Sometimes called clove pinks or garden pinks.
When creating an English garden, you need to consider the right plants. You need plants that look “old fashioned” and pinks just fit the bill.
There have been pinks in English Gardens for centuries. Possibly it was the invading Normans that brought them here.
They were great favourites with the Victorians and hundreds of different varities were bred.
One of the most famous which is still available today was called 'Mrs Sinkins.' It is a double white flower with a gorgeous scent and was bred by John Thomas Sinkins in 1868.
They are very easy to grow and there are smaller varieties which you can grow in tubs, troughs or patio planters.
The taller ones (up to 30 inches) are ideal for edging paths or borders as long as they are in the sun. They are also good as cut flowers.
They range in colour from all shades of pink, white to bright crimson red or soft mauve. There are double flowered ones and ones with frilly edges or amazing brightly coloured eyes.
Many have intriguing names.
“Bat's Double Red”- will flower in the summer and autumn.
“Doris” - has a lovely mix of pale pink with dark pink right in the middle
“Gran's Favourite” - has a pleasant scent that looks like a raspberry-ripple ice-cream - with white flowers edged with streaks of mauve
“Laced Monarch” – gorgeous very deep pink laced white edges to the petals
“Pike's Pink” - has pale pink flowers that are dark at the base.
“Sops-in-wine” – who could resist this name! It has strongly perfumed white double flowers.
“Strawberries and Cream” – petals are a mixture of pink and cream
“Widecombe Fair” - is a lovely pale pink
How to grow
Pinks are hardy perennials and like to have free-draining soil and a sunny spot.
There are a few of the dianthus family that will grow in walls and rocky outcrops but you need to give most pinks delicious fertile soil if you want a good display of flowers.
Pinks need dead heading regularly to give the best display.
You can take cuttings from your plants in late summer as they will root easily and give you even more for your money!
In the language of flowers pinks mean true love
If you want to learn more about pinks I recommend this book as it is full of the interesting history of pinks with over 70 lovely paintings of pinks.
Old Cottage Pinks by Mary McMurtrie
Enjoy your English Garden.
