DIANTHUS BARBATUS, SWEET WILLIAMS

POSSIBLY the most loved of all early summer cottage garden flowers, Sweet Williams are coming into bloom now. Being pinks, they are wonderfully fragrant and come in a gorgeous range of colours, from deep maroon through to pink and white. In many varieties, the flowers are patterned, too, with ‘pinked’ or ruffled petals. The best type for fragrance, colour and cut-flower value are the old-fashioned, tall ones. My favourite is Auricula Eyed Mix. Another good mix is Sweet, which has a longer flowering period than the older varieties.