Cloves, Picotees & Sops-In-Wine

The shorter types make natural edgings for flower beds, some are perfection itself in the rock garden or alpine bed, and some are grown now primarily for the vase -- these last now mostly scentless, sequestered in greenhouses for the cut flower industry. Some of the modern incarnations intended for the garden have also lost their scent so "Buyer beware" or as I always say, "Keep your eyes open and shop with your nose!"

For many types of dianthus, especially those most likely to be found in cottage gardens, the scent is as important as the appearance of the blooms. The fragrance from the very first bloom alone is as clear as a shout: time for the pinks to bloom again! "Clove" is a good word to describe it, as are "rich" and "spicy" and "unmistakable". I think it's close to cinnamon candy, but people smell things so differently you may have your own mental picture for the scent. At least we mostly agree it is a pleasant one!

Dianthus bloom for weeks, sometimes months at a time and often rebloom as the season progresses. I wouldn't be without these plants in my garden and neither should you.