Dianthus plumarius Scent First Memories

The Dianthus 'Scent First Memories', distinguished at the Chelsea Flower Show and the Salon du végétal, is one of the best carnations in the beautiful SCENT FIRST series. Like its siblings, it has a compact habit and offers a long flowering period in summer, pleasantly scented. Its flowers, resembling large snowflakes, are fully double, pure white, beautifully fringed and also have an exceptional fragrance, very pronounced, with hints of sweet spices. Particularly suitable for cultivation in pots due to its small size and prolific flowering, it is also an excellent perennial for sunny borders, where it forms evergreen cushions of a beautiful grey-blue color even in winter.

The  Dianthus 'Scent First Memories' belongs to the caryophyllaceae family. It is a recent cultivar selected in England, resulting from cross-breeding between D. plumarius and D. gratianopolitanus among others. Dianthus plumarius is a European perennial that is the main ancestor of different groups carnation, both old-fashioned and modern. Dianthus gratianopolitanus is native to Europe and Asia and has passed on to its descendants, among other things, its compact habit and its wonderful clove fragrance that is recognizable among all. This carnation has a fairly rapid growth. Its mature size will not exceed 30 cm (12in) in height with a spread of 25 cm (10in) or more. It forms a dense clump, from which, from May-June to August, large 4 to 5 cm (2in) wide, round and double flowers with fringed petals emerge on short, often branched stems. Its linear, glabrous, pointed, evergreen and leathery leaves are of a superb grey-blue color.

The Dianthus 'Scent First Memories' is an elegant and remarkably fragrant variety, and as such, a very pretty plant for the terrace or balcony. It also excels as a border plant, in embankments and sunny rockeries. Its fluffy snow-white flowers bring undeniable charm to any decor and are capable of perfuming the entire terrace in hot weather. This plant forms a lovely garnish above and between the stones of a wall or pavement. As a border plant, it can accompany, for example, muscari, small lavenders, catmints, or other flowering cushions such as helianthemums, silenes, Phlox subulata, and Erigeron karvinskianus. To evoke gardens of the past, a small border of these delightful carnations can be planted at the base of clumps of peonies and old-fashioned roses. The robust Scent First Dianthus adapt to any well-drained soil as long as they are planted in full sun.