Paint The Town Fuchsia Pink

Discover the vibrant fuchsia brilliance of Dianthus 'Paint the Town Fuchsia', a charming and easy-to-grow Pinks that will illuminate your garden from early summer through fall. This perennial from the 'Paint the Town' series is distinguished by its single, intense fuchsia flowers with delicately serrated petals and lavender centers. Just like its series companions, it offers excellent heat and humidity tolerance, making it a perfect choice for adding a splash of bright and fragrant colour to your sunny borders, rock gardens, or container arrangements.

Characteristics

• Foliage : The foliage of Dianthus 'Paint the Town Fuchsia' is evergreen, forming a neat, compact mound of narrow, glaucous blue-green leaves.
• Bloom : This variety produces an abundance of single, vibrant fuchsia flowers with lavender centers and finely serrated petals. It is one of the earliest Dianthus to bloom, starting in early summer, and offers repeat blooming in the fall if spent flowers are deadheaded.
• Light : Prefers full sun (6+ hours of direct sun per day) but tolerates part shade (4-6 hours of direct sun). Full sun exposure will encourage the most abundant blooms.
• Habit : Its habit is compact and forms a low mound.
• Growth : It reaches a height of about 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches) and a spread of 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches).
• Humidity : Prefers well-drained soil and tolerates moderate drought once established. It does not like constantly wet feet.
• Soil : Thrives in well-drained soil, even poor soil. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH is preferable.
• Temperature : Hardy in zones 4 through 9, which includes most regions of Quebec.
• Watering : Requires average watering. Water regularly during the first season to help establish roots. Once established, it is more drought-tolerant but will appreciate watering during hot, dry periods, especially during blooming.

Uses

• Types of Use : Excellent for sunny borders, rock gardens, flower beds, container gardening on patios, pathways, and as fragrant cut flowers.
• Decorative Advantages : Its intense fuchsia flowers with lavender centers attract bees and butterflies and add a vivid and long-lasting colour to the garden. Its blue-green foliage is also decorative even when not in bloom. It is deer-resistant.

Care

• Fertilization : An application of general garden fertilizer in early spring is usually sufficient.
• Pruning : After the main flush of blooms, shear off the spent flower stalks to encourage reblooming in late summer or early fall. A thorough clean-up in the fall can help prevent pest and disease issues. Remove any protective mulch in the spring as soon as the weather warms up to prevent crown rot.
• Planting :
  • Distance : Plant at a distance of 30 to 40 cm (12 to 15 inches) to allow for good growth and air circulation.
  • Depth : Plant at the same level as the top of the root ball in the original container.
  • Period : Spring or early fall are the best times for planting.