Dianthus Pashmina™ Pink+White

Few perennials can beat pinks, carnations or Dianthus – pick the name you like best – for color and beauty in the garden, both from their flowers and from their foliage. Trouble is, many are not very winter-hardy, and various degrees of damage in winter can limit their use, or even make them little more than annuals. That’s why, if you live in zones 5 and 6, we recommend you grow the Pashmina™ Pink+White Dianthus, a fantastic new variety specifically bred to be winter hardy, but of course also to be beautiful. It forms a low, dense mat of silver-green foliage around 18 inches across, and in late spring it produces an abundance of gorgeous flowers on short stems, 12 inches tall. Each stem carries a large single bloom, almost 1½ inches across, of 5 broad, overlapping petals. They are a lovely pale pink, each petal decorated with 2 ‘fingerprints’ of deeper pink, which creates a pink/white color when seen in a mass. This is a great plant for edging beds, allowing it to spill over onto a path or patio, and for planting in rock gardens and retaining walls. It blooms profusely in late spring, and then continues to produce flowers right through summer. In winter and early spring the silvery foliage is eye-catching too, making this a 365 day plant for your gardening year.

• Large single flowers in deep pink and pale pink to white
• Broad, low mat of silvery foliage is beautiful year-round
• Blooms in spring and continues through the summer months
• Excellent winter hardiness makes it especially great for cold zones
• Perfect for edging beds and planting in rock gardens and walls

The Pashmina™ Pink+White Dianthus should be grown in full sun for steady blooming, although an hour or two of shade each day won’t do much harm. Grow it in any well-drained soil – good drainage is important for winter survival. It grows well in sandy or gravel soils, and enjoys neutral to alkaline soil conditions. If you have an acidic soil, add a handful of garden lime to the soil when planting. Thrives in open, sunny areas and tolerates drier conditions. Deer and rabbits normally leave it alone, and it normally has no pest or disease problems of much significance. Trim lightly after that first flower display, to keep it neat and encourage more blooms. Don’t cut back in fall, the way you do your regular perennials – the foliage is evergreen.