Dianthus
Carnation
“fascination and distinction”
One of the oldest cultivated flowers, the carnation has been grown for over two thousand years; its botanical name, Dianthus, comes from the Greek for 'flower of the gods'. In floriography it stands for fascination and distinction, with pink carnations long tied to a mother's enduring love. Known in Tudor England as the clove-scented gillyflower, it has shed its filler-flower reputation and returned to favour as a ruffled, antique-toned beauty in its own right.
In season, and in the studio
Carnation is in season all year round, so it is in the studio this month. In the studio's bunches it is a secondary flower, the supporting cast that gives a bunch its shape and rhythm around the focal stem. The studio buys it in antique pink, cream and terracotta, and at the bench each colour is read for its own meaning.
What each colour says
- Antique pinka mother's enduring love and gratitude
- Creampure, gentle affection
- Terracottawarm, earthy admiration
Right for
Arranges beautifully with
Pairings follow the florist's rule: one voice leads and the others frame it (focal, secondary, texture, green).