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Garden News March

Once again, a very warm welcome from The British National Carnation Society to Garden News readers who are interested in dianthus (pinks and carnations).

We hope Peter Bookers articles are giving you an insight in growing these lovely plants. This month he has given you information about pinks. No English garden is complete without these delightful flowers. Whether they are grown in beds, borders, tubs, hanging baskets or lining the garden path (alternating white and pink Mrs Sinkins; a traditional planting from the middle of the last century). Fragrance is an important characteristic of the older varieties and in recent times has become a feature of Whetmans new introductions. This link takes you to their site. He also mentioned Alwoods , the world famous carnation nursery. There are many other nurseries reached from our Links page . Some have their own website. Others have addresses for catalogues. Please mention the British National Carnation Society when ordering. Don’t forget many of these nurseries offer a 10% discount to BNCS members, just one of the many benefits of membership .

Recently Peter mentioned our Presidents book on carnations “Carnations and Pinks for the Garden and Greenhouse” John Galbally with Eileen Galbally: Timber Press 1997 ISBN 0-88192-382-6 Sadly it is out of print but is available on the internet. I looked today and found many copies on Amazon.

If you are interested in finding out more about pinks why not come along to Pinks and Carnations Day at Wisley on 21st June 2007. This is jointly run by the BNCS and the RHS and coincides with the National BNCS June Show. The lectures are free once you have paid to enter the gardens, though you must register that you intend coming. (Details are on the above link). Admission to the gardens is free on this day to BNCS members – another good reason to join the BNCS! There is the opportunity to see the Pinks Trials ground and view new varieties undergoing trials.

The spring is also the time of year to consider growing pinks from seed. This is how the experts raise new varieties, as Peter says in his article, and they have considerable skill in crossing different parents with certain characteristics although have to raise many, many plants to come up with something new. However for those who are less experienced most major seed merchants offer a number of different dianthus. This year I am growing a packet from Thompson and Morgan and also a 29p packet from the LIDL store. I will report their progress on this site.

I hope you find something to interest you on this site and that you may be inspired to join our society.

A vase of Whetman’s pinks.

Flowers for the Cutting Garden