Dianthus plumarius cottage pinks.

A rare and special plant. No one seems to know the cross, but this plant has a pink / magenta flower with deep p purple blue centers and white tips. Strongly scented of sort of like soapy violets like super strong sweet williams. Can be cut for vases easily.
Flower profusely and almost all year in sunny mild gardens, works great in containers or even hanging baskets. the scent is hypnotics and worth plants with Night scented stock and also

Only €5

CARE: > Plant in well drained gritty good quality multipurpose compost. Add some per light or grit. Top dress under leaves with grit and feed with a low nitrogen food. I think cactus food or Tomato food is ideal. How ever you can give it a boost in spring with some miracle grow type of product but only once. Then after feed with high potash food.

Dead head often and pinch back the first flower shoot to encourage more buds.

Plant in clumps to get stronger effect or dot around the patio / border to give subtle scent.

Dianthuses belong to the Family Caryophyllaceae and the Order Caryophyllales, The genus was named Dianthus ("divine flower") by Carolus Linnaeus, the great 18th century Swedish botanist, who knew a great plant when he saw it.

Hardy perennial cottage pinks are derived mostly from this plant D. plumarius, the "feathery pink." The older types usually have daintily toothed petals, grassy leaves, and clove scent some are violet or soapy. They bloom in May or June and occasionally into autumn if grown cool and dead-headed often.

"Pink" is probably derived from the German word Pinksten, Pentecost, the period in the Christian calendar around which the flowers were said to bloom. But the other theory is that the edges look like they were cut with a pinking shears. Who knows.

Our color word "pink" is named for the plant, not the other way around. Other 16th century names for them were "lesser gilloflowers" and "small honesties,".

England had a number of native pinks, and D. plumarius arrived in Britain from Europe before the 16th century. Pinks were always less fashionable than carnations, but like carnations they were the subject of intense breeding efforts in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Only €5

 

 

Sit back and admire.
A BARGAIN