Best pink plants for a summer border – 5 beautiful blooms for a spectacular display

Sunnier days call for spending more time in our backyards, and what better setting than one brimming with blooms? Planting a pink border is the perfect way to create a vibrant garden for the summer season.

There are so many backyard ideas to explore, but choosing one color for your border is a sure way to create an impactful display. Plus, choosing a range of late spring and late summer flowers means that you can create a border that blooms pink for months at a time.

Not sure where to start? We've compiled an expert list of the best pink plants for a summer border.

5 plants for a pink summer border

If you dream of a bright, pink summer border in your yard but don't know where to begin, we've got you covered. Discover our expert list of the best pink plants for a summer border below.

1. Dianthus 'Pink Kisses'

To fill those smaller gaps at the front of your border, charming Dianthus 'Pink Kisses' is the perfect choice.

Dianthus plants are biennials and perennials and are a staple returning plant for your pink border. They grow best across US hardiness zone 5 to zone 9, where they show off their delicate fringed petals.

'They thrive in well-draining soil and prefer a sunny location, making them a great addition to rock gardens or borders,' says Autumn Janus, plant expert from Perfect Plants.

'To care for this plant, deadhead dianthus regularly to encourage continuous blooming and provide regular watering, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between watering to prevent root rot,' she adds.

Autumn Janus

Autumn is a horticulture specialist and marketing professional at Perfect Plants Nursery. With four years of experience in the horticulture industry, she has developed a passion for helping people create beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy. Her expertise in horticulture encompasses a broad range of activities, including plant care and selection, landscape design, and maintenance.

2. Zinnia 'Zesty Pink'

Growing zinnias in a border adds bright drama. These annual flowers come in a range of hues, but Zinnia 'Zesty Pink' is an obvious choice for a deep magenta focal point in your display.

'Zinnias are summer annuals, so they appreciate warm weather and will flower all summer into fall,' says Miri Talabac, horticulturist at the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center.

To keep zinnias blooming for longer, experts warn to watch out for diseases and encourage deadheading zinnias after flowering.

They grow best in US hardiness zone 9 to zone 11 and can be planted again next year in the same or different spot, if you want to change it up for some variation.

There are so many other pink zinnia varieties to also choose from, like in this zinnia pink mix from Amazon.

Miri Talabac

Miri Talabac is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 2019. She has 22 years of experience working at a retail garden center prior to joining Extension. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a focus in entomology.

3. Pink Muhly Grass

Adding grass to a border is a great way to soften up your display. Pink Muhly Grass is certainly one to consider with its unique pink hue and feathery texture.

'The blooms on this native grass are a neat purplish-pink at their peak towards the end of summer and into fall, before they age to tan as seeds ripen,' says Miri. 'Soil must be well-drained or even on the dry side, and these plants need full sun to thrive,' she adds.

This grass is drought-tolerant and grows in US hardiness zone 6 to zone 9. Its dense foliage also makes it a great ornamental grass for privacy.

Find pink muhly grass from a range of suppliers, like this pink muhly grass from Nature Hills.

4. Lupine 'Gallery Pink'

Add some lupines to your border for some shapely flowers. Lupine 'Gallery Pink' is an obvious choice for bright pink, cone-shaped flowers that last through the summer months.

Lupines are perennial and will grow back in your border each year, and you can keep lupines blooming for longer by deadheading lupines to encourage more growth.

They grow best in US hardiness zone 3 to zone 8 and thrive in a sunny position with well-drained soil.

You can also find different hues of the same series of lupines, like this Gallery Red Lupine from Nature Hills.

5. Butterfly Bush 'Pink Delight'

It's always a good idea to add some shrubs for privacy to your border to provide some differing height. If you have a larger border space to work with and live in US hardiness zone 5 to zone 10, butterfly bush is beautiful choice.

'The Butterfly Bush 'Pink Delight' is a stunning flowering shrub known for its fragrant pink flower spikes that attract butterflies and other pollinators to the garden,' says Autumn.

Planting this bush will reward you with profuse blooms throughout summer. 'You should plant it in well-draining soil and provide full sun exposure for optimal growth and abundant flowering,' Autumn adds.

It's a good idea to deadhead butterfly bush after flowers are spent so that blooms return. Pruning in spring can also help to keep it shapely and tidy up your border display ahead of its peak flowering season.

Find Butterfly Bush 'Pink Delight' online, like this Pink Delight Butterfly Bush from Perfect Plants Nursery.

FAQs

When should I plant my summer border?

Summer flowering plants should be planted in spring to encourage blooms to emerge early in the summer season and last for longer. It's always best to plant a border in spring or fall when the ground is warm enough to support root development. Avoid planting your summer border during winter when the ground is hard and young plants can suffer from frost.

Creating a bright summer border with one color is a sure way to create impact and drama in your yard, and these pink plants are guaranteed to create an eye-catching display.

If pink isn't your thing, explore our expert guide to growing blue flowers and the best shrubs with dark foliage.