Sweetly fragrant, colorful plants are star garden performers! Alluring, pastel shades of tiny flowers are massed on low, compact mounds. Fanciful along the front of your flowerbed, on the edge of a border, here and there in a rock garden, or in containers. The mild-clove-flavored petals make a colorful garnish to salads, desserts, and cold drinks. (The flower's central disk, while edible, can be bitter.)

Family: Brassicaceae

Native: Mediterranean region

Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 5 and warmer; often grown as an annual as it gets leggy in its second year.

Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Bloom Period: Spring to frost

Plant Dimensions: 3"–4" tall, 6"–12" wide

Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Good for Containers, Heat Tolerant

When to Sow Outside: 1 to 2 weeks before your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 60°–85°F. Mild Climates: Fall sowing for winter bloom is recommended.

When to Start Inside: 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date.

Days to Emerge: 5–15 days

Seed Depth: Press into surface

Seed Spacing: A pinch of 20–30 seeds every 6"

Thinning: Not required