Carnations

amazon.co.uk

I received this lovely book recently by post as a surprise gift from my Luxembourg's colleague and friend. Real inspirational source and treat for the eyes. It has seasonal division as well as chapters written on specific sorts of flowers.

amazon.co.uk

One of them is on carnations. Some time ago I was thinking that the beauty of these flowers at least for a Latvian person is totally underestimated due to the Soviet regime as red carnations along with red tulips were symbolic flowers of communism and therefore they tend to bring up this association but when I abstracted myself from this fact and took a proper look at this flower I was amazed by its fineness and beauty. 

The history of this flower heads back more than 2000 years ago when it was given a name "Dianthus" by a Greek botanist and philosopher Theophrastus. The name combines words "dios" and "anthos" meaning God's flower. Carnation has a very impressive history being a flower of countless Renaissance paintings, worn by Oscar Wilde on his lapel and becoming a cult in Edwardian England.

So I guess it is time to give it another chance and have it decorating my dinner table more often.

 

Here are some inspirational photos for flower arrangements with this majestic flower. Apparently carnation is a very popular flower for table arrangements due to its hardiness as well.