Sweet William Flora Pearl Terracotta seeds - Dianthus barbatus

Dianthus barbatus 'Flora Pearl Terracotta' is a selection of Sweet William that offers warm and soft shades of orange, pink, and terracotta, perfect for embellishing borders, edges, and containers. This dianthus is a biennial or short-lived perennial plant prized for its generous summer flowering. Very decorative in the garden, it is also appreciated for creating rustic bouquets. Easy to grow in moist, rich, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Planted in partial shade, the plant blooms until autumn, but less abundantly.

Dianthus barbatus belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, like all dianthus. This species is found in many temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Not very long-lived, but hardy, it is most often considered biennial, meaning it blooms the second year after sowing, then disappears. Each plant from the 'Flora Pearl Terracotta' selection first forms a very dense basal tuft composed of long, pointed, light to glaucous green leaves. Plant height varies from 30 to 50 cm when in flower. Flowering begins in June and continues until August-September. The inflorescences are corymbs, from 8 to 12 cm wide, which group together small fragrant flowers. The flowers, sometimes bicoloured, range from pink to orange and to "terracotta" red. The flowers have a spicy and sweet scent, reminiscent of cloves and cinnamon.

The 'Flora Pearl Terracotta' Sweet William is easy to grow and requires little maintenance. It adds volume and structure to floral compositions. It can be combined with yarrows like 'Walter Funke' or 'Apricot Delight', Salvia nemorosa 'Mainacht' and 'Magnus' coneflower. These combinations create lasting, colourful, and warm borders, while attracting pollinating insects. They can also be grown in pots on the terrace or balcony with proper drainage and watering, with some fertiliser inputs.