When I was studying Graphic Design at Arizona State University in the early 1980’s, I became familiar with the Pantone Color Chart. Similar to the way a paint store matches a specific color, selecting a Pantone number ensured my designs would print exactly as I intended. Fast forward over forty years and Pantone is back in my life – this time with their ‘color of the year.’ Starting 25 years ago, Pantone introduced a genius marketing strategy. Their ‘color of the year’ matches a selected hue to feelings of the time and influences decisions in packaging, interior design, and even my new industry – landscape design.
Pantone’s color for 2024 is called Peach Fuzz and the executives in charge produced an extensive marketing campaign and corresponding video. The campaign describes how the featured color “captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. Its velvety gentle peach tone and all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body and soul. Peach Fuzz reflects our innate yearning for closeness and connection. A color that radiates warmth and elegance, resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.” Wow is all I can say. That’s a lot of responsibility for a single color. That said, I’m in for adding a little Peach Fuzz to the garden and I have suggestions to keep your garden peachy all season long.
Let’s start with winter, where Pieris offers some peach tones with frosty blooms.
For early spring color introduce some daffodils to your garden beds. Brent and Becky’s and Qdaffs have nice options.
Remember that color includes leaves and not just flowers. Some woody plants are most impressive as they are leafing out.
Perennials that bring the color of the year into the garden include spring, summer and fall bloomers.
Annuals and tropical plants happily join the peach party too.
I hope you have your list together and are ready purchase some plants that highlight Pantone’s 2024 color. Since the warm tone of Peach Fuzz represents moments spent with friends and celebrates simple acts of kindness, I invite you to visit my garden and see all the ways I’ve introduced Pantone’s color into my landscape. I’ll even serve you some while you are here – a bundt cake filled with peaches and a little Peach Schnapps for added warmth! How’s that for warm and fuzzy?
For those who asked – here’s the recipe:
All the flowers are so so beautiful Carol! I have always loved the pale peach color in flowers and other plants in our environment.. Now it’s the color of the year!
As I was finishing your blog, I read the last part to Bob commenting on how you are such s
wonderful friend and certainly very kind. He only heard the “Fuzzy Navel Cake”, and was
wondering, with a smile on his face, what you would do if , in fact, he showed up at your door…
Peaches are popular in our family in the form of peach cobbler. Fuzzy Navel Cake might be right
up there with the cobbler….certainly the Peach Schnapps can’t hurt!
Hi Rozy, I’ll bring some fuzzy navel cake to you! It takes a couple days to prepare so I need to plan in advance. Would love to have you stop by to see what’s going on in the garden. Let’s get a date on the calendar to do that!
Thanks Carol – a gorgeous color to add to the landscape ! I’d love to see your garden ! Can you share the recipe for Fuzzy Navel Cake ?
Hi Mari – just reach out at lastinglandscapesbycarol@gmail.com to set up a time to visit. I’ll post the recipe for you and other readers! It’s not healthy, but it’s yummy.
Lovely, look forward to the influence of peach in our society especially this November!
I’m looking forward to that influence 365 days a year. Wouldn’t that be nice!
What a pretty color and great write-up, Carol!
That color is so gorgeous in the landscape. I guess I haven’t paid much attention to the tones and hues of my previous beds, this excites me to include Pantone plantings in my future front beds.
In the video, I thought she said Peach Fizz, but I read Peach Fuzz. So here’s a fun recipe to experiment with!
https://www.texanerin.com/content/uploads/2022/07/georgia-peach-cocktail-image-650×974.jpg
Thank you for the cake recipe as well! Give Andy and your team my Best!
Cheryl
Thanks for the drink recipe – sounds like it will be a perfect complement to a peachy tour.
LOVE the peachy color, one of my favs. Until now I didn’t realize there were so many peachy plants. And a cake too? I just looked and I have most of the ingredients so I’m making it this weekend. 🙂
Hope you can add some peach to your landscape and am happy to hear you are adding it to your menu!