Dianthus plumarius Scent First Romance

The Dianthus 'Scent First Romance', like all the carnations in the Scent First series, has a compact habit and offers a long, pleasantly scented summer flowering period. Its flowers are fully double, with a salmon pink hue warmed by a deeper carmine pink eye. It also stands out for its pronounced fragrance. Particularly suited for container cultivation due to its small size and floriferousness, it is also an excellent perennial for sunny borders, where it forms persistent cushions of beautiful grey-blue foliage even in winter. 

The Dianthus 'Scent First Romance' belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae. It is a cultivar selected in England, resulting from the cross-breeding between D. plumarius and D. gratianopolitanus, among others. Dianthus plumarius is a European perennial which is the main ancestor of the various groups of carnations, both old-fashioned and modern. Dianthus gratianopolitanus is native to Europe and Asia, and it has passed down to its descendants, among other traits, its compact habit and its wonderful clove-like fragrance. This carnation has a relatively fast growth rate. Its adult size will not exceed 30 cm (12in) in height with a spread of 25 cm (10in) or more. It forms a dense clump, from which emerge, from May to August, large double flowers measuring 4-5 cm (2in) in diameter, with slightly serrated petals, carried at the end of short, often branched stems. Its linear, glabrous, pointed, evergreen and leathery leaves are a superb grey-blue colour.

The Dianthus 'Romance' is a very attractive plant for terraces or balconies, hardy to at least -15°C, not demanding in terms of water, but sun-loving. It will also thrive in well-drained borders, slopes and rockeries. Its beautiful fragrant flowers bring undeniable charm to even the humblest setting. For example, it can be placed in front of other carnations, white, red or pink ones (Devon Dove, Devon Magic, Devon Cream, Letitia Wyatt), or to accompany the blue bells of campanulas, the lavender blue mounds of catmints, small lavenders, or flowering cushions like rock roses, campions, wall bellflowers, Caucasus rock cress, moss phlox, trailing fleabane and bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum). To evoke gardens of the past, a small border of these delightful carnations can be planted at the base of peony clumps and old-fashioned roses. This plant forms a lovely edging between the stones of a wall or paving, in a trough or in a container.