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OFTEN than not, Donald Trump wears a pink tie. In the old
Crayola boxes, a disturbing shade of pink is called "flesh."
After World War II, pink houses, trailers and kitchens became
a celebration of the most non-combative color. Do you think
The Donald wears pink to come in like a lamb and go out
like a lion?
These are just a few thoughts on pink, a color that has
flooded the fashion world on the heels of perennial black.
Perhaps it is post-war jubilance repeating itself. Maybe
this feminine color merely celebrates romance. Either way,
pink is among the most common and varied of all flower colors
next to yellow.
In the garden, pink covers a lot of ground. On its most
garish end is the mod hot pink of the first chemical day
glow colors of the sixties. This is a color best used
sparingly, but when it is applied with a crafty hand it
earns unmatched attention.
The richest pink is magenta, which threatens to become
violet while at the same time flirts with red. It is the
rosy hue that adds depth and strength to compositions.
Call it flesh or carnation, but clear pink is the same
color as the ubiquitous Formica of post-war fame. It is
the hue your mind conjures when the word pink is mentioned.
It is a natural friend of aqua and produces disturbing
effects when paired with black.
Shell pink is the vaporous pale of girl babies, bridesmaids
and Victoria's Secret catalogs. It nudges pearl and mauve,
floating above all other shades — part flower and part
sky. It is not tolerant of bright sun and threatens to
bleach to white on a hot summer's day.
All discussion of this color in gardens must begin with
pinks. These old cottage and rock garden perennials include
many species of genus Dianthus, shared with the taller
carnations. Pinks tend to produce shorter stature and
dense, rounded clumps. They descend to us from England
where both rich and poor relished their fragrance and
ease of cultivation. Cottage Pinks, Dianthus plumarius
includes dozens of hybrids in practically every shade
of pink.
With dozens of cultivars, many of them as fragrant as
the carnation, they are widely adaptable but do best in
regions of cool summers. Hardy to Zone 3, they offer reliable
and beautiful shades of pink to cooler northern gardens.
Even though pinks are considered perennial, they may die
out after awhile if not divided and renewed.
Delicate looking Mexican evening primrose, Oenothera
berlandieri is not the egg shell she appears to be. This
tough as nails native ranges across dry regions of Texas
into Mexico. Spreading plants with a rangy character easily
naturalizes. They burst into the sweetest shade of pink
in spring and keep it up through much of the summer. As
an evening flower you are likely to find moths hovering
around them at dusk and dawn. This is a sure flower for
dry borders, to blend with western natives and shrubby
Mediterraneans for a solid mass of color.
It's hard to kill stately red valerian. Plants are hardy
enough to survive Zone 3 and sufficiently drought resistant
to thrive in California. It is a magenta pink flower for
all seasons. In fact, it may be the most under rated plant
around, despite its ease of cultivation and great looks.
Bursting into bloom in spring on upright stems it is showy
and visually demanding. Dead head for a second bloom season
in the fall. Expect your valerian to spread and self seed.
Pink is in. Do not use a frugal hand. Don't hesitate
to overdo it. It is romantic and beautiful. And perhaps
if you plant like a lamb today, tomorrow your garden will
bloom like a pink panther.
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