Cottage Pinks

摘要

A drift of sweetly scented cottage pinks is one of the pleasures of early summer. Cousins to carnations (Diantbus caryophyllus) and sweet Williams (D. barbcr tus), cottage pinks were treasured by our grandparents for their tidy cushions of pointed, blue-green leaves topped by masses of spicy, clove-scented blossoms. Cottage pinks are not just pink; hues range from white to deepest burgundy, often with "eyes," streaks, or edgings of contrasting color. In Britain, pinks have been bred since the early 17th century, and hundreds of cultivars may still be found. In America, they have fallen rather out of fashion, and the pinks usually found in garden centers are the scentless spawn of the China pink (D. cbinensis).