Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ PPAF PVR, is a tremendous new pom-pom shaped coneflower that is easily the best double flowered coneflower I have ever grown.
It has beautifully shaped and proportioned flowers that are a bright, true pink. It is very floriferous, and most importantly, a nice, sturdy and compact grower.
10 Reasons to Love Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’
Now, if you are like me and love good plants, let me explain in more detail why this gorgeous beauty is so delightful.
Bright, true pink double flowers, and plenty of them! Take one look at the flowers and you'll be amazed. They are truly stunning and constantly changing!
The buds open at first just like any other coneflower. The spiky outer petals stick up, and then gradually reflex and expand to make a broad, external ring of bright, clear pink petals. Then from the center comes many finer and shorter florets; these push upward and outward to progressively form a second, rounded layer that is positioned in perfect scale to make the most exquisite pom-pom shape.
On early flowers, the inner ring of florets is often tinted pale pink or almost white. This contrast and transition from the center to the outer rings gives them a wonderful bi-color effect. Later on, the mature flowers will be almost entirely pink, but it is not just any old pink. It's a clear, bright, true pink that brightens and combines easily with other plants in the garden, especially blues, purples, reds, creams, and whites.
Individually, the flowers are not as large as some other recently released varieties, but what they lose in size they more than make up for in quantity. ‘Pink Double Delight’ is that floriferous! In fact, I counted over 40 flowers on a one-year plant that I had under trial. Thankfully, I had the good fortune to plant it in a bed by the mailbox, and I was delighted to witness my neighbors stop to admire it and ask me "What the heck is that?"
Most gardeners are aware that the term "perennial" refers to a plant that returns each spring after a period of winter dormancy. If the easy to supply growing conditions are provided, ‘Pink Double Delight’ coneflower will do this too. All they need is a little tender loving care to get them started.
Choose a sunny site in an average, well-drained soil, follow the instructions on the tags we give you and on the Coneflowers part of our website. Once they are well rooted and established in their new locations, they will return year after year to bring marvelous value for money, an investment that will give years of pleasure and delight.
Blooms through the summer
This amazing, long flowering variety begins blooming with us in the first few weeks of
June and continues through the entire summer until the arrival of frost in autumn.
Perfect height and width
‘Pink Double Delight’ is a good, vigorous grower. It is bushy and makes a
nice sturdy clump that doesn't have to be tied or supported. That's because unlike most
of the other double flowered forms of coneflower, it only grows to about 2 feet or less,
by about the same wide, which is a perfect size for most garden situations.
Great for anywhere in the garden
This perky little coneflower is great for almost anywhere in the garden, although
it's true that I think so much of it that I have it right out front, in the most prominent
place I could find.
You could use it in regular beds and borders, mixed plantings, or as an edger in areas alongside paths and driveways. The bright, cheery color would be marvelous for adding pizzazz to foundation plantings, or tired areas that are in need of renovation. When multiple plants are massed, they will create a spectacularly colorful sight when they are all in flower. It loves a sunny, free draining spot so it would relish a place in a rock garden, sloping bank, or in a raised bed. If you are looking for something to grow in pots and containers, this is a stunning choice; it would be just the thing for brightening up entranceways, working into pot displays by the front door, placing around a swimming pool, or on a patio, balcony, or deck.
Drought tolerant
Once the new plants are established in their positions, they are quite drought tolerant and
will put up with short periods of dry conditions. That said, they will, of course, grow
and flower best when adequate moisture is present; working in some extra organic matter
at planting time, mulching, and an occasional watering during prolonged dry periods will
help to keep them performing at their highest levels. Remember, they need free draining
conditions, so be careful not to overdo the watering.
Easy to look after
Except for a tidy up in late autumn or early spring, and perhaps the odd feed with a
well-balanced fertilizer at the start or occasionally during the growing season,
‘Pink Double Delight’ doesn't need much attention.
In fact, the only thing that I do is snip off the spent flowers when they begin to turn brown. I am not sure if this helps to prolong the flowering period (because there always seems to be plenty of young fresh flower buds popping up from amongst the foliage anyway), but it certainly keeps the plants looking fresh and tidy. Except for a few minutes spent trimming them, there isn't much else that needs doing.
An excellent cutflower
This is another wonderful feature of ‘Pink Double Delight’. The strong flower
stems are simple to arrange. Just pick them in the cool of an evening or early in the
morning when they are about half way open, and you should find that they will last
(under normal conditions) for a week to 10 days in water.
Not prone to any major pests or diseases
Descended from a robust native wildflower, this exciting newcomer has inherited the resilient
genetics of its forebearers to be able to stand up on its own to most major pests and diseases.
That means that you significantly reduce the need to spray or put down any environmentally
damaging chemicals, a major point when having children, pets, or wildlife in the garden.
A butterfly attraction
Like other coneflowers, ‘Pink Double Delight’ will draw butterflies into your
garden from all over the neighborhood. They can't resist the nectar rich florets, so once
you it is in flower, just sit back and wait. It won't be long until they are flitting back
and forth to bring extra enjoyment to your gardening activities.
Flower Color: Pink shades
Foliage Color: Medium green shades
Sun Tolerance: Full sun
Preferred Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soils
USDA Plant Hardiness: Zone 3
Plant Height: 24”
Plant Spread: 24”
Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ was developed in The Netherlands by Arie Blom (pictured above) of AB-Cultivars. He studied plant breeding at the Agricultural University in Wageningen, and, after obtaining his degree in 1989, began putting his studies to work, breeding improved varieties of vegetables.
Then in 2002, he started breeding ornamental plants in the back garden of his home. What started out as a hobby, quickly turned into a full time occupation. Now, just a few years later, tens of thousands of seedlings undergo a rigorous selection and testing program each year at a greatly enlarged breeding facility that he has set up with his business partner, Henk Holtmaat.
Arie says he was curious to know whether it was possible to make coneflower crosses that could lead to new and different types of flower shapes, being particularly interested in fully double blooms with good pink or white color. He started hand pollinating selected parental lines, and despite the incredibly short time and limitations of space, he succeeded in finding this outstanding seedling almost at once. He told me, rather modestly, "I guess that it was beginner's luck", because he made the cross in 2003, and selected it from just a few hundred seedlings when they flowered for the first time in 2004.
"Now," he adds, "I raise thousands of seedlings each year, and so far, I have not found a similar plant."
Arie is hard at work hybridizing other new and exciting discoveries. If you stop iand manage to get hold of a few plants of Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ in the next few days, be sure to keep in touch with us, because we have some more of Arie's breathtaking new creations under trial. If they continue to show the promise they have displayed thus far, I can tell you they are going to be well worth getting, too!
So don't wait! Jump in the car and come over and see us as soon as you can, because even though we got a fresh shipment recently, this exciting new variety won't be around too long in our garden center. It's just one example of the many fine plants that make up our award winning "best of the tried and true and the most promising of the exciting and new" Garden Splendor® product line.
Until next time, enjoy your garden. It's good for you, and for the environment.
Listen to what David Wilson, our Garden Splendor® expert, has to say about Echinacea
‘Pink Double Delight’.
[Running Time: 4:09 minutes]
Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ PPAF PVR, is a tremendous new pom-pom shaped coneflower that is easily the best double flowered coneflower I have ever grown.
It has beautifully shaped and proportioned flowers that are a bright, true pink. It is very floriferous, and most importantly, a nice, sturdy and compact grower.
10 Reasons to Love Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’
Now, if you are like me and love good plants, let me explain in more detail why this gorgeous beauty is so delightful.
Bright, true pink double flowers, and plenty of them! Take one look at the flowers and you'll be amazed. They are truly stunning and constantly changing!
The buds open at first just like any other coneflower. The spiky outer petals stick up, and then gradually reflex and expand to make a broad, external ring of bright, clear pink petals. Then from the center comes many finer and shorter florets; these push upward and outward to progressively form a second, rounded layer that is positioned in perfect scale to make the most exquisite pom-pom shape.
On early flowers, the inner ring of florets is often tinted pale pink or almost white. This contrast and transition from the center to the outer rings gives them a wonderful bi-color effect. Later on, the mature flowers will be almost entirely pink, but it is not just any old pink. It's a clear, bright, true pink that brightens and combines easily with other plants in the garden, especially blues, purples, reds, creams, and whites.
Individually, the flowers are not as large as some other recently released varieties, but what they lose in size they more than make up for in quantity. ‘Pink Double Delight’ is that floriferous! In fact, I counted over 40 flowers on a one-year plant that I had under trial. Thankfully, I had the good fortune to plant it in a bed by the mailbox, and I was delighted to witness my neighbors stop to admire it and ask me "What the heck is that?"
Most gardeners are aware that the term "perennial" refers to a plant that returns each spring after a period of winter dormancy. If the easy to supply growing conditions are provided, ‘Pink Double Delight’ coneflower will do this too. All they need is a little tender loving care to get them started.
Choose a sunny site in an average, well-drained soil, follow the instructions on the tags we give you and on the Coneflowers part of our website. Once they are well rooted and established in their new locations, they will return year after year to bring marvelous value for money, an investment that will give years of pleasure and delight.
Blooms through the summer
This amazing, long flowering variety begins blooming with us in the first few weeks of
June and continues through the entire summer until the arrival of frost in autumn.
Perfect height and width
‘Pink Double Delight’ is a good, vigorous grower. It is bushy and makes a
nice sturdy clump that doesn't have to be tied or supported. That's because unlike most
of the other double flowered forms of coneflower, it only grows to about 2 feet or less,
by about the same wide, which is a perfect size for most garden situations.
Great for anywhere in the garden
This perky little coneflower is great for almost anywhere in the garden, although
it's true that I think so much of it that I have it right out front, in the most prominent
place I could find.
You could use it in regular beds and borders, mixed plantings, or as an edger in areas alongside paths and driveways. The bright, cheery color would be marvelous for adding pizzazz to foundation plantings, or tired areas that are in need of renovation. When multiple plants are massed, they will create a spectacularly colorful sight when they are all in flower. It loves a sunny, free draining spot so it would relish a place in a rock garden, sloping bank, or in a raised bed. If you are looking for something to grow in pots and containers, this is a stunning choice; it would be just the thing for brightening up entranceways, working into pot displays by the front door, placing around a swimming pool, or on a patio, balcony, or deck.
Drought tolerant
Once the new plants are established in their positions, they are quite drought tolerant and
will put up with short periods of dry conditions. That said, they will, of course, grow
and flower best when adequate moisture is present; working in some extra organic matter
at planting time, mulching, and an occasional watering during prolonged dry periods will
help to keep them performing at their highest levels. Remember, they need free draining
conditions, so be careful not to overdo the watering.
Easy to look after
Except for a tidy up in late autumn or early spring, and perhaps the odd feed with a
well-balanced fertilizer at the start or occasionally during the growing season,
‘Pink Double Delight’ doesn't need much attention.
In fact, the only thing that I do is snip off the spent flowers when they begin to turn brown. I am not sure if this helps to prolong the flowering period (because there always seems to be plenty of young fresh flower buds popping up from amongst the foliage anyway), but it certainly keeps the plants looking fresh and tidy. Except for a few minutes spent trimming them, there isn't much else that needs doing.
An excellent cutflower
This is another wonderful feature of ‘Pink Double Delight’. The strong flower
stems are simple to arrange. Just pick them in the cool of an evening or early in the
morning when they are about half way open, and you should find that they will last
(under normal conditions) for a week to 10 days in water.
Not prone to any major pests or diseases
Descended from a robust native wildflower, this exciting newcomer has inherited the resilient
genetics of its forebearers to be able to stand up on its own to most major pests and diseases.
That means that you significantly reduce the need to spray or put down any environmentally
damaging chemicals, a major point when having children, pets, or wildlife in the garden.
A butterfly attraction
Like other coneflowers, ‘Pink Double Delight’ will draw butterflies into your
garden from all over the neighborhood. They can't resist the nectar rich florets, so once
you it is in flower, just sit back and wait. It won't be long until they are flitting back
and forth to bring extra enjoyment to your gardening activities.
Flower Color: Pink shades
Foliage Color: Medium green shades
Sun Tolerance: Full sun
Preferred Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soils
USDA Plant Hardiness: Zone 3
Plant Height: 24”
Plant Spread: 24”
Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ was developed in The Netherlands by Arie Blom (pictured above) of AB-Cultivars. He studied plant breeding at the Agricultural University in Wageningen, and, after obtaining his degree in 1989, began putting his studies to work, breeding improved varieties of vegetables.
Then in 2002, he started breeding ornamental plants in the back garden of his home. What started out as a hobby, quickly turned into a full time occupation. Now, just a few years later, tens of thousands of seedlings undergo a rigorous selection and testing program each year at a greatly enlarged breeding facility that he has set up with his business partner, Henk Holtmaat.
Arie says he was curious to know whether it was possible to make coneflower crosses that could lead to new and different types of flower shapes, being particularly interested in fully double blooms with good pink or white color. He started hand pollinating selected parental lines, and despite the incredibly short time and limitations of space, he succeeded in finding this outstanding seedling almost at once. He told me, rather modestly, "I guess that it was beginner's luck", because he made the cross in 2003, and selected it from just a few hundred seedlings when they flowered for the first time in 2004.
"Now," he adds, "I raise thousands of seedlings each year, and so far, I have not found a similar plant."
Arie is hard at work hybridizing other new and exciting discoveries. If you stop iand manage to get hold of a few plants of Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’ in the next few days, be sure to keep in touch with us, because we have some more of Arie's breathtaking new creations under trial. If they continue to show the promise they have displayed thus far, I can tell you they are going to be well worth getting, too!
So don't wait! Jump in the car and come over and see us as soon as you can, because even though we got a fresh shipment recently, this exciting new variety won't be around too long in our garden center. It's just one example of the many fine plants that make up our award winning "best of the tried and true and the most promising of the exciting and new" Garden Splendor® product line.
Until next time, enjoy your garden. It's good for you, and for the environment.
Listen to what David Wilson, our Garden Splendor® expert, has to say about Echinacea
‘Pink Double Delight’.
[Running Time: 4:09 minutes]