Dianthus 'Queen of Sheba'
.png)
Dianthus 'Queen of Sheba'• common names: dianthus, garden pink
• flowering season: May and June
• height: 8 to 10 inches
• Light requirements: full sun for the best flowering, although the plant will grow in less light
• Soil requirements: average garden soil that is well drained; adding limestone to the soil when planting is appreciated because it enjoys a sweet soil, although it isn't absolutely necessary
• Water requirments: older plants are drought resistant; water young plants regularly during their first summer
• Growth habit: a low, bushy clump of foliage
• How to propagate: take tip cuttings in early summer, or peg-down a side shoot after slicing halfway through it with a knife
• Leaf type: narrow glaucous-green leaves
• Ways to use it: in a sunny spot in a garden; shearing back a plant by a third or a half once a year is recommended
• Special characteristics: richly fragrant
To quote Old-Fashioned Flowers, a handbook of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, "Dianthus in all its many forms has played a seminal role in gardens for 2,000 years, at least. The most beloved is Dianthus plumarius, parent of so many 17th-century cinnamon pinks (also known as clove pinks), including 'Queen of Sheba'..." An old plant from the early 1600's, 'Queen of Sheba' has a single row of petals that have a blaze of white on the center of each petal and edged with a fringe of rose-red. The flowers are strongly and sweetly scented. USDA Zones 4 - 8.