Dianthus plumarius Moulin Rouge

Dianthus plumarius 'Moulin Rouge' is a recently obtained variety of carnation with a stunning tricoloured flowering, displaying different shades of red, magenta-pink, and pale-pink. Each double flower is maculated with red towards the centre. They appear to be tattooed with regular concentric circles. This spectacular flowering is also fragrant, and it blooms from May to July above a slightly loose but beautiful bluish-green evergreen cushion. It's an easy plant that will make a big impact in a flower bed or in a pot on a balcony or patio. Give it well-drained soil, sun and light, and it won't disappoint you!

Dianthus plumarius 'Moulin Rouge' belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. The Royal Horticultural Society awarded this cultivar for its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden. D. plumarius is a European perennial that is the main ancestor of the various groups of old-fashioned and modern carnations and pinks. The growth of this carnation is quite fast. Its adult size will not exceed 30cm (12in) in height with a spread of 40cm (16in), or even more. This carnation forms a low tuft. From May-June to August, sometimes until September, it produces 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) wide double flowers with toothed petals on the edge. Each light pink to pinkish-white petal is finely edged with bright pink to purplish-pink, and maculated with reddish-pink at the base. The flowers are carried by flexible stems adorned with several buds. Its linear, glabrous, pointed, evergreen and leathery leaves are a superb bluish-green.

'Moulin Rouge' Dianthus is a radiant and pleasantly fragrant border plant, suitable for embankments and dry rockeries. Its unique and lively flowers bring dynamism to the most modest decor, in the garden or on a patio. It can accompany Caucasian scabious, bellflowers, Anemone coronaria, and Madonna lilies, or other flowering cushions such as Iberis, silenes, wall bellflowers, Caucasian rock cress, Phlox subulata, Erigeron karvinskianus, and Geranium sanguineum. To evoke the gardens of old, a small border of these delightful carnations can be planted at the foot of clusters of white, pink or red peonies and old roses. This plant looks lovely between the stones of a wall or paving, in a trough or in a planter. It adapts very well to container gardening, in light soil. It is also ideal in bouquets.