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Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william

Regular price
$8.99
Regular price
Sale price
$8.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Grown from seed in living soil without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or carbon fuels.

Plants may ship dormant in early spring.

ships spring 2026


Dianthus barbatus, commonly known as sweet william, is a super fragrant, super colorful, long-blooming biennial. Easy to grow in a sunny, well-drained location. Lime preferred. Self-seeds readily when happy. This mix blooms in shades of pink, red, and purple. 

Our plants germinated in spring 2025 and are expected to bloom in 2026. 
 
Zones: 3 to 9
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial
Height: 12 to 24 in.
Spread: 6 to 12 in.
Exposure: Full sun, part-shade
Soil Conditions: dry, well-drained
Bloom Time: May to frost
Bloom Color: bi-color, white, and shades of cool red ranging from the palest pink to deep crimson
Native Range: Europe, Asia, Russia, Korea

Special Characteristics
  • Deer-resistant
  • Salt tolerant
  • Pollinator favorite
image credits

Sabina Bajracharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghislain118 (AD) http://www.fleurs-des-montagnes.net, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sabina Bajracharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Benjamin Zwittnig, CC BY 2.5 SI, via Wikimedia Commons
Isidre blanc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ypsilon from Finland, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
HitroMilanese, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william
Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william

Ordering information

Preorders

You may place your order anytime to reserve plants for fall 2025 shipment. If you place multiple orders, we will combine plants into one box (or as many as needed) and any extra shipping charges will be refunded.

We will resume shipping plants as soon as temperatures cool in our location and yours.

We will check in with you a week before shipping to make sure you receive your plants at a time that is convenient for you.

Shipping

Live plants ship in spring and fall only. Plants may ship dormant, depending on variety and season. Shipping costs are most reasonable when bundling like size plants.

  • 4-inch: 1-6 plants ship for $15.00 / 7-13 plants ship for $18.00 / 14-30 plants ship for $40.00
  • 1-gal: 1-2 plants ship for $18.00 / 3-4 plants ship for $25.00 / 5-6 plants ship for $40.00
  • trees & shrubs: $27.00-$40.00 each, height dependent
  • seeds: $6.75 or free with orders over $15.00

We regret that we cannot ship internationally or to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA.

Read more about our shipping policies here.

Nursery pick up

Plants can be collected from the nursery Monday through Sunday from 10am-4pm in Spring, Summer, and Fall. We prefer 24 hour notice to get your order together and will email you when ready for collection.

Plant Sizes

We most commonly use the following pot sizes for perennials:

  • 4-inch pot: 3.5" H x 3.5" W x 3.5" D
  • 2-quart pot: 6" H x 5.25" W x 5.25" D
  • 1-gallon pot: 6.87" H x 8" Dia (this is a true one gallon pot, not the smaller 'trade' one gallon pot used by many nurseries)

Check out our illustrated pot size guide here.

Representative trees & shrubs are photographed in their pots and posted on each plant page.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at The Old Dairy. We grow all of our plants outdoors without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, carbon fuels, or peat.

Many of our perennials are grown in the ground and dug upon order (this is especially true for larger sizes). This practice allows us to grow stronger, healthier plants using native soil, and ultimately reduces our impact on the environment.

Our open-pollinated seeds are collected from plants in our mother beds, which have never been treated with chemicals or sprays of any kind.

Read all about our sustainable practices here.

sweet william seedlingsweet william seedling

view this plant in our garden

Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william | The Cobble Patch 2025

seedling image

Dianthus barbatus, mix | sweet william

We are slowly creating a seedling image library to help make weeding easier.
sweet william seedlingsweet william seedling