Dear Rand Lee: Due to your enthusiasm for the genera Dianthus you created another dianthus savant. Last year I collected every dianthus cultivar I could find as well as started a few species from seed. After a winter in a new garden bed the plants are in full glorious bloom. The nicest thing you can say about the lean soil in this new bed is that it drains very well but Dianthus seem to relish in this sunny locaiton. Generally I leave the seedheads on most flowers for winter bird food. It makes me feel that the garden is important to more than just me to see the Chickadees and other small birds eat the seeds during the winter. Will the dianthus seedheads hold through my generally dry open winter? Best, Vicki