Plant ID please

Mortal

I've seen some with pink, and some with red, flat clusters of flowers, but I have no idea what it is, do you?

gardenroute

Looks a lot like a sweet william - google dianthus barbatus for an image. Tends to set seed around a garden but will not be invasive.

ds1980

not very good at identification but going to stick my neck out and say definitely not the above........no idea myself though!??!

gardenroute

ouch! just had a look on alamy .com to check. Type in sweet william and click on 4th image from left top row. I can't post links or photos.

Money_maker

Not Monarda (bergamot) is it?

stumpycat

I was thinking Bergamot as well... if you crush the leaves, do they have a strong smell?

SallyForth_2

gardenroute wrote: »

Looks a lot like a sweet william - google dianthus barbatus for an image. Tends to set seed around a garden but will not be invasive.

After having a google around, I agree, although there are not many pictures of one before it flowers. The OP description of the flowers fits as well.

westiea

gardenroute wrote: »

ouch! just had a look on alamy .com to check. Type in sweet william and click on 4th image from left top row. I can't post links or photos.

Cannot be Monarda - leaves are not veined - certainly looks like Sweet William.

serena

I'd go for Sweet William as well.

Look at the stems. Are there knobbly joints? LIke you find with pinks and carnations? That would definitely indicate a dianthus family member.
A monarda won't have those. Monardas also tend to be quite tall, and sweet williams are rarely more than 18" 2ft.

stumpycat

I like the Sweet Williams, I haven't come across them before, so will add them to my 'plants to get' list!

ds1980

ha just seen that told you i wasnt very good, dont look anything like my sweet williams though?!?!?