6 eyes to grow in pots
on a a terrace or a balcony
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Highly regarded for its exceptional resilience, the Carnation is often found in traditional gardens, but it can also be easily grown in pots! Whether old or new cultivars, Carnations each have their strengths: rare colours, long flowering, small size, large flowers, strong fragrance, and good floribundity. Discover our selection of varieties suitable for pot, container, or window box cultivation!
Also, check out our plant sheet to learn everything about Carnation: planting tips, maintenance, sowing
Dianthus plumarius ‘Scent First Coral Reef’: fun for summer
The Dianthus plumarius ‘Scent First Coral Reef’ from England is a marvel! It is one of the few Pinks with coral pink flowers edged in white. Throughout the summer, from June to August, it produces charming double flowers with a strong spicy fragrance, reminiscent of cloves. Very floriferous, the solitary inflorescences of 4 cm develop on short stems that can be used for small bouquets. This small cultivar does not exceed 25 cm in all directions, making it perfect for pot cultivation or balcony displays. This perennial benefits from rapid growth, allowing it to form a dense tuft of leathery grey-blue leaves. Another strong point: it tolerates drought well and is water-efficient. In full sun, the very summery colour of this hardy evergreen perennial pairs perfectly with other pink or white Dianthus: Dianthus plumarius ‘Scent First Coconut Sundae’ and ‘Scent First Iced Gem’.
Dianthus plumarius ‘Scent First Coral Reef’
Dianthus ‘Pop Star’: a compact habit
The Dianthus Whetman Stars® ‘Pop Star’ is a small cultivar with many qualities. Firstly, it offers an original summer flowering between May and June, producing well-double flowers with very slender edges, in a pink hue leaning towards lavender with a very dark cherry red centre. Secondly, this very recent English variety adapts well to pot or container planting due to its compact size (20 cm high and 30 cm wide). Finally, this dwarf carnation is very hardy and can survive winter outdoors. This carnation is lightly scented, which is its only drawback. Its fragrance is more pronounced only in warm weather. Easy to grow, plant the Dianthus ‘Pop Star’ in full sun. Its evergreen tuft of grey-green leaves pairs beautifully with Silene acaulis and Campanula cochlearifolia.
Dianthus Whetman Stars® ‘Pop Star’
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Dianthus plumarius ‘Cranmere Pool’: large and lovely flowers
Romantic to the core, Dianthus plumarius ‘Cranmere Pool’ produces large double flowers measuring 6 cm! This very soft multicoloured flowering, pale pink with a magenta centre, crowns a beautiful cushion of fine, evergreen leaves in a lovely bluish-green. Additionally, this recent cultivar diffuses a delicate sweet and spicy fragrance, which it offers us from May to July, and then again in September during a second flowering. Awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society, it is recognised for its robustness and compact habit. Its flower stems are short but sturdy, reaching around thirty centimetres in height, making it well-suited for pot cultivation or as a cut flower. The elegant and delicate flowers of this Sweet William are beautifully complemented alongside Phlox and Montpellier Soapwort in pots.
Dianthus plumarius ‘Cranmere Pool’
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Dianthus: 6 ideas to pair in the gardenDianthus allwoodii 'Romeo': highly floriferous
The Dianthus allwoodii ‘Romeo’ is surprising due to its unusual colour. Its solitary 4 cm variegated flowers indeed display a clever mix of light pink and dark pink. The flower buds bloom on short stems from May to July and again in September. This beautiful flowering is enhanced by linear, fine foliage, which forms a compact, fresh silver-green cushion. Very hardy, this plant withstands temperatures below -15°C, so its pot can remain outside in winter and is decorative with its evergreen foliage present all year round. At maturity, the Alpine pink ‘Romeo’ reaches 40 cm in height and 30 cm in spread, making it easy to grow in a pot in a sunny location, in light soil. Finally, it will also shine as a cut flower to brighten your interior. The Dianthus allwoodii ‘Romeo’ finds its place as a solitary plant in a pot, accompanied by the white creeping Gypsophila and the Gaura lindheimeri ‘Lollipop Pink’.
Dianthus allwoodii ‘Romeo’
Dianthus plumarius ‘Mrs Sinkins’: highly fragrant and a must-have
The Dianthus plumarius ‘Mrs Sinkins’ is certainly the favourite Sweet William of gardeners. It is highly productive and boasts a profusion of immaculate flowers. Moreover, this very old English variety, dating back to 1868, is particularly fragrant. These double flowers have a very simple appearance, white with a green centre, frilled and ragged, yet they emit a strong fragrance from May to June. Just one bouquet is enough to fill an entire room with an exquisite scent. In bloom, its grey-green and pruinose foliage forms a homogeneous ball of 35 cm in all directions and remains attractive throughout winter. On a sunny terrace, pair the Dianthus ‘Mrs Sinkins’ with light styles featuring blue or mauve flowering perennials, such as the Austrian Speedwell ‘Ionian Skies’ and the hybrid Blue-eyed Grass.
Dianthus plumarius ‘Mrs Sinkins’
Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Kahori': long and abundant flowering
The Pentecost Carnation ‘Kahori’, of Japanese origin, is renowned for its generous and repeat flowering. This dwarf cultivar, approximately 20 cm tall, grows quickly to form a carpet-like and semi-evergreen tuft with bluish-green foliage. Small, vibrant, and fragrant pink flowers, measuring 2 cm, develop generously above this fine, leathery foliage from May to October. The very hardy Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Kahori’ is a recent variety that is easy to grow; it fully tolerates poor soils, provided they are well-drained. This bluish carnation or Grenoble carnation stands out on a sunny balcony, in a large planter, alongside Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ with its silver foliage and annual plants, such as Nemesias or Diascias.
Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Kahori’
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