Decorative ornaments in the cottage garden and at the debutantes' ball
Number of seeds: 100 / Botanical name: Matthiola incana
Stocks were prized for their exceptional aroma even in antiquity. In the 18th century, they were a must-have in every debutante's bouquet, and young suitors would tuck one of the fragrant blossoms into their buttonhole before dancing. Stocks develop a strong taproot, from which grows an upright, laterally branching main stem. The flowers appear successively from June to September on long panicles, from the bottom up. Their fragrance is most intense in the evening and is reminiscent of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Natural habitat: Stocks are originally from southwestern Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, and the Canary Islands.
