Dianthus flowers and how to grow them

It's easy to fall in love with dianthus. You may be charmed by their fragrance, silvery foliage, or the simplicity of their blossoms. Fortunately, these wonderful plants are also easy to grow. We'll show you how.

• Dianthus need good soil drainage, which makes these low-growing plants a natural for rock gardens and crevices in stone walls. They also look superb edging the front of a border or spilling over a concrete curb in the company of candytuft or thyme.
• Pink-flowered types are easy to mix with other spring-blooming perennials. Once the bloom period passes in late spring, you have a ground cover of fine-textured, gray-green foliage that blends with other plants.
• Provide dianthus with sun and well-drained, slightly alkaline soil and add in a modest amount of organic matter at planting time.
• If your soil is acidic, add garden lime according to package directions to raise the pH to nearly neutral. You can also mulch around your plants with limestone pebbles, which will continuously contribute lime to the soil.
• Discourage fungal leaf diseases and root rot by planting where there is ample air circulation and soil drainage.
• Withhold nitrogen fertilizers or your plants will produce leaves at the expense of flowers.
• Pests are rarely a problem for dianthus, but if you have a problem with sap-sucking insects (like aphids or spider mites), they can be dislodged with a strong spray of water or treated with insecticidal soap.
• Rejuvenate clumps every two to three years, which is necessary to relieve crowding and prevent fungal diseases.
• In late summer or early spring, use a sharp knife and a trowel to cut out and lift the oldest crowns from the centre of the clump. Throw the old plants away. Fill the holes left behind with a mixture of compost and sand, which will allow the surrounding plants to spread out and quickly fill the gap.
• You can also increase your supply by cutting small divisions from a clump and replanting them within a few days where you want them to grow.

• Often called pinks because their zigzag petal edges appear to have been cut with pinking shears, there are dozens of named dianthus cultivars of confusing lineage. These cultivars are now sorted into groups rather than by species.
• The cheddar pink types offer spicy fragrance and tight, blue-gray foliage that often persists year-round.
• Cultivars such as 'Bath's Pink' (suited to Zone 5), and the more cold-tolerant 'Mountain Mist' (suited to Zone 4) bloom light pink in spring and make a fine edging or ground cover.
• Cottage pinks also have a spicy fragrance, and while their foliage is not as fine and grasslike as that of the cheddars, their bloom time is longer. Deadheading, or removing spent blooms, will extend flowering even longer. Cottage pinks grow to about 30 centimetres (12 inches) tall.
• 'Essex Witch' (suitable to Zone 5) produces rose-pink flowers and there are many others with flowers of varying shades, some with double flowers.
• Petite maiden pinks offer no fragrance, but they bloom for a long period if you trim them often.
• Cultivars, such as the rose-red 'Zing Rose' or deep-pink 'Brilliant' are dependable from Zone 3, but often need to be replaced after two years or so in hot and humid regions, even when deadheaded regularly.

Use this guide to select the right dianthus for your region and aesthetic taste. They're straightforward to care for, but pack a sizable visual impact. Use them to invigorate your garden and enjoy the beauty they provide.