Dianthus: foliage in early spring

Dianthus, a genus with species known in English as "pinks", "sweet William", and "carnation", and in French as œillets, includes about 300 species of perennial, annual, and biennial flower plants native mostly to Eurasia, although some are native to north Africa and one to North America.

I was interested to see that this perennial dianthus in a neighbour's garden kept its glaucous foliage through the winter.