3 Review(s)

Dianthus Flower Seeds:Description:Dianthus are among our most favorite plants. Often called Garden Pinks, Their beguiling flower petals may be delicately fringed or ruffled, mostly in light shades of white, pink, and rose. Flecks, edges, or rings of darker colors add to their beauty. And the spicy-sweet fragrance is among the best of all flowers. The narrow leaves form neat mounds of greenish blue and the plants are perfectly suited in a rockery or as an edging. So highly regarded were they by the ancient Greeks that they gave them their name Dianthus, which means ‘Flower of Zeus’, or ‘Divine Flower’.They grow best in full sun and a fast draining, slightly alkaline soil. They like even moisture; not too wet or dry. Little attention is needed other than deadheading, light shaping, and a bit of well balanced fertilizer in spring. Plants in hot, humid areas are best divided every few years to prevent rotting.Dianthus hybridize readily and have been bred for many centuries. They reached their zenith of popularity in Britain in the mid-1800’s, when it was common for nurseries to list hundreds of varieties. Most of our garden varieties have descended from just 3 of the nearly 300 species: Dianthus caryophyllus (the carnations), Dianthus barbatus (the Sweet Williams), and Dianthus plumarius (the garden pinks), with much interbreeding between them. We have always favored the garden pinks for their true perennial nature, cold hardiness, and winsome charm. No cottage garden pathway would be complete unless there were patches of garden pinks drifting lazily across the stones and the air was laden with their lovely fragrance. Verbena Flower Seeds:Description:Verbena are natives of North and South America. Verbenas or Vervain can grow from 6 inches to 4 feet high and may be bushy or creeping in growth. The toothed or cut leaves usually grow opposite each other and reach a length of 1 to 3 inches. In the summer or fall, slender stalks arise and bear flattened clusters of flowers, 2 to 3 inches across. They may be multi-colored, red, rose, peach, pink, purple, lavender, or blue, usually with a white eye. V. Bonariensis (Purple Top) is a pretty species forming basal rosettes of serrated, wrinkly, dark green leaves. In the summer and autumn, thin stems topped with clusters of tiny, bright purplish-pink flowers grow. This species can reach a height of up to 5 feet.