Dianthus Deltoides

Maiden pink forms a spreading evergreen mat of fine green leaves covered through summer by small, bright flowers in rose, crimson, pink or white. Each five-petalled bloom usually carries a darker ring or scattered pale spots around the centre, giving considerable detail despite its modest size. Native across Europe and into western Asia, it grows naturally in dry grassland, banks and open woodland edges. Tough, hardy and attractive to insects, it is excellent for path edging, gravel gardens, banks and the front of borders, where regular trimming keeps the mat neat and flowering.