Carnation
Chabaud Mixed
“Forget what you think you know about carnations. The old-fashioned, clove-scented varieties are beautiful, long-lasting, and absurdly good value.”
— ROSIE
Rosie's Take
The carnation is criminally underrated. I think it's because most people only know the sad, dyed ones from petrol station forecourts — those stiff, over-processed things in colours that don't exist in nature. But a proper carnation, a 'Chabaud' type especially, is a completely different flower.
These are the old-fashioned kind — ruffled, clove-scented, with that lovely fringed edge to each petal. 'Chabaud Mixed' gives you this wonderful range of colours from deep crimson through to pale pink, white, and sometimes a beautiful striped bi-colour that looks hand-painted.
The scent is the thing. That warm, spicy, clove fragrance that proper carnations have is one of the most underappreciated things in the flower world. Hold one up to your nose and you'll wonder why you ever dismissed them.
They last an absolute age in the vase too — easily a fortnight if you look after them — which makes them ridiculously good value. I keep a bunch on my desk almost permanently through the colder months when there's not much else around. They're reliable, they're beautiful, and they deserve so much more respect than they get.
Where to Buy
If you want to try carnation for yourself, here's where I'd point you:
“123 Flowers do a lovely mixed carnation bunch that's brilliant for the price — I buy them for my desk all through winter.”
Order This Flower →“Clare Florist's carnation bunches are a step up — slightly better stems, and they often include some lovely colour mixes.”
Order This Flower →✿ From the folklore cabinet
Carnations have been cultivated for over two thousand years — the ancient Greeks called them 'dianthus,' meaning 'flower of the gods.' Legend has it they first bloomed where the Virgin Mary's tears fell, which is why they became the traditional flower for Mother's Day. I just love them because they smell like Christmas.
