Dianthus caryophyllus"Chomley Farran/Faran"

Finally purchased a plant. Anyone growing this lovely? How's it doing for you?

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/search/lst.srch.asp?prodid=2214

It is fantastic that you found an American grower who has this Dianthus for sale. Allwoods in England has a similar but not quite the same Dianthus, but for anyone in America they might as well be on Mars. Here is the product page for the similar Dianthus:

Eileen Neal (1977)
http://www.allwoods.net/product_p/b556.htm

When I want to torture myself I run this URL:
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=site%3Aallwoods.net

Here are a few more Dianthus with striped flowers. One of problems is the descriptions are not consistent which is why I had to search all Allwoods’ images.

Mendip Hills (Pre 1954)
http://www.allwoods.net/product_p/b222.html

Summerfield Blush (2010)
http://www.allwoods.net/product_p/a640.html

Albert Hill (1995)
http://www.allwoods.net/product_p/a539.html

Summerfield Blaze (2004)
http://www.allwoods.net/product_p/a45.html

And there are many more!

Here is Annie’s Dianthus page:
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/search/lst.srch.asp?srch_term=Dianthus

We really need to find a grower in the United States who is willing to import Dianthus from England and propagate them in the United States. I wonder if the folks at Annie’s are aware of Allwoods inventory.

Mike

Going back through the old Carnation books I have posted on this forum, the terms Flakes, Bizarres, Striped or Powdered are used to describe these Dianthus. See these references:

Pinks, Carnations and Dianthus Reading List
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1227172/

Consult the following two eBooks and search on “Flakes”.

Carnations, picotees, and the wild and garden pinks. (1905)
by Ernest Thomas Cook
http://books.google.com/books?id=37BBAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover

Carnations & Pinks (1911)
by T. H. Cook
http://www.archive.org/details/carnationspinks00cookrich
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002812893

There are some very nice public domain color plats which we can use.

Franklin's Tartar.
A Scarlet Bizarre Carnation
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17531/17531-h/17531-h.htm#Franklins
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17531/17531-h/images/bg039.jpg

Carnations: With A Notice Of The Raisers Of The Varieties Figured Last Month
http://chestofbooks.com/gardening-horticulture/Florist/Carnations-With-A-Notice-Of-The-Raisers-Of-The-Varieties-Figured-Last-Month.html
http://chestofbooks.com/gardening-horticulture/Florist/images/2-JUSTICE-SHALLOW.jpg

Mike

OH WOW! I feel a obsession coming on.

Thanks for the link. I know have a whole new long list of plants to start searching for...LOL

I found this one at Mountain Valley Growers.

Peggy

On the Annie's Annual’s website the following observation is made:

In Ernest Thomas Cook's 1905 book "Carnations, picotees, and the wild and garden pinks", on pages 29 and 30, he lists three-dozen of the best Blzarres and Flakes varieties. Today in the United States we have access to only one Bizarres cultivar. Attached is the edited list from Cook's book. So much has been lost.

Mike

BlZARRES AND FLAKES

The best eighteen varieties of each are as follows:

”Blzarres”

Scarlet:

01. Admiral Curzon,
02. Dr. Hogg,
03. Edward Adams,
04. George,
05. Robert Houlgrave,
06. Robert Lord.

Crimson:

07. Arline,
08. C. F. Thurston,
09. J. S. Hedderley,
10. Master Fred,
11. Phoebe,
12. Thaddeus.

Pink and Purple:

13. Fred Phillips,
14. Harmony,
15. Melody,
16. Sarah Payne,
17. Squire Penson,
18. William Skirving.

”Flakes”

Purple:

01. Charles Henwood,
02. Earl Stamford,
03. George Melville,
04. Gordon Lewis,
05. James Douglas,
06. Squire Whitbourne.

Scarlet:

07. Alisemond,
08. Flambeau,
09. Guardsman,
10. John Wormald,
11. Matador,
12. Sportsman.

Rose:

13. John Keet,
14. Lady Mary Currie,
15. Mrs. Tom Lord,
16. Mrs. Keen,
17. Pandora,
18. Thalia.

Well...POOH!

Thanks Mike and Peggy. Just what I need too - more plants to look for! I love the flakes, swirls, stripes, etc so much. Makes the flowers look so different.

Peggy, you are going to have to let us know how your new edition to your flower bed, Chomley Farran, does for you. The pictures of it are striking.

Linda

Thanks for posting all these lovely dianthus. They are so easy to grow and smell wonderful. Luciee {;^)

Peggy,

In addition to flowering as described, I would really love to know if you’re new Dianthus (1) produces pollen and (2) sets seeds. If the Dianthus is not sterile there are a lot of possibilities.

When the plant is large enough, are you going to try propagation via layering?

Mike

While looking for Dianthus seed sources in the UK, I came across this fantastic video on Dianthus propagation from cuttings. I have been reading about how to do this but there is nothing like a hands on video. Not only are your shown what to do, you are shown what not do and why.

Whetman Pinks – Propagation
http://www.whetmanpinks.com/propagation.html

And no, they don’t ship to the United States either!

Mike

Does anyone know if Chomley Farran is seed propagated or tissue or cutting propagated? It would be interesting to know. I do remember seeing pictures of this plant before but I can't remember if it was somewhere other than Annie's.

Linda

My Chomley Farran is doing great. Repotted and growing great. No buds as of yet.
I have propagated dianthus by divisons and cuttings w/ fair success. I will be trying cuttings of CF as soon as it's big enough.

Heres link to Annie's. I'll take a picture of mine later this morning and post it later.

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/search/lst.srch.asp?prodid=2214

Do keep us updated, Peggy. I know a lot of us will be interested in how this plant looks and grows for you.
Linda

I'm interested to see if it looks like all pictures I've found

forgot about the picture I took yesterday. I spy a new branch sprouting in the back.

Would love to know how Chomley is doing for you, Peggy. We've not had an update from you for a while.

Linda