Dianthus barbatus Summer Sundae Seeds - Sweet William

Sweet William 'Summer Sundae' is a beautiful selection of flowers from seed in the first year. The abundant blooms display a rich array of colours, from white to purple and various shades of pink. Very robust and cold-hardy, they form very floriferous clumps of bluish-green foliage in late spring and early summer. Ideal for cutting, this selection is suitable for growing in pots and self-seeds abundantly. It is easy to grow in cool, rich, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade.

Dianthus barbatus is a biennial plant that belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It occurs naturally in temperate regions of Europe and Asia—this cold-hardy plant generally flowers in its second year after sowing. 'Summer Sundae' brings together several fast-growing varieties, producing flowers in the first year from seed. Plants quickly form a very dense basal clump of long leaves with pointed tips, light green to bluish green in colour. They vary in size from 45 to 60 cm tall in full bloom. Flowering takes place in late spring and early summer. The small flowers are gathered in flattened clusters, from 8 to 15 cm in diameter, carried at the end of thin yet sturdy stems. They vary significantly in colour, often featuring two tones and attractive markings. Some plants produce blooms that gradually change colour as they age. Sweet William flowers have a gorgeous spicy and lovely scent, with notes of cloves and cinnamon.

Sweet William is an easy plant to grow and is very low maintenance once established. Like bellflowers and columbines, it effortlessly fits into any garden. Grow along passageways such as garden paths or near an entrance to enjoy its sweetly scented blooms fully! Grow en masse in flower beds and borders to create beautiful drifts of colour. Dianthus barbatus is suitable for container gardens, in pots on the terrace or balcony. Make sure to provide the plants with perfect drainage and a little fertiliser.