Dianthus plumarius Scent First Tickled Pink

The Dianthus 'Scent First Tickled Pink', like all the carnations in the Scent First series, has a compact habit and offers a long and pleasantly scented spring to summer flowering. Its large, unpretentious flowers are semi-double, fringed at the edges, in a pretty deep pink color, and stand out with a powerful fragrance of sweet and spicy notes. Particularly suitable for pot cultivation due to its small size and floribundancy, it is also an excellent perennial for sunny borders, low water consumption, where it forms evergreen cushions of beautiful grey-blue even in winter.

The sweet William 'Scent First Tickled Pink' belongs to the caryophyllaceae family. Its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden have earned it the 'gold medal' of the plant world, an Award of Garden Merit awarded by the RHS in England. 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 that is the main ancestor of different groups of carnations, both old-fashioned and modern. Dianthus gratianopolitanus, on the other hand, is native to Europe and Asia, and has passed on to its descendants, among other things, its compact habit and its wonderful clove fragrance that is recognizable everywhere. The growth of 'Tickled Pink' is quite fast. Its mature size will not exceed 25-30 cm (10-12in) in height with a spread of 30 cm (12in), or even more, as the plant spreads over time. This carnation forms a dense clump, from which emerge, from May-June to August, large 4-5cm (2in) wide, round and semi-double flowers, with slightly toothed petals, carried at the end of short, often branched stems. Its evergreen, linear, glabrous, pointed and leathery leaves are a superb grey-blue color.

The 'Tickled Pink' Dianthus is a very pretty 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 ground borders, slopes, and rockeries. Its beautiful scented flowers bring undeniable charm to even the most modest decor, for long weeks. For example, it can be placed in front of other carnations, white, red or pink ('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 helianthems, silenes, wall bellflowers, Caucasian rock cress, Phlox subulata, Erigeron karvinskianus, and Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum). To evoke gardens of yesteryear, a small border of these delightful carnations can be planted at the base of peony clumps and old roses. This plant forms a lovely garnish between the stones of a wall or paving, in a trough or in a flowerpot.