Dianthus 'Festival Violet Picotee' (Sweet William) – Scented Bedding Plant (18 Plants in 2 x 9-Cell Trays)

Sweet William 'Festival Violet Picotee' brings classic cottage-garden charm to borders, patio containers and window boxes, with scented violet flowers that have a distinctive pale picotee edge. You get 18 plants, growing in 2 trays of 9 cells, one plant to a cell.

This Dianthus has richly coloured, densely packed flower clusters, and bees and butterflies are drawn to them. The blooms last well in a vase, so it is a good choice for a cutting garden as well as a mixed border. It makes compact, bushy, upright growth with neat, lance-shaped, mid-green leaves. It flowers from late spring through summer.

Sweet William is hardy and will come through a British winter outdoors. Plant it in full sun in well-drained, moderately fertile soil, either in the ground or in pots and window boxes. The sap can irritate skin, in people and pets, so wear gloves when handling the plants.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Sweet William
• Botanical Name: Dianthus barbatus and Dianthus chinensis
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 30-60cm tall and 20-30cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Upright, clump-forming, with dense, flat-topped flowerheads
• Perfect For: Cottage gardens, cut flower borders, mixed beds, containers, window boxes
• Foliage: Lance-shaped, mid-green leaves forming a neat basal clump
• Flowering Time: Late spring to summer (May to July)
• Flower Colour: Violet with a pale picotee edge
• Planting Position: Full sun
• Soil Type: Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Seasonal Interest: Late spring and summer flowers, scented
• Type: Hardy biennial bedding plant