Top 7+ fast-growing pink flowers that quickly brighten any yard

Shower your garden in pink.

From pale, delicate pastels to cheery bolds and neons, pink flowers come from every end of the spectrum and go with almost any color palette. Pair warm pinks like coral, peach, and salmon with a mix of red, yellow, and orange flowers, and use bold cool magenta and fuchsia to complement violet, purple, and blue blooms. Or go all in on a monotone all-pink flower garden with different colors and textures of foliage to keep it interesting. Add these fast-growing pink flowers to your garden for an instant pop of color in every corner of your yard. 

01 of 07

Petunias

• Botanical Name: Petunia x hybrida
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (5.5-7.0)

Petunias are perennials in USDA Zones 10-11, but they’re grown as annuals elsewhere in the South. These fast-growing, tubular blooms attract pollinators, and they’ll give your garden blooms all summer long if you deadhead spent flowers. You’ll find them in a variety of shades of pink, from the soft pink-lavender color of Easy Wave Pink Pearl to the cotton candy-colored Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Cloud, which feature yellow centers. They come in single-petal blossoms, stripes, and compact and trailing varieties to suit every garden. Petunias thrive in full sun and well-drained soil until the first frost.

02 of 07

Zinnias

• Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-draining, loamy, rich
• Soil pH: Acid, alkaline, neutral (6.0-8.0)

Zinnias come in a variety of colors, from bright red, orange, yellow, and lime green to whispers of pink, lavender, and cream. Mix and match shades of pinky peach, magenta, soft pink, and dusty rose for a dramatic display. They grow quickly and easily from seed, needing ample direct sunlight and rich, well-draining soil to produce blooms about 60 to 70 days after planting. Deadheading spent blooms keeps them going strong all summer long, and they tolerate dry spells well. 

03 of 07

Cosmos

• Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained, poor to average soil
• Soil pH: Neutral, slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0)

Plant cosmos seeds in a sunny spot in your garden, and you’ll likely see sprouts within the week. These fast-growing annuals bloom all summer long until the first frost. Encourage bushy growth by pinching off the top set of leaves when the plants are still young. Soil with high nutrients can actually reduce cosmos blooms, so don’t overdo the fertilizer. Cosmos flowers can be orange, yellow, red, and a range of pinks, from barely there pale blush to deep rose and even light and dark pink combos. 

04 of 07

Impatiens

• Botanical Name: Impatiens walleriana
• Sun Exposure: Full or partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained, fertile
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (6.0-6.5)

Though delicate impatiens are herbaceous perennials in tropical zones, they’re grown as annuals in zones 3-9. These five-petaled flowers can be single or double, and may be more than one color. They’re the perfect flowers for a shade garden since they need protection from strong afternoon sun. Plant impatiens where they’ll get bright morning light and shade in the afternoon. The more sun they get, the more water they’ll need. Hybrid varieties like SunPatiens were developed to tolerate full sun, more heat, and humidity and bloom until the first frost.

05 of 07

Dianthus

• Botanical Name: Dianthus
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0)

There are thousands of dianthus cultivars, grown as annuals, perennials, and biennials. Their frilly edges look like they’ve been cut with pinking shears and the silvery-gray foliage is long and narrow. Make sure to give dianthus plants lots of light because they grow leggy in too much shade. In zones 8-10 where afternoon sun can be brutal, shade can prevent leaf scorch and help blooms last longer. If grown from seed, dianthus can bloom within three months, growing into wide, mat-like mounds quickly. Look for pinks of all varieties, as well as bicolored blooms, at your garden center.

06 of 07

Nasturtiums

• Botanical Name: Tropaeolum majus
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-draining, average, sandy, loamy
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Add these edible annuals to your garden not only to add color to the landscape, but also for their peppery flavor and use as a pretty garnish. For the best blooms, grow nasturtium in poor to average soil because too much fertilizer results in fewer flowers. They thrive in full sun and will produce fewer blooms in too much shade. If you live in a warm climate, though, a break from the sun is necessary to keep them from wilting. They’re perennials in zones 9-11 and can be grown as annuals in cooler climates. Bushy types are best in flower beds or hanging baskets, and trailing varieties will spill over walls and containers. Pinks range from pale creamy pink to deep rose, and they often feature darker or lighter throats. 'Ladybird Rose' has blooms that fade from raspberry to cream with purple veins, and 'Cherry Rose Jewel' features tropical-hued cherry-coral blooms.

07 of 07

Sweet Alyssum

• Botanical Name: Lobularia maritima
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

These fast-growing annuals add a sweet honey scent and shades of pink to rock gardens, hanging baskets, and flower garden borders. Sweet alyssum attracts pollinators to its blooms from spring through fall. It grows low and can be used as a ground cover in sunny to partially shaded spots in your yard. In warm climates, protect them from the heat with some afternoon shade. Grow as a perennial in zones 9-11 and as an annual up to zone 5. From rosy pink to pink-lavender, abundant clusters of tiny flowers can overshadow the green foliage for a dramatic display.