Dianthus carthusianorum

CARTHUSIAN PINK

Dianthus carthusianorum
CARTHUSIAN PINK

Dianthus carthusianorum is a brilliant landscaping plant, particularly for water and heat challenged gardens.

Darling of trendy landscape designers

Carthusian Pink is the darling of trendy landscape designers – and quite right too.
It is tall, elegant, whispy fine, waves in the breeze, and sure-fire easy to grow.
And a design essential in fashionable perennial borders and low-maintenance prairie plantings.

Brilliant landscaping plant for heat & water challenged gardens

But despite fashionably elegant good-looks – it is bone hardy and willing in hot and dry conditions.

Deep cherry flowers in tall, clustered, floating heads

The colouring of Dianthus carthusianorum is delightful.
Clustered small heads of deep cherry to pink petals, are clasped in chocolate calyx.

Sways gracefully in the slightest breeze

And the heads sway about in the slightest breeze, as they sit atop 75cm. tall, clean stems (even to 90cm. if the going is not too tough).
So the flower heads seem to elegantly float and gracefully sway to animate the garden.

Neat low tuft of fine silvery-green foliage

While down below is a neat, basal clump of fine, typical Dianthus foliage, approx. 25cm. wide.
Coloured silvery-green so it sets off the flower and stem colours beautifully, as well as providing colour and texture contrast to neighbouring plants.

Lots of performance in a small space

This lovely plant gives a lot of performance from a small space.

Long blooming till summer’s end 

Blooming begins in mid-spring, and continues till summer’s end.
But the show is not over even then – because the seed pods are also very decorative if left, and a treat for the Finches and seed eating in early winter as they try to bulk up.

Hardy in heat dry & frost

Dianthus carthusianorum is native to open, rocky ground in Spain, around the Mediterranean basin and further north. So it is well acquainted with hot, dry summers, periods of baking heat, as well as hard frosty winters.
Plant in full sun, and it is of course drought resistant once established.

Sweetly fragrant

The flower heads of Dianthus carthusianorum are sweetly, softly fragrant, without being heady like some of the Clove Scented Pinks.

Beautiful in a florists vase

They also make excellent cut flowers for floristry with their lovely colouring, sweet scent, and long, clean stems.

Water wise toughie tuft

Carthusian Pinks revel in the Full Sun, relish lime, and thrive in well-drained soil.
So sandy soil, gravel and harder, rocky, and windy sites are just their cup of tea.
Plus they are perfectly suited for seaside planting, and utterly delightful in a pot.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Fortunately rabbits and deer do not find the scented, thin, tufty foliage to their liking (though a starving beast will eat the fence posts of course).

Beloved by bees pollinators & birds

While all our flying friends love them for their sweet pollen and nectar.
With the long blooming season a real bonus, plus the extra bonus of seeds for the birds in winter.

Cultivated by French Monks for medicine and flavour

This lovely Dianthus has a long history in gardens.
The Carthusian Monks founded their monastery in the Chartreuse Valley in the French Alps in the 11th century.
Here they grew many medicinal plants and became famous for their “elixir of life” – the green liquor Chartreuse.
They used Dianthus carthusianorum for treating arthritis, inflammation , and for deliciously scented soap.

Hardy evergreen & long-lived perennial

Dianthus carthusianorum is a very tough, long lived, evergreen perennial plant.
Tall and elegant flower stems 75-90cm. high above an evergreen tuft of silvery-green fine foliage approx. 25cm wide.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Sow at any time of year indoors, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (18-22°C).
OR
Sow directly in the garden in early spring.

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seed in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then gently pat the seed to the surface of the mix to ensure good contact.
But barely cover with a dusting of sieved mix / fine sandy grit / fine vermiculite, but do not bury.
Because seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath, and allow the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Drain and then place in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sunlight as this will dry the seeds out too much).

Temperatures of 18-22°C approx. are best for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a temperature controlled heat mat if you have one, to maintain consistent warmth, as these seeds respond to gentle heat.

Continue to keep consistently moist by misting from a spray water-bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or plastic bag will also help to maintain necessary consistent moisture. Remove the covering as soon as sprouts appear.

Seedlings begin to emerge in approx. 7-21 days.

Prick out the baby seedlings as soon as they emerge and develop their first set of true leaves.
Pot up to grow on to garden size.

Seed Count: 60 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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