fade to a peachy pink early in the season. The 18-inch-tall burgundy stems are a nice contrast to the flowers. Grow it in full sun with moist soil in zones five to seven.

Last but certainly not least is threadleaf coreopsis ‘crème caramel’ (coreopsis verticillata ‘crème caramel’). Hardy in zones five to nine, it slowly spreads making it a nice addition to a sunny slope or traditional border. The fine foliage blends nicely with other flowers, adding welcome texture to any planting. Watch the peachy-pink flowers deepen to salmon when temperatures cool.

Use the artist’s color wheel to find colors that pair well with these and other peach-fuzz-colored flowers and foliage. Then look for opportunities to add interesting texture for some additional pizzazz. You and your visitors will enjoy the cozy warm feeling when walking 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 MelindaMyers.com.