Dianthus 'Chesswood Lidgett' (b)

RHS Plant Profile
border carnation 'Chesswood Lidgett'

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border carnation 'Chesswood Lidgett' RHS
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Herbaceous Perennial

A border carnation up to 70cm high with long slender stems, light grey-green leaves, and many double flowers, which are white with dark red margins and flecks, in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Caryophyllaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
Humans/Pets: Skin allergenwear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus
Dianthus can be annuals, evergreen perennials or subshrubs with narrow, often greyish leaves and showy flowers that are frequently fragrant
Name Status
Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Border carnations are hardy evergreen perennials with linear leaves and erect stems bearing fully double flowers to 8cm across in mid-summer, sometimes clove-scented

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained neutral to alkaline soil, in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings from non-flowering shoots in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but deadheading may prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, a rust, a virus and fusarium wilt