The 5 Most Beautiful Red Carnations
to have in your garden
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Sweet William, Poet’s Carnation, Alpine Carnation, Delta Carnation, or Superb Carnation, the choice is vast. These highly fragrant plants offer a wide palette of colours, where pink, often predominant, steals the show from the red Carnations, ranging from bright to dark. And yet, they are not lacking in charisma! The red Dianthus is synonymous with love, tenderness, and admiration. Whether they are recent or very old varieties, the flowers come in various forms: single or double flower, finely dentate or very elongated petals. Very hardy and easy to grow, the Carnation thrives both in pots and window boxes, as well as in groundcover in a border. Here is a selection of the five most beautiful red Carnations.
Dianthus deltoides ‘Flashing Light’: a vibrant groundcover
To bring colour to a rockery or on a wall, opt for the Dianthus deltoides ‘Flashing Light’, which aptly means “Blinding Light” in French. This Heathland Pink quickly forms a beautiful carpet of deep red. It spreads regularly in a small cushion about fifteen centimetres high and thirty centimetres wide. Like all delta Pinks, its green foliage is grassy. From May to July, it bears small solitary and single flowers with five triangular petals, which is how it got the name delta Pink. Semi-evergreen, it perfectly carpets slopes, rockeries, and walls in full sun. At the edge of a border, you can plant the spreading Pink ‘Flashing Light’ at the foot of shrubs such as Hydrangeas with white flowers and pair it with other perennials like Astilbe chinensis ‘Pumila’, Astrantia major, and Aubrietes with intense violet hues.
Dianthus deltoides ‘Flashing Light’
Dianthus barbatus nigrescens ‘Sooty’: an exceptional colour
The Dianthus barbatus nigrescens ‘Sooty’ is a perennial plant, but due to its short lifespan, it is generally planted as a biennial. Unusual, this very old cultivar is highly , ranging from red to chocolate, even black. The flowers are grouped in bouquets at the ends of upright stems reaching 40 cm above the ground. Its foliage is also remarkable: dark green, it reveals blackish and reddish halos. To keep this Sweet William in your garden for as long as possible, allow it to colonise spaces by self-seeding spontaneously and easily. In borders, accompany the Dianthus barbatus nigrescens ‘Sooty’ with perennial plants such as Allium christophii with its spherical purple flowers, the bright Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ with delicate white flowers, Peonies in various colours, and Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’ with its purple foliage and plumes.
Dianthus barbatus nigrescens ‘Sooty’ (photo by Trisha)
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Dianthus alwoodii ‘Fusilier’: for pot cultivation
The semi-double and solitary flowers of the Dianthus alwoodii ‘Fusilier’ may appear very simple and somewhat ordinary. Yet, this Alpine Pink reveals beautiful qualities. Firstly, it is particularly floriferous. From spring onwards, the grey-green foliage is submerged under a mass of dazzling flowers! Secondly, being very hardy, it withstands temperatures below -15°C and can therefore survive winter in the ground. Finally, its compact tuft is impeccable. Broader than tall, this dense cushion of fine grey leaves is ideal for flowering rockeries, borders, and walls. It can also be planted in a pot to brighten up balconies and terraces while enjoying its light fragrance. To highlight the red flowers of this dwarf Pink, create a display of flowering pots by mixing it with a hardy geranium in blue tones, Agapanthus ‘Flower of Love’, Sage ‘Reve Rouge’, and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little Miss’.
Dianthus alwoodii ‘Fusilier’
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Dianthus: 6 ideas to pair in the gardenDianthus superbus ‘Crimsonia’: vibrant yet delicate
Here is the larger red version of the Dianthus arenarius: the Dianthus superbus ‘Crimsonia’! The single flowers of this superb carnation resemble those of the sand carnation. They are composed of five heavily fringed petals, but coloured dark red, unlike the Dianthus arenarius, which is white. From May to August, a cloud of carmine flowers appears, covering the light green foliage. This Dianthus is also known as the tufted carnation due to its finely cut inflorescences, giving a feathery impression. Note that this perennial can reach up to 50 cm in height with a spread of 30 cm, while the sand carnation only grows to about twenty centimetres at ripeness. Place this exceptional carnation, with its musky fragrance, near a pathway to allow as many people as possible to enjoy it. Pair it with Achillea millefolium ‘Red Velvet’, Avens ‘Red Wings’, Iberis sempervirens ‘Masterpiece’, and Carex grayi.
Dianthus superbus ‘Crimsonia’
Dianthus plumarius ‘Desmond’: an old variety with irresistible charm
Just like the Carnation ‘Mrs Sinkins’, the Dianthus plumarius ‘Desmond’ is one of the oldest Carnations. This one was created before 1830. Timeless, it has gracefully stood the test of time. Highly floriferous, its double, solitary flowers of a beautiful blood red with a purple centre bloom from May to September. They fill the air with an intoxicating spicy and sweet fragrance. Its blue-silver leaves contrast beautifully with the intense red flowering. To encourage even more blooms, gradually remove faded flowers and prune the clump after flowering, which stimulates a resurgence of flowers. In a similar style, the Dianthus plumarius ‘David’ also produces double, poppy-red flowers, but borne in bouquets at the tips of the stems. The ‘Desmond’ Carnation adapts to many types of uses: in dry rockeries, as a border plant, on slopes, on a wall, or between the stones of a paving. Perfect for small bouquets, you can also grow this modest-sized Dianthus in a planter with a white Arabis, a Verbena hybrida ‘Superbena Royale Red’, the Ornamental Tobacco ‘Perfume Red’, and a Pennisetum ‘Little Bunny’.
Dianthus plumarius ‘Desmond’ (photo Serres Fortier)
For further reading
Discover our range of Pinks on our site.
To learn everything about Dianthus, check out our sheet Carnation: planting tips, maintenance, sowing.
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