Carnations in Culture


8th-6th Centuries BC - Carnations were fi rst notably used by both Ancient Greeks and Romans to make headdresses, ceremonial crowns and perfume.


371-287 BC - Greek botanist Theophrastus gave the name ‘dianthus’ after the Greek words dios (divine) and anthos (fl ower).


1475 – Carnations were depicted by Leonardo da Vinci in his Madonna with the Carnation.


1623 - Carnations were mentioned in Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale: “Of trembling winter, the fairest fl owers o’ the season are our carnations, and streak’d gillyvors.”


17th Century - Carnations featured in prized textiles loomed by Ottoman Turks, who were known for making major developments in culture and art.


1652 - Celebrated botanist Nicholas Culpeper stated in ‘Complete Herbal’ that “[Carnations] are gallant, fi ne, temperate fl owers, of the


nature and under the dominion of Jupiter...they are great strengtheners both of the brain and heart...”


FLOWER IN FOCUS


1975 - The fi rst carnations were imported from Colombia, now one of the world’s largest fl ower exporters.


Mid-19th Century - The term ‘pink’ came into common usage to describe dianthus with fringed (or pinked) petals; hardy growers fl owering once in summer.


1857 - The scented Malmaison carnation originated in France, arriving in Britain in the 1860’s.


1901-1910 - Large, less hardy carnations became very popular in the Edwardian era, often grown in aristocrats’ glasshouses.


1910 - The Allwood Brothers nursery was founded. They became prize-winning dianthus growers, exhibiting at Chelsea just two years later.


1920’s-1930’s - The Allwoods supplied dianthus to Woolworths stores, introducing them to a wider audience.


1960’s-1970’s - Lea Valley, near London, produced a large amount of carnations.


Save the Scent of Malmaison W


e spotted Jim Marshall, the national collection holder of Malmaison


Carnations, at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where he gave two of his fi nest to the Countess of Wessex as she opened an exhibition. Later we caught up with him to fi nd out why he loves these special stems so much… A fl ower steeped in history, the


Malmaison carnation originated in France in 1857 and later arrived in Britain in the 1860’s. They quickly grew in range and popularity and became extremely fashionable in the Edwardian era; an important addition to any high- fl ying aristocrat’s glasshouse. They were adored for their fl amboyant scent – a deep,


distinctive clove-like aroma, and their summer season fl owering meant that their popularity just kept on growing until, at one point, over 25 diff erent cultivars were available. Malmaisons were society’s


favourites until the end of the nineteenth century when they were overtaken by a number of ‘improved’ Perpetual Flowering Carnations. These were brought over from America and spread rapidly as they fl owered in both winter and summer. By the 1930’s these were the dominant glasshouse carnation, taking over from Malmaisons whose superior fragrance and large blooms with split calyxes did not compensate for their comparatively short fl owering period.


Jim Marshall gives carnations to the Countess of Wessex


By the 1940’s Malmaison numbers had rapidly decreased, only being grown by large country houses. Most modern carnation cultivars do not have any scent at all, so Jim is trying to preserve Malmaisons to save these historic, scented blooms from dying out. He told us “The Countess of Wessex was very impressed with the scent of both of the carnations!” Well if they’re good enough for royalty they’re good enough for us!


F&wb Autumn/Winter 2013 11


1982 - British rock band The Jam released a song called ‘Carnation’ as part of their number one selling album The Gift.


2003 - Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw was given a bunch of carnations by her then-boyfriend Jack Berger. Later she states “I think carnations are making a comeback”.


2010 - Celebrity US fl orist Bronson Van Wyck used carnations at an opening party of New York Fashion Week, prompting the editor of a high-end fashion magazine to call them “the chicest thing I’ve ever seen”.


2011 - Carnations adorned designs at Oscar de la Renta’s spring catwalk show in New York.


2013 - Carnations feature as Florist magazine’s Flower in Focus in 2013’s autumn/winter issue.


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