Dianthus Subacaulis

Dianthus subacaulis is a miniature western Alpine pink whose name means almost stemless. Dense cushions of narrow blue-green leaves sit close to the ground and produce short-stemmed, bright pink flowers that appear to rest directly upon the foliage. The petals are delicately toothed, with deeper colouring towards the centre, and may carry a light fragrance. Native to dry, rocky mountain grasslands and limestone slopes, it is an ideal plant for a stone trough or crevice. Its minute scale is easily lost in a border, but viewed closely it has all the detail of a much larger garden pink.