The pink has been a quintessential cottage garden plant for centuries, grown for its clove fragrance and pretty flowers. It was known as the pink due to the ragged edges on the petals and we still use ‘pinking’ shears for cutting pinked edges today. The word pink didn’t refer to a colour until the 17th century however, and the original shade was yellow-green. In gardeners’ eyes the term pink and carnation have always been confused. However carnations have always been grander than pinks, with thicker, foliage which tends to curl up at the tips and fuller, bigger flowers. They are not as hardy though as pinks, which are typified by their needle-like leaves and simpler flowers. Dianthus translates as flower of Jove or Zeus and Carnation is said to be a derivation of coronation as these flowers were often used in flower garlands. They became a florist’s flower exhibited for cash prizes, in the days when florist meant flower breeder and not seller.

Oxford was a noted area for pinks and carnations apparently, but the most famous of all was Paisley in Scotland. The workers at Coats Cotton factory founded their own society in 1782 and began to specialise in laced pinks, then known as Scotch pinks. As the area became more industrial, the air became sooty and the pinks succumbed and disappeared, some 3,000 named varieties. Pinks need clean air and an open, well-drained site. Perhaps the most important person though was Montague Allwood because he united the pink and perpetually flowering carnation producing a range of long-flowering dianthus known as Dianthus x allwoodii. His most famous was ‘Doris’ raised in 1945, on his nursery in Sussex. Allwood Brothers was founded in 1910 and just two years later the nursery exhibited at the International Horticultural Exhibition held at The Royal Hospital, Chelsea — the forerunner of Chelsea Flower Show. Montagu Allwood was a superstar in his day, known as much for his cheeky sense of humour as for his floral displays. Mont (as he was called by friends) always managed to present the Queen with a small posy, and buttonholes were sent for the male members of the Royal family. When Chelsea’s heavy canvas marquee blocked out too much light, leading to a complete loss of fragrance on the stand, he invented a carnation scent for the staff to wear. It proved very popular with the public.

However his biggest coup was a deal to supply potted pinks to Woolworths stores in the 1920s and ’30s. This introduced his pinks to a wider audience.

However my all-time favourite pink is ‘Gran’s Favourite’, pictured above, because it flowers for so long. It was raised by Mrs Desmond Underwood of Ramparts Nursery in Colchester, Essex, in 1966. The white base is heavily laced in maroon and pink (rather like a Paisley pink) and the flowers appear all summer long.

A friend came, looking for advice on making a silver border, and admired this pink which grows by the porch in full sun. I lent her my battered copy of Grey and Silver Plants (1971) by a Mrs Desmond Underwood: it was only then that the penny dropped!