Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus
Carnation is a perennial for edging, mid-border, suited to full sun and clay, loam or chalk, flowering Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
| Type | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 60 cm |
| Spread | 40 cm |
| Aspect | full sun |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 5a-9b, RHS H4 |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | No |
Where to use it in a border
At around 60 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 40 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 9b and rated H4 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Carnation's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
Worth knowing
- Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Bearded iristo flower when it does not
- Byzantine Gladiolusto flower when it does not
- Candytuft 'Snowflake'to edge in front
- Guernsey Lilyto edge in front
- Hardy Plumbagoto edge in front
- Hyssop 'Blue Fortune'to flower when it does not