Dianthus plumarius Laced Monarch

Dianthus 'Laced Monarch' is a modern carnation with unique, almost multicoloured flowers. It boasts a long, highly fragrant summer flowering that can be encouraged by regular pruning of faded flowers. Its double corollas around a tight heart are a sumptuous blend of red-pink-magenta and purple, with each petal marked with lavender-pink on the edge. The sturdy plant forms a spreading cushion of beautiful grey-green-blue foliage, which remains ornamental throughout the year. Modern carnations are very hardy perennials. They are easy to grow in light soil, in full sun, in the ground as well as in containers.

Dianthus 'Laced Monarch' belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is a recent cultivar, selected in England, resulting from cross-breeding between D. plumarius and D. gratianopolitanus. D. plumarius is a European perennial which is the main ancestor of different groups of carnations, both old-fashioned and modern. D. gratianopolitanus is native to Europe and Asia. It has passed on to its descendants its compact habit and its wonderful clove scent. The growth of this carnation is quite fast. Its adult size will reach 35cm (14in) in height with a spread of 30cm (12in), or even more. This carnation forms a dense, spread-out clump, from which different flowers emerge from June to September, and often until October, with the play of colours being redistributed each time. They are 4 to 5cm (2in) wide, double, with non-fringed petals, carried at the end of often branched stems. Their sweet fragrance is both sweet and spicy. Its linear, glabrous, pointed, evergreen and leathery leaves are of a superb grey-blue colour.

Dianthus 'Laced Monarch' is an excellent perennial for borders, embankments, and sunny rockeries. It is hardy to at least -15°C (5°F). Its rare and fascinating flowers bring beautiful touches of colour to the most modest decor. It will be enhanced by the grey or white foliage of cineraria or artemisia, small lavenders, and other carnations in white or pastel tones ('Laetitia Wyatt', 'Devon Dove', 'Devon Cream'). It can also accompany the blue bells of wood hyacinths, or other flowering cushions such as wall bellflower, Caucasian rock cress, Phlox subulata, and the perpetually flowering Erigeron karvinskianus. To evoke old-fashioned gardens, a small border of these charming carnations can be planted at the base of white or pink peony clumps, or perpetual or old-fashioned roses. This plant looks lovely above walls, between the stones of a paving, in a trough or in a container. It adapts very well to pot culture, in light soil. In pots, monitor watering and fertiliser inputs.