Fragrant, pretty garden pinks are now giving even better performance than ever before
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| Dianthus has been cultivated for its perfume and beauty as well as for culinary and medicinal purposes
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'Their botanical name, Dianthus, is derived from the Greek words 'dios' meaning divine, and 'anthos' meaning flower. Since Greek and Roman times this 'divine flower' has been cultivated for its perfume and beauty, as well as for culinary and medicinal purposes.'
These hardy perennials not only come in every shade of pink, but also white, cream-yellow, purple and red, the flowers borne on slender stems above low clumps of evergreen, silvery-blue leaves. Their botanical name, Dianthus, is derived from the Greek words 'dios' meaning divine, and 'anthos' meaning flower. Since Greek and Roman times this 'divine flower' has been cultivated for its perfume and beauty, as well as for culinary and medicinal purposes. With a strong, sweet, clove fragrance, the petals have many uses including flavouring of oils, vinegar and wines – hence the name 'sops-in-wine' for one old variety – crystallised for decorations, and to perfume potpourris.
It is this tradition of usefulness coupled with good looks that epitomises pinks as a favourite cottage-garden flower. Grown in British gardens for over 500 years, clove pinks or gillyflowers, as they were then known, were hugely popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. 'Laced' pinks, with their distinctive and dainty markings, included those known as Scotch or Paisley pinks after the weavers of that area who had developed this type for showing. While few of these old laced varieties are in cultivation today, new ones have appeared on the scene.
Repeat-flowering modern pinks
It is a mistake to confine pinks to cottage-style gardens alone. Like many old-fashioned flowers, they have undergone a renaissance at the hands of plant breeders and are as well suited to modern and contemporary gardens as to traditional ones. While old-fashioned varieties bloomed for a relatively short period – through June, with some overspill into May or July depending on weather – newer varieties flower through most of the summer. These repeat-flowering varieties are known as modern pinks – although 'modern' is relative, as the first of these 'new' varieties was bred nearly 100 years ago by nurseryman Montague Allwood, a tradition continued by the Allwood Nursery which still specialises in pinks today. By crossing the old-fashioned fringed white pink, Dianthus plumarius, with the perpetual-flowering carnation, he produced many new cultivars that combined repeat-flowering qualities with fragrance and beautifully marked blooms, the best-known of which is the popular 'Doris'. Today, plant breeders continue to produce new varieties with ever-improved garden performance.
Where to grow
With their low, hummocky, slightly spreading growth, pinks are perfect for many sites around the garden including border edges, on banks, rockeries, in containers, and for the edges of raised beds or containers. Requiring full sun and soil that isn't over-rich, they associate well with Mediterranean plants and particularly those with silver foliage or blue flowers including lavender, artemisia, many perennial salvias, and ornamental grasses. The blooms make delightful cut flowers; if you have plenty of space, consider growing a couple of rows for cutting. Then there's no need to feel guilty about raiding the borders to decorate your home with a plentiful supply of blooms.
Type of soil and site needed
Well-drained soil is absolutely essential in order to grow pinks; avoid heavy or poor-draining ground where possible, although such sites can be tackled by creating raised beds where water can drain freely, or by growing in containers. Whilst tolerant of most soils, acidic conditions result in poor growth and so it's worth testing your soil pH and adding lime if necessary. Incorporate well-rotted organic matter in the soil before planting, but beware of adding so much that the soil retains too much moisture.
Planting and care tips
Early autumn is the ideal time to plant, although spring or summer is fine so long as new plants are kept watered during dry spells until established. Plant with the base of the stems at ground level, but do take care not to bury the stems at all or rotting may occur.
Once established, little regular care is required. Deadhead as necessary, which keeps plants looking good and encourages more blooms. Apply a dressing of general fertiliser in spring and again in summer, and use controlled-release fertilizer in containers. If weeding close by, cultivate lightly to avoid damaging the shallow fibrous roots. Pinks are generally trouble-free if planted and cared for correctly. Aphids and slugs may weaken growth, so inspect plants regularly and if necessary use either a chemical or an organic control, depending on your preference. If growth starts to become straggly, as most pinks do after several years, cut back hard immediately after flowering.
Potted pinks
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| Pinks combine well with herbs, such as sage
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Pinks are excellent in containers where they make long-lasting and easy-care displays for two or three years. Although pinks can be mixed with other plants in containers, generally they look best on their own, planted in groups of three or five depending on the size of pot. To ensure good drainage, use soil-based potting compost mixed with around a third by volume of coarse grit. Be sure to put a layer of crocks in the base to a depth of around 5cm (2in), and raise the pot just off the ground so excess water drains freely. Their only drawback as a container plant (in the eyes of some) is that the long-stemmed flowers can 'flop' outwards. If this irritates, make a 'dome' of twigs over the container to support the blooms and create a charming old-fashioned feature at the same time. Use eight slender stems of willow or hazel and insert them well down the sides of the pot, bending and crossing them over in the centre to form an upright dome-shape that the flowers can grow through.
Edible petals
The petals of pinks can be used in a wealth of different ways – added to fruit salads and sandwiches that have a sweet filling, in fruit pies, infused in wine vinegar, or added to jam. Crystallised petals make delightful decorations to cakes and puddings. To prepare the petals for any of these uses, pick just as the blooms are fully open, and rinse in cold water. Pull apart the blooms into individual petals and remove the white 'heel' of each petal as this has a very bitter taste.
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