Dianthus 'BABÍ LOM'

Carnations belong among our typical meadow perennials, and their many forms often appear in gardens of any style - from rockeries and cottage gardens to modern landscapes where especially dwarf and ground-covering forms are designed for mass plantings where they look stunning. Some of the modern varieties are very colourful and bold but at the same time short-lived or not hardy. Luckily, it is not the case of d. gratianopolitanus (cheddar pink) which is a perfect choice for our conditions and climate and is as beautiful as other hybrids.

This is a charming variety of cheddar pink bred in Holzbecher botanical nursery in Lelekovice (Moravia) and named after the hill of the same name with a lookout tower - Babí lom. It is a small plant for rockeries and border edges with very sweetly scented, pastel pink, melliferous flowers atop short stems reaching only about 5-10 cm. They bloom from mid to late May for 4-6 weeks. Leaves are evergreen, narrow, silvery blue-green, and form a soft and low mound.

Dwarf carnations love free draining but not very dry, neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Never water them with a stream of water into the centre of the tuft, otherwise you will beat the stems and burn a hollow in the center. They respond well to reasonable fertilizing when flowers are produced, and benefit from light shearing after the main flowering flush. This hybrid is hardy to at least -30 °C (USDA zone 5), possibly more but not yet tested.

Last update 26-05-2024