Pinks or Dianthus

Years ago, a friend of mine offered me a start off of her pinks, and of course, with me being the flower lover that I am, I said I'd take it.When I stopped by her home that evening to get the flower starts,I was shocked to see that she had a bushel basket full of the flowers for me. When I got home with the flowers, I dumped the basket out, with the intention of planting them,and you will not believe the flowers that were in that basket. They were rolled up like a roll of carpet,and packed tightly in the basket.If I had planted them in a row, in tact, the way they were, I would have had a 25 foot row.I  never dreamed of getting that many flower starts.It took me awhile, but I divided the flowers,gave several away to other friends, and planted the rest around the yard in different locations.That has been nearly 20 years or so ago, so with all the digging,transplanting,and rearranging I have done in my flower beds ,not to mention transplanting over the top of things,they have decreased in number quite a bit, but a few have survived.They are a hardy plant, but they prefer to be left alone to their own devices,and then they will fill out and make a wonderful ground cover,but that has not happened in my yard.