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Before I was married I spent a fair amount of time staring at the telephone. I'm not proud of it, but since the dawn of the telephone millions of single women have done the same. Today they check their cell phones endlessly, but in the corded, landline days of the 80s and 90s, I would simply pull up a chair and wait. Periodically I would pick up the receiver to check for a dial tone. Pathetic.  I like to think that I have matured since then and gained a modicum of self-respect. However, for the past few weeks I have found myself staring obsessively at two conspicuous bare spots in my garden, hoping that Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack' will call me. Several times a day I make a thorough examination of the dirt, looking for anything new that may have poked up out of the ground in the 3 or 4 hours since I last checked. I know. Pathetic.  Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack.' I planted 'Heart Attack' early last spring and fell madly in love with its deep red blooms. Everything seemed to be going fine and I was looking forward to years of happiness. Of course I knew that most Dianthus barbartus were biennial, but 'Heart Attack' (named by the famously offbeat Tony Avent of Plant Delights) was supposed to be a perennial. Tony says it comes back bigger and better each year. I have no doubt that it does - for him.  Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack' in its awkward phase. However, over in my yard, things were going downhill fast. By August, 'Heart Attack' was a shriveled up bundle of sticks. I cut away the dead stems and let the ruminations commence. What had I done wrong? Maybe nothing. It might have just gone dormant in the heat. Plenty of spring bloomers do that in North Carolina, so why not this? Bad sign - it's nearly April now. If it intends to bloom in May it had better hurry up and get out of the ground. Maybe I'm deluded. Maybe it's never coming back. Then again, it's been very cold this winter. It might just be behind schedule.
Call me? Please?
35 Comments
Margaret Portsmouth Adams
3/27/2014 10:55:43 am
I love all your writings but this is one of my favorites! I can identify with ALL of it! Don't worry...he'll call. Xo Margaret 3/27/2014 02:15:41 pm
Thank you! I'm not so sure he'll call, though. It looks as if he may have skipped town. That deep red Heart Attack dianthus got my interest too (the photo of it is gorgeous), but I never did get one. Now you have me worrying about yours and sitting by my laptop waiting for a blog update from your garden to show it lives. How I hope it is not gone . . . 3/27/2014 02:22:45 pm
I hope so too, but I am increasingly pessimistic. Unlikely that phlox, sedum, and even my vernonia would be up already and a spring bloomer would not. And to give credit where credit is due, Ron took that gorgeous photo of 'Heart Attack," 3/27/2014 12:30:34 pm
Hmmm....I wonder if 'Heart Attack' is the love 'em and leave 'em type? Do you have any other dianthus up? What about other gardeners in your area? Is it up at the Plant Delights Garden? But he could just be a coy little tease who's playing with you. I'd keep an eye on him! 3/27/2014 02:24:39 pm
'Heart Attack' is my one and only dianthus (or should I say, WAS my one and only). Plant Delights is open only during its open house weekends so I can't check, but it's probably humming along just fine. I may be forced to recognize that it's just not that into to me. 3/27/2014 03:42:33 pm
I wonder if it's exhibiting its biennial pattern, and perhaps it will sprout and grow later in the season or next spring? Biennials are vexing--sometimes just when you think they're gone forever, up they pop out of nowhere.That's happened for me with Hollyhocks sometimes, but I think mine are gone for good now. I think I'll have to plant some new seeds. That is a beautiful Dianthus. 3/28/2014 04:15:04 am
I was thinking the same thing - that it may just be exhibiting its biennial traits and it may come back when I least expect it. It's possible, I suppose. I am not an expert at all on biennials - in fact, I usually steer clear of them for precisely this reason. Live and learn! 3/28/2014 04:16:49 am
My poor plant didn't really have a heart attack - rather, it had a kind of slow, wasting decline. But Slow Wasting Decline is not as catchy a name for a plant. I've seen Sooty and admired it. It's a bit darker than Heart Attack but also very striking.
Anne Himmelfarb
3/28/2014 06:05:27 am
Sarah, if your dianthus could talk, it would say, "It's not you, it's me." Not sure that is much consolation. 3/29/2014 02:05:56 am
I'm the opposite of you. I received Dianthus Heart Attack as a bonus plant with an order I placed last spring. I planted it, but the tag got lost, so now I can't even remember where to look for it. 3/29/2014 08:33:35 am
I remember that you once had 'Heart Attack' but I think I recall your saying that the voles may have gotten it. Is that possible? In any case, I have heard very good things about Firewitch. Supposedly it's one of the best Dianthus for the south. It's beautiful, but the Dianthus barbatus has a totally different look that for some reason I just love. It's not necessarily better - just different. Although if it dies after one year, then I suppose it's not only not better, it's worse. 3/29/2014 02:56:40 pm
Actually, that does make me feel a little better, since you are a far better gardener than I am. But if it's not a perennial and it's not a biennial, does that mean it's just a very overpriced,overhyped annual? For every single woman staring at the phone waiting for it to ring, there was most likely a single guy trying to overcome the temporary paralysis that was preventing him from picking up the receiver. Youth is wasted on the young, as they say. As for Dianthus, 'Heart Attack' is a charmer but I have no experience with this plant. I have had plants disappear on me but also pop up after being assumed dead. 3/30/2014 05:11:54 am
I'm sure that is true, but of course that is something that you only realize in retrospect, when it no longer affects you. It would never occurs to the poor wretch waiting for the phone to ring. As for Heart Attack, it's possible that it has self-seeded and will reappear magically at some point. But I was hoping for perennial predictability, not random self-seeding. 3/30/2014 01:27:25 pm
I have seen photos of this plant, and it is beautiful; but I am afraid that it has left you broken-hearted. Time to move on! There are many more beauties in the garden center. Unless you want to buy another one and try again... 3/31/2014 01:56:54 pm
There is only one way to deal with these lotharios. Treat him rough. Turn your back on him and never let him know you care. Your posts attract a comedic group of readers and it is always fun to read the comments as well as your post. I think we have all had to deal with heartbreak of the "Heart Attack" kind. The brown remnants of last year's plant aren't looking very promising. Still you never know. Love often has a way of surprising you. 4/7/2014 02:25:18 am
There is still on sign of Heart Attack, although I do have some weird looking bulb-like foliage growing nearby that I cannot for the life of me remember planting. I guess when one door closes another one opens, right? 4/9/2014 03:17:41 pm
Oh, I just hate that waiting game! I have a plant that I'm not sure if it's dead or dormant, but I went ahead and planted something else on top of it. Now I'm worried that the former plant will begin to grow again! Two plants growing in the same place - I guess that would be like the very old days of the party line! ;0 4/10/2014 06:11:47 am
Funny! It will be a cacophony of plants - or a great new combo that will put you on the map for good! Oh no! I have killed several plants from Plant Delights in my time. Tony Avent himself says that he has to kill a plant at least three times before he gives up on growing it, right? Thankfully I have also hit upon a few winners (which is good, since those plants are expensive!) I hope your dianthus has just forgotten the time and will get around to calling... 4/11/2014 03:13:15 am
I think my death rate from PDN is well over 50%. I suspect it's because I usually shop there only when I am pushing the envelope and trying kooky things that I probably shouldn't attempt. I know that expression of Tony's - but I prefer not to kill something three times. Way too expensive. As for 'Heart Attack,' it is definitely gone for now. Perhaps a stray seeding will re-emerge later, but as far as I'm concerned, it's over! 4/20/2014 06:36:57 am
Brrp brrp ... call for Galloping Horse Garden ! 4/20/2014 02:11:13 pm
That is so true. And don't forget pulling out new shoots thinking they are weeds. As it is, there is no sign of Heart Attack. I think he's gone for good. 4/28/2014 01:47:02 am
Dianthus is a fickle plant. Maybe you could find seeds of 'Heart Attack' and try again. 4/28/2014 05:43:30 am
Thanks for reading and commenting! You're right that dianthus is fickle, which is one of the reasons I've steered clear of it. But this one was supposed to be different. Alas, it wasn't! 7/17/2014 10:43:38 am
I am sorry you had such bad luck with this. Some plants are just plain ungrateful! Don't give up on sweet Wiliams though. Have you tried the newish 'Noverna' dianthus. They are really good plants that can be grown as annuals and I know they are usually available as mixes and will not be the same as your 'Heart Attack' but I am sure they won't leave you with a broken heart! Great blog :) 7/18/2014 02:42:22 am
I will definitely look into Noverna. I have no objection to annual dianthus, or annuals in general. It's just that if I get something because it's supposed to be perennial, it would be nice if it actually were. More important, though - thanks for reading and commenting. I am wowed that a real-live (you know, published!) garden writer has read my blog. You made my day, so thanks! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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AuthorThe Galloping Horse Gardener is a native New Yorker who packed it in in 2005 to live under the radar in Cary, North Carolina. In 2014, she removed to a new secure location somewhere in Raleigh. Archives
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