Trial of Dianthus, annual and first year flowering, from seed AGM

Trial of Dianthus, annual and first year flowering, from seed AGM 2006 AGM Trial of annual and first year flowering Dianthus By Wendy Wesley Entries receiving The Award of Garden Merit (H3) (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Neon Purple' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus hybrid. Plant height 60cm. Inflorescences are made up of individual, 2.3cm diameter, vibrant red-purple 74A flowers that have fringed petals and are subtly scented. Amazing colour, very vibrant. Sturdy plants that stand well. Very uniform and floriferous. Excellent cutting flower. (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Rose Magic' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus hybrid. Plant height 60cm. Inflorescences are made up of flowers in three separate colours: pink 68A; deep pink 67B; white, marked with pink 67B. Individual flowers have fringed petals and average 1.8cm in diameter. Interesting and attractive bi-colour gives a superb display. Sturdy plants that stand well. Very uniform and floriferous. Excellent cutting flower. 1

'Corona Cherry Magic' AGM (H3)2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus chinensis. Plant height 24cm. Large, 6cm diameter individual flowers with fringed petals form a cushion of colour. A mixture with plants in four colour combinations white, streaked pink 67A, with dark cherry-red 53A eye; pale pink, marked dark pink, with dark cherry-red eye 53A; deep cerise with very dark greyedpurple 187A marking around self-coloured eye; deep cerise, marked white, with very dark greyed-purple 187A marking around selfcoloured eye. Uniform. Very attractive blend of cherry-red and white with good impact; predominantly white with a cherry eye and cherry with a white eye. New flowers open above the fading blooms. (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Orchid' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ball Dianthus hybrid. Plant height 47cm. 3cm diameter, semi-double flowers with fringed petals and a light, clove scent are bright redpurple 70B, streaked maroon 60A. Outstanding colour. Medium sized, semi-double, even, clean flower. Good habit. Some scent. (Festival Series) 'Festival White' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ball Dianthus barbatus x D. chinensis. Plant height 33cm. 4cm diameter, scented flowers are bright white and have cut-edged petals. Very bright, dazzling white. Large flowers have good shape with new flowers hiding the fading blooms. (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Rose' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus barbatus x D. chinensis. Plant height 34cm. Bright, deep pink 61C flowers are 3cm in diameter, have cut-edged petals and a light clove scent. Uniform colour and habit. Lots of flower. Good colour contrast with foliage. 2

(Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select WhiteFire' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus barbatus x D. chinensis. Plant height 28cm. 3.5cm diameter flowers have cut-edged petals and are white flecked pink, with pink centre 63B and strong purple-red 60B eye. Very attractive with good impact. Floriferous plants are covered in small white flowers with a red eye. Some variation in colour adds to the effect. (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms Coral' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus chinensis. Plant height 23cm. 3.5cm diameter flowers have cut-edged petals and are glowing pink 52A. Very even colour. Tremendous impact. Large flowers with good succession of developing buds. (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms White' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus chinensis. Plant height 25cm. 5cm in diameter flowers have cut-edged petals and are a bright white. Very clean, dazzling white. Fine cut edges to petals. (Super Parfait Series) 'Super Parfait Strawberry' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ltd. Currently available from Internet sources. Dianthus chinensis. Plant height 22cm. Large, 6cm diameter flowers have cut-edged petals and are white, lightly blushed 44A, with a scarlet 44A eye. Good plant habit. Very floriferous with dramatic colour contrast. 3

(Sweet Series) 'Sweet Coral' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ball Dianthus barbatus. Plant height 55cm. Scented inflorescences are made up of individual flowers that are 2.5cm in diameter, have fringed petals and are glowing pink 52A. Very healthy plants. Lots of flower and good, distinct colour. Scented. (Sweet Series) 'Sweet Scarlet' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ball Dianthus barbatus. Plant height 55cm. Scented inflorescences are made up of individual flowers that are 2.5cm in diameter, have fringed petals and are scarlet 44B. Vigorous, healthy plants. Intense, rich colour. (Sweet Series) 'Sweet White' AGM (H3) 2006. Sent by Ball Dianthus barbatus. Plant height 55cm. Scented inflorescences are made up of individual flowers that are 2.5cm in diameter, have fringed petals and are a clean white. Nice shape to flowers. Good, clean white. Very healthy plants. Scented. The following entries cannot receive the AGM recommended to them until queries on availability have been resolved. It is the responsibility of the sender to inform the Trials Office at Wisley that all queries have been resolved. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Blush Pink'. Sent by Ornamentals UK Ltd. Dianthus barbatus x D. chinensis. Plant height 33cm. 3.5cm diameter flowers have cut-edged petals: three colours on each plant dark pink 66B; light pink 66D; white tinted light pink 66D. Covered in flower. Foliage and stems contrast nicely with flower colour. By Ali Cundy 4

(Festival Series) 'Festival White Flame'. Sent by Ltd. Dianthus barbatus x D. chinensis. Plant height 29cm. 3.5cm diameter flowers have cut-edged petals with dark pink centre 60A, pink 57D mid-petal and white edges. Very attractive variation in colour. Good impact from plants that are covered in flowers. Good plant habit. By Ali Cundy H3 = plants hardy outside in some regions or in particular situations or which, whilst usually grown outside in summer, need frost-free protection in winter. Trial Notes: Objectives: To recommend the Award of Garden Merit [AGM] to cultivars considered excellent for ordinary garden use; to compare the performance of the cultivars in different parts of the country: in Surrey (RHS Wisley Garden) and Norfolk (East Ruston Old Vicarage Gardens) and to demonstrate the range of annual and first year flowering of Dianthus hybrids and other cultivars (Dianthus barbatus; D. barbatus hybrids; D. chinensis; D. chinensis hybrids) and their cultivation. Entries: There were 82 entries in the trial, submitted by various seed companies in the UK and Europe. A parallel trial was also held at East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden, to assess the performance of Dianthus cultivars when grown as annuals in another part of the country, where there are different soil and climate conditions. Cultivation: Seed was sown on 30 January 2006 onto half trays of compost, covered with vermiculite, watered in with Revive (a product containing natural soil microorganisms which encourage soil fertility and healthy plant growth) and germinated at 20 0 C. Seedlings were later pricked out into 9cm pots of compost and again watered with Revive. Plants were gradually hardened off before being planted out on 25 April. 25 plants of the single coloured cultivars are were grown and 50 plants of the mixtures. Plants were spaced 30cm apart each way in blocks with 50cm between entries Findings: The trial gave an excellent display on the trials field from mid-june until the first flush of flowering finished at the end July. It was then cleared to make room for a following trial, but most D. chinensis and D. chinensis crosses would produce a second flush of flowers if trimmed back (the D. barbatus hybrids, e.g. the Noverna Series, would not re-flower). Any future trial would be planned to include recording of re-flowering. July had been a very hot month with average daytime temperatures at Wisley of 27.8 0 C and a maximum of 36.49 0 C on the 20 July. However, the plants had continued to flower well both at Wisley and at East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden where the trial had not been watered since planting and where the soil was less humus-rich than that found on the trials field at Wisley. By 28 June the annual flowering Dianthus at Wisley, which were being grown close to a large trial of biennial cultivars, were beginning to show signs of rust infection, so 5

a programme of spraying with a fungicide (Systhane) was initiated, but members of the Subcommittee reported that they did not have problems with rust in their own gardens where just a few plants were grown together and there had been no sign of disease at East Ruston. (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Purple' was admired by the Subcommittee for its useful and attractive colour, but was not recommended for an award because the foliage had been spoiled by the rust infection. However, it will be included in a future trial as it is know to grow well and without rust problems in other parts of the country, including in the trial at East Ruston and at Great Dixter in East Sussex. Judging: The Floral Trials Subcommittee assessed entries in the trial for the Award of Garden Merit at Wisley on 15 June, 28 June, 13 July and 25 July and at East Ruston on 5 July and on 31 July. The Subcommittee used the following criteria: floriferousness : length of flowering period earliness : scent AWARD NAME SENDER AGM (H3) 2006 (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Neon Purple' AGM (H3) 2006 (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Rose Magic' AGM (H3) 2006 (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Orchid' AGM (H3) 2006 (Festival Series) 'Festival White' AGM (H3) 2006 (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Rose' AGM (H3) 2006 (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select WhiteFire' AGM (H3) 2006 (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms Coral' AGM (H3) 2006 (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms White' AGM (H3) 2006 (Super Parfait Series) 'Super Parfait Strawberry' AGM (H3) 2006 (Sweet Series) 'Sweet Coral' AGM (H3) 2006 (Sweet Series) 'Sweet Scarlet' AGM (H3) 2006 (Sweet Series) 'Sweet White' AGM (H3) 2006 'Corona Cherry Magic' AGM (H3) 2006STA (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Blush Pink' AGM (H3) 2006STA (Festival Series) 'Festival White Flame' (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Neon Cherry' (Amazon Series) 'Amazon Neon Duo' (Big Time Series) 'Big Time Deep Purple with Eye' Ernst Benary (Big Time Series) 'Big Time Red with Eye' Ernst Benary (Big Time Series) 'Big Time Scarlet' Ernst Benary (Big Time Series) 'Big Time White' Ernst Benary (Big Time Series) 'Big Time White with Deep Red Ring' Ernst Benary (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Carmine Rose' (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Coral' (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Pink' (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Purple' (Diamond Series) 'Diamond Scarlet' Diamond Series, mixed (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Pink Magic' (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Purple' (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Red' (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty Rose Lace' (Dynasty Series) 'Dynasty White Blush' 6

AWARD NAME SENDER Dynasty Series, mixed (Festival Series) 'Festival Cherry' (Festival Series) 'Festival Cherry Picotee' (Festival Series) 'Festival Crimson' (Festival Series) 'Festival Deep Violet' (Festival Series) 'Festival Light Pink' (Festival Series) 'Festival Lilac' (Festival Series) 'Festival Pearl' (Festival Series) 'Festival Raspberry' (Festival Series) 'Festival Red' (Festival Series) 'Festival Rose' (Festival Series) 'Festival Salmon' (Festival Series) 'Festival Violet' (Festival Series) 'Festival Violet Picotee' Festival Series, mixed (Heritage Series) 'Heritage Crimson' Takii (Heritage Series) 'Heritage Purple' Takii (Heritage Series) 'Heritage Rose Eye' Takii (Heritage Series) 'Heritage White' Takii (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Raspberry' (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Red' (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Salmon' (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select Violet' (Ideal Select Series) 'Ideal Select White' Ideal Select Series, mixed (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms Crimson' (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms Pink' (Magic Charms Series) 'Magic Charms Scarlet' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Clown' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Coral' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Pink' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Purple' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Salmon / White Eye' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna Violet' (Noverna Series) 'Noverna White' Noverna Series, formula mixed (Super Parfait Series) 'Super Parfait Raspberry' (Sweet Series) 'Sweet Purple' (Sweet Series) 'Sweet Red' Sweet Series, mixed 'Black Adder' (syn. 'Dwarf Black') K Sahin, Zaden 'Bouquet Purple' 'Bouquet Rose Magic' Fragrant Cloud 'Bodestolz' Samuel Dobie 'Roundabout' Samuel Dobie 'Summer Sun' # John Bertinat 'Valentine' 'Wee Willie' Chiltern Seeds 'Wee Willie' # Sold as Summer Sundae by Thompson & Morgan 7

Names and Addresses of senders Limited, West Adderbury, Banbury, Oxon OX17 3EY Chiltern Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 7PB Ernst Benary Samenzucht GmbH, Petersweg 72, 34346 Hann, Münden, Germany John Bertinat Seeds Ltd, Bankfield House, 39 Bure Way, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6HL K Sahin, Zaden B V, Gouwestraat 11, Postbus 227, 2400 AE Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands Holland, PO Box 63, 1607MN Venhuizen, The Netherlands Ornamentals UK Ltd, The Wilgro Nursey, York Road, Thirsk, N. Yorkshire YO3 7AA Samuel Dobie & Son, Long Road, Paignton, Devon, TR4 7SX Takii Europe, Hoofdweg 19, 1424 PC De Kwakel, The Netherlands Thompson and Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3BU Source: Trials Office, The Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB e-mail: trials@rhs.org.uk. More information about RHS Trials and other colour illustrated reports can be found on the RHS Website : http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/awards2006.asp 8