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Sumptuous Sweet Williams
By Zahrah Nasir
So simple to grow, yet sadly overlooked by the majority of gardeners, ‘Sweet
Williams’ give a sumptuous and, if you have the right varieties, delicately
perfumed display with the minimum of effort.
They are just as equally happy in pots as when they are planted out in the
garden, either in massed beds on their own or mixed in with other flowering
plants and are one of the few flowers that don’t seem to detract from other
varieties grown infront, behind or simply mixed in with them. They also add a
glorious splash of colour when planted, in clumps, in between or underneath
flowering or decorative foliage shrubs.
Growing them from seed is easy and germination very rapid. Infact, I’ve had seed
germinate in as little as an incredible four days in Karachi although it takes a
little longer, maybe seven to ten days, in the cooler climes of Bhurban.
Sweet Williams or ‘Dianthus barbatus’ to give them their correct botanical name,
come in so many different colours and bi-colours, with both double and single
flowers that it can be most difficult to make a choice, and, to make them even
more desirable, the foliage ranges from light to dark green, cream and green
variegated, purple and an attractive dark bronze.
The plants, which vary from as little as five inches to two feet in height, are
also excellent, long lasting, cut flowers and look wonderful arranged, enmasse
in vases anywhere in the house. Few people seem to realize that they belong to
the same botanical family, ‘Dianthus’ as both annual and perennial ‘Pinks’ and
their much larger relatives the ‘Carnation’ but the perfume is very similar
though much lighter in fragrance.
Not all varieties of Sweet Williams are perfumed however and one must be wary of
inadvertently purchasing seed for the ‘local’ ones which are not perfumed and
which are much inferior in growth, height and long levity. The ‘local’ ones are
simple to identify as they have weak growth and the flower heads tend to be
composed of florets in a mixture of colours rather than having a single colour
dominant and, as previously mentioned, they have no perfume to mention. The
problem here though, if you purchase your seed locally, is that the chances are
it will have been collected from these local plants which, or so I presume, are
possibly descended from ‘proper’ Sweet Williams introduced into the area by the
British during the late nineteenth century and which have crossed and re-crossed
with themselves until they have degenerated into what is widely grown today.
Many ‘original’ perfumed varieties of these attractive plants were popularized
during the reign of Queen Victoria when the flower was viewed as being extremely
fashionably indeed. They later lost favour and many old varieties almost
disappeared except for those which managed to hang on in a number of well
maintained estate gardens and it is from these treasured plants that many of
today’s varieties have been re-introduced through a selective breeding programme
from which a number of hybrid varieties have also been raised.
Quite frankly, I really didn’t feel any attraction at all for Sweet Williams for
many years and they were originally only grown in my garden in Karachi, when we
lived in that city, when someone gave me a gift of a packet of mixed Victorian
varieties and, being the person I am, I just couldn’t let the seed go to waste
and thank goodness I didn’t. I am now a devoted Sweet William fan and happily
incorporate a growing number of old fashioned, perfumed varieties wherever I can
fit them in to my mixed flower, fruit, vegetable and herb garden. The more the
merrier!
Sweet Williams can be grown either as annual or bi-annual plants and, if happy
in their environment, will self seed all over the place although, in my opinion,
it is much better to harvest the ripe seed from selected plants and grow your
next crop from these so that you retain a measure of control over the colour
range as some colours tend to ‘out seed’ others, particularly, in my experience,
the magentas and whites.
In Karachi and Lahore, along with other hot areas of the country, seed should be
sown during September for flowering the following spring. The flowers will
continue, in profusion, particularly if you keep cutting some for the house,
until the very hot weather simply burns them up. They both need and enjoy lots
of sunshine but will last longer if grown in a location which does not get the
direct heat of the mid-day sun.
Sown the fine seed just under the surface of good soil or seed compost in plant
pots or seed trays and, initially, place these in a partially shaded area until
the tender seedlings are strong enough to take the heat of the sun. The
soil/compost should be kept moist at all times but not water logged as this will
cause the seedlings to rot off where their delicate stems meet the surface of
the soil and you will loose the lot.
Transplant on, into plant pots or into the selected patch of garden you have
chosen, when the seedlings reach the four to six leaf stage, don’t wait longer
than this or they may become to tall and leggy to adjust to their new home. It
is a good idea to water the planting area or pots both before and after
transplanting as this helps the seedlings to overcome the shock of being moved.
As always, transplanting is more successful if carried out in the cool of the
evening so that the plants have a full night to recover before facing the rising
sun!
In areas of Pakistan which have cold winters, with frost and snow, I find it
beneficial to sow seed in September, plant out the seedlings when large enough
and then forget about them until they flower the following spring. If seed is
sown in the spring in such areas then it will still not come into flower until
the spring of the following year although the plants, being that many months
more established, may very well produce larger, stronger heads of flowers…it’s a
matter of patience and space in the garden!
My favourite varieties, at the moment as I am still searching for more, include:
‘Sooty’ with dark foliage and almost black, double flowers reaching a height of
about two feet; ‘Newport pink’ which is actually more of a salmon colour, with
double flowers to a height of about eighteen inches; ‘Double flowered mixed’,
highly perfumed and in all the Sweet William colours possible; ‘Auricular Eyed
Mixed’ with huge, highly perfumed single flowers in lots of colours, each floret
having a white eye in the centre and about twenty inches in height and, finally,
for edging a flower border or massing in large round plant pots, ‘Wee Willie’ in
mixed colours, beautifully perfumed and only five inches in height.
I highly recommend that you give Sweet Williams a try and, remember, you only
need to purchase seed once, after that, simply collect your own, make sure it is
totally dry and then store in sealed containers, melted candle wax is a great
sealant, and keep in a cool, dry, dark place until next time around.
Ends
Pic caps:
1. ‘Sooty’.
2. Glowing white.
3. A colourful mix.
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