Plantidote of the Day 2012-05-01

Dianthus barbatus

Sweet William

Not being a fan of small, fussy flowers, I tend to ignore some of the prettiest spring blooms. Today, we'll try to make up for it with a member of the dianthus family, sweet William. These spring favorites are often referred to as Pinks, although I have no idea why, since they come in a whole palette of not-pink colors.

Pinks are a huge family that includes carnations, both the florist variety (snore!) and the more interesting garden type, known as border carnations. These garden staples are easy to grow from seed, according to various sources. They do like sun and decent, fast-draining soil, preferably a bit on the alkaline side. Many of the Pink family members are fragrant, but the scent is spicy rather than flowery.

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