Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Raspberry Ruffles'

Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Raspberry Ruffles': Ruffled Raspberry Doubles, Piped in White

'Raspberry Ruffles' dresses like it's headed to a garden party where the hats get judged. Big, fully double raspberry-pink flowers, every serrated edge piped in white like a bakery showpiece. THE RUFFLES ARE NOT OPTIONAL.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Dianthus hybrid
• Common Name: Pinks
• Series: Fruit Punch®, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Spread: 30–36 cm (12–14 in)
• Flowers: Large, fully double, raspberry pink flowers about 4.5 cm (1.75 in) across, with serrated petals edged in white
• Bloom Time: Early summer, with rebloom in early fall after a quick shearing (June to September)
• Foliage: Blue-green, evergreen, forming a tidy, upright mound
• Features: Fragrant flowers and foliage, heat and salt tolerant
• Plant Patent: USPP 30,073 / Can 6,731

Where to Plant: Put it at the front of a sunny border, along a path or in a container where you can see the white edging up close. Its salt tolerance makes it a useful plant for curbside beds and spots near the driveway.

Companion Plants: Baptisia Decadence® 'Blueberry Sundae' grows into a sturdy 90 cm shrub-like clump with blue flowers in June and July, a cool backdrop for raspberry pink. Penstemon hirsutus adds lavender tubular flowers in May and June at a middle height. Later on, Chrysanthemum 'Mary Stoker' brings soft yellow daisies from August to October, when the pinks are into their fall rebloom. The trio suits sun or part sun and keeps colour going from spring to fall.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in average, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. Good drainage matters most, especially over winter. Lighten heavy clay with grit or plant on a slight rise. Water through its first season, then only during long dry spells. Shear the plant lightly after the first flush to encourage rebloom in early fall. Leave the evergreen foliage over winter and tidy it in spring. Divide every few years if the clump opens in the centre.

History: 'Raspberry Ruffles' was bred by Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, as part of the Fruit Punch® pinks, a Proven Winners® series known for large, fragrant flowers on compact, blue-leaved plants. Garden pinks have been grown since at least the 1500s, loved for their clove scent and frilled petals.

Final Thoughts: Give it a quick trim and it comes back in early fall for round two. MORE FRILLS THAN A WEDDING CAKE TASTING.