Types of Perennial Carnations

• Perennial carnations come in many colors.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Dianthus form a large group of plants, but only a few are commonly grown as garden specimens. Cheddar pinks (D. gratianopolitanus) are English wildflowers that perform well in gardens. Mounds of fine, gray foliage are covered in small, clove-scented flowers in spring. Bath's Pink is a heat-tolerant, long-blooming variety. Maiden pinks (D. deltoides) produce small red or pink flowers in late spring and form a dense mat of foliage that makes a good ground cover. The cultivar Zing Rose is commonly available. Sweet William (D. barbatus) is a biennial that often blooms the first year from seed. Rather than single flowers on long stalks common to other types of carnations, Sweet William has large clusters of flowers on sturdy stems in late spring; foliage is green and more broad and leafy than other carnations. Sweet William often comes in mixed colors and is available as 4- to 6-inch dwarfs and taller, 15- to 18-inch bedding plants.
  
  

Care

• Dianthus grow best in full sun.Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Perennial carnations grow best in full sun or very light shade in well-drained soil that is slightly alkaline (pH 7.0 or slightly higher). Most carnations grow twice as wide as they are tall, so consult the information on the plant tag and space accordingly. Organic mulches hold too much moisture for dianthus and encourage fungal diseases and root rot, so mulch the plants with sand or gravel. Shearing plants after the first flush of flowers encourages a second round of bloom later in the summer. If you try your hand with florist carnations, you will need to stake the plants well to keep the heavy flowers from breaking the stems. Divide carnation clumps in the spring. If starting carnations from seed, sow the seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area. Hardiness varies with cultivar, but most dianthus are hardy in zones 3 through 7.
  
  

Uses

• Cut carnations last up to two weeks.Dynamic Graphics/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Pinks and other types of perennial carnations are traditional cottage garden plants perfectly at home in mixed perennial gardens. Their small size makes them good edging plants, and they perform especially well on slopes and in rock gardens. Site them close to patios and walkways to enjoy the sweet fragrance. Blooms last up to two weeks as a cut flower if the water is changed regularly. The plants also make good container specimens.
  
  

Companion Plants

• Dianthus combine well with hardy geraniums.David De Lossy/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Companion plants need to share the same cultural requirements of your dianthus as well as show off the carnations to their best advantage. Perennials to consider include catmint (Nepeta), hardy cranesbills (Geranium) and plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides). Annuals that complement perennial carnations include spring pansies and violets (Viola), larkspur (Consolida) and petunias (Petunia). Perennial carnations are also good plants for herb gardens and as ground cover under roses.