Last month, Pantone picked Peach Fuzz as its 2024 Color of the Year. The shade is warm, fuzzy, and like a gentle hug or a cozy sweater. And I’m a fan of any hue that’s close to pink or orange. In case you’re looking to embrace this color in your landscape, here are my five favorite peachy-keen plants to consider adding to the garden this year.
1. Geum ‘ Apricot Pearl’
Fantastically ruffled blossoms in shades of pale peach poise themselves above semi-evergreen/evergreen foliage. Growing to just under two feet tall, this perennial will bloom late spring to summer in a sunny to partially sunny spot. They’re perfect for containers, as sweet edging for garden beds, or in a cutting garden. Potentially deer-resistant and most certainly pollinator-attracting. (For more on geums, see Gardening 101: Geums). A larger (growing to three feet) alternative is the oldie but goody peony ‘Coral Charm’ that won the 1986 Gold Medal of the American Peony Society and sports frilly peachy bowl-shaped blooms.
2. Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’
As if grevilleas weren’t already some of my favorite shrubs because they’re evergreen, drought-resistant, pollinator-friendly, and deer-resistant, then came along this sweetie. ‘Peaches and Cream’ has a low-maintenance mounding habit that is desirable and displays curiously curved flowers that age to shades of peachy hues. Worshiped by hummingbirds, this dense shrub grows to four to six feet high and just as wide and likes a sunny spot in well-draining soil. Hardy in USDA Zones 9-11.
3. Rosa ‘Peach Drift’
If I’m going to plant a rose, it better be tough, disease-resistant, and long-blooming. ‘Peach Drift’ checks all those boxes, and now it’s on trend as well with its soft peachy-pink spring flowers that keep blooming through the end of summer. Perfect for small gardens, along walkways, and gently tumbling down slopes. Maturing to one to two feet high and two to three feet wide, this deciduous ground cover rose will accept full sun or part sun and regular drinks of water. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-11. An alternative to this rose with a more upright habit is the always-popular hybrid tea rose ‘Just Joey’, named “World’s Favorite Rose” in 1994.
4. Abelia Hybrid ‘Peach’
This new and improved abelia from Sunset comes at the right time for the gardener wanting to riff a bit on the Pantone color trend. This low-water hybrid plays like a jazz song and offers vibrant multicolors with extra warm apricot tones. I use abelias all the time in my garden designs because they’re easy to maintain, deer-resistant, and colorful; plus this new hybrid stays effortlessly compact. Tiny white blossoms are an added bonus for hungry hummingbirds. This abelia grows to two to three feet tall and three to five feet wide, and will like full sun or partly sunny spot in hot climates. It’s a great candidate for containers, low border/hedge, or evergreen structure in a low-water garden. Hardy in USDA Zones 6-10.
5. Dahlia ‘Apricot Desire’
I am a huge dahlia devotee and am especially fond of this waterlily-like hybrid that has long stems that gift apricot peachy flowers perfect for cutting and adding to floral arrangements. Plant this tuber in the spring in a sunny spot, and you’ll be rewarded from June to the first frost with delicate peachy blossoms. Perfect for borders or added to containers, it grows quickly to three to four feet high. Hardy in USDA Zones 8-11. Another peach perfect dahlia is the Giant Ball Dahlia ‘Sweet Suzanne’.
See also:
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation