Dianthus Dulce™ White to Pink

If you've given up on China Pinks surviving your hot, humid summers, Dulce™ has come to bring you hope! By far the most heat-tolerant variety ever grown, it withstands the punishing temperatures and moisture that others cannot, all the while tossing up very fragrant fringed white blooms that blush pink and pinker as they mature. (The name says it all!) Give this little cutie a try, and we predict you'll be calling us back halfway through the season to get more seed for next year!

The fringed 1 1/2-inch blooms are so profuse on this plant, you may forget what the foliage looks like! (It's needle-like and green, just for reference!) Scarcely will the first buds be open than new ones appear, and before the next round of blooms unfurls, the first will be blushing. A freely blooming plant is an assortment of whites and pinks that reminds us for some reason of peppermints . . . perhaps it's that spicy Dianthus scent!

If you live in a hot climate, Dulce™ may rest during the dog days, but it won't die back or give out. When the weather cools, the flowers will be back. If you live in a mild or cool climate, blooms will just keep coming without a break from spring into fall.

Dianthus looks delicate, so it's easy to forget what a rough-and-ready little plant it is. This is an edging that will withstand the occasional footprint or bicycle track. It fills containers beautifully, and is the best friend of those who love nosegays for the breakfast table and buttonieres for the lapel! Give it a go this season ? you won't be disappointed, and you may just have a new garden mainstay.

Dulce™ blooms 15 to 18 weeks from sowing the seed. Sow it lightly covered with grow mix (not necessary in the Bio Dome) at 72 to 74 degrees F for about 3 days, then lower the temperature to 65 to 68, keeping the soil moist and the humidity high. (If using the Bio Dome, keep the cover on with no vents open. If sowing in flats, cover the entire flat with plastic wrap.) The seedlings will appear promptly, and the plant will eventually reach about 10 to 12 inches high and wide, happy in full sun in all but the hottest climates. Hardy in zones 9-10, it is grown as a carefree annual everywhere else. Pkt is 15 seeds.