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Carnations a Personal Perspective

Having been a BNCS member for more years than I care to remember, I felt the time had come to contribute to the newsletter/yearbook and share my particular interest in dianthus perhaps giving a different slant on the topic. I have a wide interest in amateur gardening; vegetables, fruit, pelargoniums, chrysanthemums, cacti, cymbidiums and fuchsias to name but a few, but for the last 30 years perpetually flowering carnations have held a special place in my heart. The reason I have constantly cultivated these plants is primarily to provide a regular supply of fresh buttonholes to wear.
Buttonholes have sadly fallen from favor in recent years and are now seldom seen other than at weddings. This is a great shame. A buttonhole adds so much to the colour of daily life. People always remember something about you after a casual contact such as big ears or a crooked nose etc.. You might just as well decide what it is going to be! Having decided to wear a flower the question is what? Roses are a nice bloom but not readily available throughout the year. Even fresh blooms will not always survive fresh for a whole day, and when they start to wilt they look terrible. Camellias have certain attractions. The lack of large calyx means that they lie flat on the lapel even with a small buttonhole. But again they are seasonal, lack great colour range and disintegrate disastrously at the end of their lives. Orchids are appealing; again no calyx and they last well. I did think, as I got older, I would switch to orchids. But no; my passion for carnations has only increased. PF’s are the obvious choice as they are available throughout the year. I have dabbled with borders in the past, and hope to again, but despite their great colour range and scent (perhaps sometimes a bit too overpowering in a buttonhole) they are available for such a short period at a time when the PF’s are in full bloom.
PF’s are long lasting blooms lasting several days if needed (longer if kept in a refrigerator over night). They are robust, able to withstand buffeting from wind and snow, and easily transported in a rolled magazine in ones luggage. There is a good colour range enabling more precise colour matching between tie and flower. The large calyx is potentially a problem with a small buttonhole. The solution is to enlarge all lapel buttonholes to 3cm to accommodate the calyx. Thus it is not seen from the front of the lapel.
This leads to a problem with conventional lapel vases. Most fit through the buttonhole with a flange at the front. For carnations I find the solution is to bind a safety pin to the vase with thread and simply pin this to the back of the lapel. Of course the whole question of lapel vases is controversial implying that the wearer is too mean to acquire a new bloom daily. I have no concerns over this having a new flower from my greenhouse each day. In reality for those who work a long day, the blooms wilt in hot weather without water. My favorite vase was given to me many years ago by my Uncle Tom who was a Norfolk farmer.
Regarding cultivation there is nothing particularly special about growing carnations for buttonholes although obviously there is a need to produce blooms for every day of the year, rather than concentrating on show dates. Medium sized blooms are preferable to large ones (they are a bit too ostentatious). Small calyxes are preferable and obviously split calyxes are a problem.
My main interest now is expanding my collection. In the last few years there has been a wonderful increase in varieties with terracotta brown and green extending the colour range. (I am a little wary about green, as Oscar Wilde wore a dyed green carnation). My greatest sadness is losing varieties over the years particularly at times when I had less time to devote to them. Joker a deep red with a small calyx and Green Mist to name but two. And what of the future? There is always the excitement of new catalogues arriving each year. The other day I was “surfing the net” for carnation sites and came across an international breeders site with some spectacular new varieties. I cannot wait till they become available in the UK.
And of course there is the added bonus when growing buttonholes of a vast surplus of blooms simply to use as cut flowers!
James Dennison 27/03/04