Rockin'™ Red Dianthus

For a modern take on the classic Sweet Williams, you can’t beat the Rockin’™ Red Dianthus. This modern hybrid form turns up the volume to full-on red, giving the strongest and richest color we have ever seen in this plant. Growing from a dense clump of long green leaves, in early summer this perennial sends up stems to almost 2 feet, each one topped with a big cluster of bright red flowers with snipped edges and a lighter red center, highlighted by white stamens. Yes, just like the classic, this one has the delicious clove scent we all love, and can be added to cakes, or scattered across a salad. Try adding it to a glass of red wine or port, as they did in medieval times. It has good winter hardiness in zone 5, so it makes a reliable perennial, blooming in early summer when there isn’t a lot in bloom. Grow it at the edge of a pathway to enjoy the fragrance as you walk by, or add it to your cutting garden for vases indoors. A significant improvement on the sometimes-tricky original, this is one Sweet William you will enjoy for years.

• Exceptional flower color of deep, rich pure-red
• 2-foot stems are showy in the garden and ideal for cutting
• Has the classic clove scent loved by everyone
• Flowers in early summer when there are few flowers around
• Good winter hardiness right through zone 5

The Rockin’™ Red Dianthus will give you maximum blooms when planted in full sun. It grows well in any well-drained soil, even sands and gravels, and thrives in neutral to alkaline earth. If you garden on acidic soil, add a handful of garden lime when planting. It isn’t normally eaten by deer or rabbits, and has no significant pests. Once the flower heads fade, cut them back close to the ground. New, short shoots will develop over summer and fall – don’t cut these back in fall, as they are the stems that will flower the next summer. Mulch over the roots for winter, especially in colder zones. Not suitable for areas with hot, humid or very dry summers.