Dianthus 'Firewitch'

Dianthus 'Firewitch': Hot Magenta Over a Blue-Grey Carpet

'Firewitch' casts exactly one spell: hot magenta flowers that smell like somebody's been baking with cloves. The blue-grey mat stays put all winter, the deer keep their distance and the butterflies line up. NO BROOMSTICK. JUST RESULTS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Firewitch' (also sold as 'Feuerhexe')
• Common Name: Cheddar Pinks, Pinks
• Height: 15–20 cm (6–8 in) in flower
• Spread: 30 cm (12 in)
• Flowers: Single, bright magenta pink with toothed edges and a strong clove scent
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer, with scattered rebloom when deadheaded (May to June)
• Foliage: Narrow, blue-grey, evergreen leaves in a dense, low mat
• Features: Perennial Plant of the Year 2006, fragrant, evergreen

Where to Plant: Use it to edge a path, carpet a rock garden, fill cracks in a stone wall or spill over a raised bed. Plant it close to where people walk so they catch the scent. The evergreen mat adds a bit of colour in winter when the snow melts back.

Companion Plants: Lavandula 'SuperBlue' is a natural neighbour, its blue flowers at 25 to 30 cm opening in June as the magenta pinks wind down. A little further back, Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' brings yellow flowers from June to August and feeds butterflies. Tanacetum 'Robinson's Giant Mix' adds pink painted daisies at 45 to 75 cm in June and July. All love full sun and lean soil, so they share a dry, sunny bed well.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun, in average, well-drained soil. Neutral to alkaline soil suits it. It cannot stand soggy soil, especially in winter, so add grit to heavy clay or use a raised bed or slope. Water through the first season. After that, it rarely needs help. Shear off the faded flowers after bloom to keep the mat tidy and coax a few more flowers. Leave the foliage over winter and trim any damaged bits in spring. Divide or take cuttings every few years if the mat opens in the centre.

History: 'Firewitch' was introduced in Germany in 1957 as 'Feuerhexe', stayed fairly unknown in North America until the late 1980s, and was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2006 by the Perennial Plant Association. The species, cheddar pink, is native to Europe and takes its name from Cheddar Gorge in England, where it grows wild.

Final Thoughts: Tuck it along a sunny path edge and brush past it on purpose. YOUR NOSE WILL THANK YOU AND THE DEER WILL SULK.