Dianthus include ‘pinks’, Sweet William and carnations. They come in a wide variety of flower colours, not just ‘pink’ as their common name suggests. Rather they are named after their frilly flower edges, which look like they’ve been choppily cut or ‘pinked’. Their leaves are long simple leaves, often grey-green in colour. The flowers can be singles or doubles, and are often fragrant.
How to Grow
Dianthus are hardy plants which like well-drained soil, and full sun. Pinks are a great choice for pots, while Sweet William and Carnations do well in beds, and make a great cut-flower. Dianthus require little care, but will benefit from dead-heading to encourage further blooms to appear. It’s also useful to apply some slow-release fertiliser when planting, or occasionally feed with a tomato feed when watering.
Planting Scheme
Great companion plants for dianthus include nepata, geranium and lavender. We have so many different dianthus and companion plants to choose from right now at Botanic Home & Garden Centre – come and have a look for yourself!