Victoria County Master Gardener Association

2021 May 07

THINK PINK IN THE GARDEN

PINK is the color for MAY

May 07, 2021

by Phyllis Elmore/Victoria County Master Gardener

Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener

Editor’s note: Victoria County Master Gardeners will feature "A Color for the Month" as part of a 2021 series. May is pink. Watch the colors change in Gardeners' Dirt each month.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PHYLLIS ELMORE

Pink Roses at the Victoria Educational Gardens

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PHYLLIS ELMORE

Pink at Victoria Educational Gardens

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

What is your favorite color? You may choose pink. Let’s discuss the power of pink.

If you stopped to chat with a friend, you could ask, “How are you feeling?” Your friend might reply, “I am in the pink.” Pink is associated with good health. For example, think of rosy cheeks. Pink symbolizes youth and playfulness.

You may also think of other references. I recall the singer Pink and the band Pink Floyd. Then there’s the Pink Panther, the Pink Ladies from the movie “Grease,” the advertising slogan for a women’s lingerie company, and the color of the breast cancer awareness ribbon. Of course, I can’t forget rosé wine. Although, I tend to forget things if I drink more than two glasses.

The combination of predominantly red and white results in a multitude of shades. There is baby pink, peach, blush, dusty rose, hot pink, fuchsia, magenta, mauve and maroon. While some of these colors consist of more than red and white, I lump them in the pink family.

Pink can be used to tone down aggression. The former controversial Arizona sheriff, Joe Arpaio issued pink underwear to the inmates. He claimed this action saved Maricopa county thousands of dollars because the inmates did not steal the undergarments.

Pale pink can be soothing. It can make you smile. Think of Reese Witherspoon’s cover outfits in the “Legally Blonde” movies. On the opposite side, dark pink can be used to heighten your emotion.

There are a myriad of pink flowers. Some of my favorites include roses, crepe myrtles, azaleas, petunias, caladiums, peach blossoms, primroses and zinnias. Spring is a wonderful time to dream about your landscape. Take a drive for inspiration. You can keep the color monochromatic or use pink for an accent like in an English cottage garden.

If you do some research, you can have pink flowers throughout the year. By reading the label, (yes, I know it is a radical thought) you can determine when and how long your plant will bloom. Decide how much time and money you want to spend on your project. Stagger your plantings for longevity.

In the planning process, consider the background of your landscape. You may want to use darker or contrasting colors to showcase the pink flowers. Do not short-change time spent planning your design.

Research the lighting and watering needs of plants. No one wants to waste energy putting a plant in the wrong location. The plant may not grow. Or even worse, it may die. You can make a rough sketch of your house and then play with where you want to add the pink. It does not have to be an artistic rendition worthy of the Nave Museum. The plan can be as simple as pink circles or dots to represent the flowers.

If you put in the hard work, you will be rewarded with a beautiful landscape. It would make your mom proud. Speaking of Mom, Mother’s Day is upon us. Here in the United States, Mother’s Day was created in the 1900s by Anna Jarvis. The second Sunday in May was made an official holiday in 1914.

Most often, children give their mom flowers or other presents. The odds are it will have some sort of pink decoration. If your mother is still with you, give her the gift of your time. If you are a mom, give yourself a break. None of us are June Cleaver or worthy of social media posts all the time. Relax, enjoy yourself. Sit down. View your garden. Have a pink lemonade or a glass of rosé.

Happy Mother’s Day.

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