Dianthus barbatus Hollandia Purple Crown - Sweet William seeds

Dianthus barbatus 'Hollandia Purple Crown' offers beautiful bicoloured flowers in the summer, ranging in colour from pink to purple. They are small and grouped to form dense and colourful domed heads that attract attention in the garden. These inflorescences contrast well with the tuft of glaucous green foliage, creating a very attractive visual contrast. This dianthus is easy to grow in moist, rich, well-drained soil and in a sunny location, it can also be grown in pots and produces lovely scented cut flowers.

The Dianthus or carnation is a member of the Caryophyllaceae family, like the graceful baby's breath, silenes, soapworts, and other Lychnis. The Dianthus genus includes nearly 300 species, most of which are widespread in Europe and Asia. The sweet William, Dianthus barbatus, is native to Europe, from the Pyrenees to Poland, as well as European Turkey, and has since naturalised from northern Asia to China.
Cultivated in gardens since at least the 16th century, it is a short-lived but hardy plant that is usually considered biennial, flowering in the second year after sowing. Hollandia Purple Crown can also be treated as an annual by sowing it early in the season when it will flower the same year. This dianthus quickly forms a very tight basal clump of long, pointed, light green to glaucous leaves. It reaches a height of 45 to 50 cm when in bloom and a width of about thirty centimetres. Flowering usually begins in June and continues until August. The small, 2 to 3 cm diameter flowers, are grouped in cymes that form domes 8 to 15 cm in diameter at the ends of thin, sturdy stems. Most of the flowers are bicoloured, combining white with pink, red, or purple, creating a very ornamental range of shades. They are also pleasantly fragrant and can be used as cut flowers to create beautiful bouquets for the house.

The sweet William is an easy-to-grow plant that requires minimal maintenance once established. The romantic sweet William pairs perfectly with columbines, whose graceful and delicate flowers come in all colours of the plant palette. A bleeding heart such as Dicentra Pink Diamonds would also be a good companion  as well as the common quaking grass, or Briza media, a delicate grass that produces decorative purple spikelets that sway with the slightest breeze. They will complement the sweet William perfectly for creating lovely bouquets. You can also grow it in pots on the terrace or balcony, ensuring proper drainage and watering, with some fertiliser, and enjoy its fragrance.