Hello Mid-Ohio Valley gardeners and farmers! A blessed happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there in the valley. West Virginia has a special connection with Mother’s Day, as the first official celebration was held May 10, 1908, at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton.

Anna Jarvis sent 500 white carnations in honor of her mother to the first formal Mother’s Day service. Over the next few years, Jarvis worked to make Mother’s Day a national holiday and President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in 1914. Carnations became an integral part of this movement, and today are still the most popular flower associated with Mother’s Day.

As the official Mother’s Day flower, carnations symbolize piety, faith, and the timeless beauty of motherhood. In particular, white carnations symbolize pure, unconditional love and remembrance of mothers who have passed away. Over 100 years ago, carnations were chosen because they were the favorite flower of Anna Jarvis’s mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis.

“Its whiteness is to symbolize the truth, purity and broad charity of mother love; its fragrance, her memory and her prayers.” Jarvis explained in a 1927 interview with Parents’ Magazine.

Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are just one type within the diverse genus Dianthus. Dianthus have always been a favorite among gardeners due to their sweet, spicy scent and beautiful blossoms. The Greek botanist Theophrastus named these plants Dianthos or “divine flower”. This combined the Greek words dios (devine) and anthos (flower).

The Romans brought Dianthus to Europe and England, and from there these plants were eventually brought to the New World. Dianthus can be annuals, biennials and perennials. More than 300 species and hundreds of hybrid varieties exist.

All members of the Dianthus family are referred to as “pinks”, from the Latin word pinct, meaning pinked or scalloped. Dianthus are often called “border carnations,” while Dianthus caryophyllus are the large, traditional florists’ carnations. Dianthus height can vary from two inches to three feet tall, but most garden varieties are 10 to 20 inches tall.

Dianthus flowers have five petals and come in a variety of colors including all shades of white, pink, yellow and red, with a huge variety of flower shapes and markings. Most produce richly fragrant flowers in the spring or summer, sometimes blooming until the first frost. The leaves are often glaucous grey-green or blue-green.

Sweet William, a member of the Dianthus family, have been cultivated for at least 1000 years. It is a biennial but can reseed They were brought over to the American colonies from England very early. They were a staple of English cottage gardens. In addition, they were highly valued for ease of cultivation, vibrant blooms and esteemed for their heavy, clove-like fragrance.

Sweet William was one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite ornamentals. Jefferson wrote in his garden book that “sweet William began to open” at his childhood home, Shadwell, on April 16, 1767. He later planted them in his famous oval flower beds at Monticello in 1807. This species is often associated with early American Gardens and continues to be cherished for its red, pink, and white blooms

Sweet Williams are tender perennials, but many gardeners treat them like biennials replanting every two years. The single Sweet Williams were commonly cultivated by most households in England for hundreds of years. Double varieties were much rarer, but they did exist as far back as the 16th century.

Dianthus should be planted where they will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Avoid over-watering to reduce root-rotting diseases. Plant Dianthus 12 to 18 inches apart. The crown must be level with the surface of the soil. Dianthus will not tolerate wet soils. In addition, it needs good air circulation and should not be heavily mulched. It is winter hardy to Zone 5.

Dianthuses multiply readily, have a spicy fragrance and make good cut flowers. Furthermore, they are deer resistant. Remove spent blooms on tall varieties, or shear back mounding plants after bloom to encourage rebloom and keep these plants healthy. After the first killing frost, cut stems back to an inch or two above the soil line.

Dianthus is a very diverse plant and can contribute to garden design in many ways. Dwarf varieties can be used as edging for a border, in containers or in in rock gardens. Medium-to-tall varieties are effective in flower borders, in gardens for cut flowers, and in front of shrubs.

Dianthus is also a culinary flower. Crystallized petals are used for decorating cakes, while fresh petals can be used in salads, pies, and sandwiches. It is important when using dianthus for culinary purposes to remove the petal base, which is quite bitter.

These are a few Dianthus recommended for the valley.

Sweet William, of course. A biennial covered with spicy-smelling, bicolored flowers in late spring. It grows 12 to 18 inches tall. Sweet William’s reseeding behavior can provide new plants year after year.

Allwood Alpinus Group Dianthus are hardy to zones 4-8, 12-20″ tall, and come in various color, flowering all summer. Recommended cultivars include ‘Becky Robinson’, ‘Doris’, ‘Mars’, and ‘Mrs. Sinkins’.

Cheddar and cottage pinks are perennial forms of Dianthus. Native to Cheddar Gorge, England, they have spicy clove-scented flowers and face upward for maximum color impact. Their foliage is blue-gray or green. Some varieties grow as low as 2 inches, others as tall as 16 inches. The low-growing varieties work well in rock gardens.

‘Firewitch’ is a Dianthus selected as the Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year in 2006. This German cultivar is one of the bluest-foliaged, hardy, longest flowering and most heat tolerant many types of Dianthus. It has single, vibrant magenta-pink blossoms that are nearly fringed on the edges.

Mother’s Day is almost here, now go out and buy mom some flowers! Contact me at the Wood County WVU Extension Office 304-424-1960 or e-mail me at jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu with questions. Good Luck and until next time, Happy Gardening!