Although their flowers might look delicate, the diminutive Dianthus are some of the hardiest perennials around. These dependable blooming perennials produce richly fragrant flowers in the spring and summer, sometimes extending right up until the first frost.
The name Dianthus means divine flower but their common name is “cottage pinks” or just plain “pinks,” not because of their color but because of the generally frilled (pinked-think pinking shears) edges of the flowers. Most dianthus species range in height from 6-12 inches, with the flowers accounting for half of the plant height. Most plants create a clump of 12-18 inches wide.
Dianthus prefer to be planted in a location that receives at least 4-5 hours of sunlight per day. They thrive in rich, well-drained soil and are fairly pest free. Their only enemy is excessively wet soil, which can rot the plants. They look great in hanging baskets, borders, rock gardens or on the edges of a perennial garden.
With just a minimum of care, your Dianthus will give you years of lasting blooms.