Combining the best of new strains and classic traditional varieties, Dianthus Doris is a modern pink with strongly clove scented, double, pale pink flowers with darker pink/red marked centres. The silvery-green foliage makes a wonderful background for the mass of pink flowers. These creeping evergreen mats make a great background year-round for neighbouring plants. An essential dianthus.
Make the most to the scent by planting Doris near heavily-used paths or in pots next to the house. This is also a terrific dianthus in a container - try it with Cosmos as a companion.
Dianthus Doris is easy to grow and very hardy, so it's ideal for beginners, as once established, it is drought tolerant. It is semi-evergreen, so it can lose some or all of its leaves in a cold winter, but new growth will appear again in spring.
Pollinators absolutely love pinks, so expect to see a wider variety of insects that are good for your garden, such as bees and butterflies.
Plants only reach 40cm tall, so it is best used at the front of a border as edging or in a rock garden. It looks great in a pot or in troughs, trailing over the sides.
Pinks make wonderful cut flowers for small vases or as part of a larger arrangement. Doris's blooms and prolific flowering period means there will be plenty to cut and use in vases.
The name Dianthus is of Greek origin and translates as 'God’s flower' or 'Zeus’s flower'.