The Pretty Pink Perennial That's Perfect For Your Border Or Container Garden

There's such a huge variety of perennials that you can choose from for your borders or container garden that sometimes you just want to focus on which color to add to the mix to create that stunning display. If you happen to be looking for a pretty pink perennial that's also fairly low-maintenance and quite striking, there's a gorgeous carnation hybrid that you might just like to consider — Dianthus 'Bumbleberry Pie'.

While there are plenty of stunning carnations that will brighten your home, this outstanding Dianthus is part of the 'American Pie' collection bred by Whetman Pinks in the United Kingdom. It features stunning, large blooms with pink ruffled petals that have dark pink to maroon center markings, which look like they've been painted on with watercolors. These really stand out against the soft gray-green foliage. 

Of course, the flowers are scented and make gorgeous cut flowers. The 12-inch stems that bear the flowers are quite sturdy and won't flop over. This means this vibrant perennial is perfect for planting along your garden borders or in a large container placed on your sunny deck or patio. You'll also find that Dianthus is a low-maintenance perennial that thrives in raised garden beds, and it has a long flowering season, from spring right through to fall.

Dianthus 'Bumbleberry Pie' will grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 8. It prefers a sunny spot, whether you plant it in a garden bed or a lovely pot. A loamy soil is ideal, as it drains well, or just use your favorite potting soil for container growing. Although Dianthus is drought-tolerant once established, it does benefit from a little extra watering during extended periods of dry weather. Remember that pots do dry out more quickly, so don't forget to water your potted plant more often than those grown in the ground. You'll also want to lightly feed your pot-grown Dianthus with a fertilizer through the growing season. Plants grown in the ground should do fine if you regularly add compost to the soil or are in the habit of using organic mulches.

The only other thing you want to do is deadhead the spent flowers, as this will promote plenty more blooming right through the season. Another benefit of this hybrid is that it's deer-resistant, which is why it's a great plant for your garden borders. Not only will this gorgeous perennial reward you with a profusion of pretty blooms, but these flowers will also attract pollinators and butterflies to your garden. 

And if you love this variety once you have it growing in your garden, you might want to spice things up a bit and collect other hybrids in the 'American Pie' series, such as 'Georgia Peach Pie' in blush pink with peach centers, or 'Key Lime Pie,' which has white flowers with unusual green centers. Or, you might want to plant some salvias with your carnations for a hummingbird-filled garden in spring.