The Latin name is
Dianthus — from the Greek for "divine flower." Zeus's flower. The flower so beautiful it was considered literally godlike. At some point between ancient Greece and the twentieth century, carnations became unfashionable in a very particular way — considered fussy, old-fashioned, the wrong kind of obvious. This was, and is, entirely wrong.
A carnation in full bloom is densely ruffled, richly coloured, and extraordinarily long-lasting — often 2–3 weeks in the vase, longer than a rose. The fragrance of a clove-scented carnation is warm and spiced and complex. There is nothing else quite like it at the price.
Red says deep love and admiration.
Pink carries the oldest meaning of all: a mother's undying love, traced to the story of the Virgin Mary, whose tears became pink carnations where they fell.
White means pure love and the wish for good fortune.
Carnations deserve better than they have been given. We think so, anyway.
Best wishes, James Hunt MD
Any questions about this flower? Email
enquiries@flowersbyflourish.com — we love to talk about flowers.
Best wishes, James Hunt MD
