Dianthus Plants

Dianthus is more commonly known as Sweet William and is a most prolific genus, boasting colorful, spherical blossoms, often stunningly fringed and with a pleasant, spicy fragrance. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, but a deterrent to deer, Sweet Williams are a customer favorite.


Dianthus Plants, pronounced dy-ANN-thus, produce showy single and double flowers in every shade of the rainbow. Many of them have grass-like foliage that is equally attractive in rock gardens, borders and formal or informal herb gardens. Besides their beauty and their fragrance, gardeners and landscapers love them because they are so low maintenance. Widely adaptable to weather and soil conditions, they also don’t require deadheading or pruning, though removing spent flowers will encourage a longer blooming season.


Read about our Dianthus plant guarantee on our Satisfaction page.

Show product details for Bath's Pink Dianthus Plant

Bath's Pink Dianthus Plant

Price $5.50

Discovered in Stone Mountain, GA by Jane Bath, 'Bath's Pink' Dianthus bears somewhat lacy, 1 to 2-inch, medium-pink flowers with gorgeous magenta rings. This Sweet William variety with silvery-green, grassy foliage stands up to cold, heat and humidity beautifully. The scent is "clove-like" and somewhat similar to that of a carnation. Mmmmm… scrumptious!

Show product details for Devon Cottage Fancy Knickers Dianthus Plant

Devon Cottage Fancy Knickers Dianthus Plant

Price $7.00

The 'Devon Cottage™ Fancy Knickers' Dianthus Plant must be the pride of English gardeners everywhere! Also known as 'Valda Isolde' and looking remarkably like a carnation, though a touch more sedate, this Sweet William is pure, snowy white with lipstick smudges of cardinal-red at its center. Reaching a large size for Sweet William, with blossoms measuring almost 2-inches, Fancy Knickers stands out against its dainty, bluish-grey-green foliage. They cut well, last long and have a pleasing spicy scent!

Show product details for Devon Cottage Rosy Cheeks Dianthus Plant

Devon Cottage Rosy Cheeks Dianthus Plant

Price $7.00

The 'Devon Cottage™ Rosy Cheeks' Dianthus Plant is also known as 'Valda Louise' Sweet William and has, on occasion, been spelled as Rosie Cheeks. The fully double, carnation-like blossoms measure up to 2-inches across and impart a distinctly clove-like essence that is as pleasing to you as it is to the hummingbirds and butterflies. Rosy Cheeks bears blushing pink blossoms atop delicate-looking but strong foliage that is bluish-green and waves with just the hint of a breeze.

Show product details for Devon Cottage Ruby’s Tuesday Dianthus Plant

Devon Cottage Ruby’s Tuesday Dianthus Plant

Price $7.00

The 'Devon Cottage™ Ruby's Tuesday' Dianthus Plant is also known as 'Valda Kitty' Sweet William and is guaranteed to be a favorite for anyone that likes red in their garden, and even for some of those who don't. The airy presence and spicy scent of Ruby’s Tuesday Sweet William only enhances the striking, 2-inch blossoms that wave atop the fern-like, bluish-green foliage. Used as a "thriller" in container plantings and cut flower arrangements, their free-blooming nature and sweet fragrance will bring a sweet smile to your face!

Show product details for Firewitch Dianthus Plant

Firewitch Dianthus Plant

Price $5.50

The 'Firewitch' Dianthus Plant is also known as 'Cheddar Pink' Sweet William. Brilliant magenta flowers with white centers grow on a broad carpet of blue-gray slender leaves. Their spicy scent is heady and their compact growth and spreading habit makes it a perfect border plant or addition to your rock garden. This species will tolerate short periods of drought.

Show product details for Scent First Candy Floss Dianthus Plant

Scent First Candy Floss Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Candy Floss' Dianthus Plant is so aptly named that it hardly needs description. The Scent First Series of Sweet Williams was bred first for their scent, which is rich and spicy. And 'sweet' describes the color of this variety. Cotton candy pink double blossoms look very similar to a carnation, having serrated petals and appearing quite frilly; the mauvy hot-pink ring with lightly brushed petal tips is just icing on an already delightful Dianthus.

Show product details for Scent First Coral Reef Dianthus Plant

Scent First Coral Reef Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

Our 'Scent First™ Coral Reef' Dianthus Plant is a 2012 introduction to the Scent First series bred by Whetman Pinks. Whetman Pinks, a.k.a. Sweet Williams, set the bar high, breeding for hardiness, versatility, season-long repeat blooming, and with this series, amazing fragrance. Coral Reef is a party-colored dianthus with vibrant coral pink coloration along which a pastel pink to white picoteed edge adds frills. The spicy scent is a given, though it should never be taken for granted!

Show product details for Scent First Coconut Surprise Dianthus Plant

Scent First Coconut Surprise Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Coconut Surprise' Dianthus Plant is one of the most highly fragranced Sweet Williams, as well as one of the showiest. Bearing pure white, full double blossoms on strong stems surrounded by silvery-blue foliage, the "surprise" is the burgundy-red splash of color at the center of this gorgeous bloom. The free-flowering compact growing habit makes it ideal for container plantings, while the extended blooming periods of this series guarantees long-lasting spring and summer color. You'll love the heady, spicy scent!

Show product details for Scent First Passion Dianthus Plant

Scent First Passion Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Passion' Dianthus Plant combines the rich, spicy scent that this series of Sweet Williams are known for, with one of the most intense and true reds that you will find on any variety of Sweet William. The smoky-green, grassy, compact mound of foliage is the perfect base for the distinctive red blossoms rising above it. If red is your color, you’ll be passionate about this one!

Show product details for Scent First Romance Dianthus Plant

Scent First Romance Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Romance' Dianthus Plant is another successful production from Whetman Pinks®. Bred first for its scent, this beautiful and, oh-so-feminine, blossom has double petals of the prettiest pastel pink with lipstick smudges of deeper, richer pink at the center of each. Backed by the silvery-blue, ferny foliage, "romantic" is only one of the many adjectives that will be used to describe this Sweet William. Coordinate with accent plants in mixed containers or use as a border plant to lead the way to your front door, greeting your visitors with the pleasant spicy scent.

Show product details for Scent First Sugar Plum Dianthus Plant

Scent First Sugar Plum Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Sugar Plum' Dianthus Plant is the result of innovative breeding practices by Whetman Pinks®. As the series name implies, Sugar Plum has been bred for its spicy, stimulating fragrance, but also for its stunning, eye-catching appearance. Luscious lipstick pink double blossoms are decorated with raspberry accents, sometimes almost covering the whole blossom and sometimes providing more understated decoration. Back-dropped by dark bluish-green foliage and stems, the color of the blooms on this Sweet William is quite arresting and sure to attract plenty of attention.

Show product details for Scent First Tickled Pink Dianthus Plant

Scent First Tickled Pink Dianthus Plant

Price $6.90

The 'Scent First™ Tickled Pink' Dianthus Plant comes to us from Whetman’s Pinks® out of the U.K. where they know a thing or two about breeding Sweet Williams for cottage gardens and containers. The blossoms first draw your attention with their pinky-lavender, double and semi-double blossoms, saturated with this striking color through and through. Then, it is the fragrance that seals the deal! The petals of all types of Sweet Williams are edible. Grow a wide variety of colors to garnish your summer plates or to decorate those wonderful fresh salads.