Carnation: January Flower of the Month [Sponsored Post]

Congratulations to all of our New Year babies. Your birth flower is the time-honored carnation! It’s probably no surprise that the month that heads-up our modern calendar is also the month that celebrates one of the oldest known to be cultivated and most beloved of all flowers. It is also the flower that has come to symbolize a a mother’s love and named the official flower of Mother’s Day by Anna Jarvis 1907.

Mostly native to the Mediterranean area, its exact range is unknown as it has been in cultivation for over 2,000 years. The carnation, whose formal name Dianthus, is Greek for “heavenly flower,” and for centuries was considered to be heaven sent and worn by both men and women from earliest days to symbolize love, admiration and distinction. In modern times, the carnation remains popular as a boutonnière or corsage.

There are many traditional meanings assigned to the various colors of the flower. These include light red for admiration to dark deep red for deep love and affection. White symbolizes pure love and good luck while pink has come to symbolize a mother’s undying love.

For an exciting yet dramatic look, we prefer tightly wrapped carnations in profusion, and monochromatic. Though not often used in our wedding work, an arrangement of solid white carnations with a rush of winter white branches for a winter wedding would make a striking centerpiece and fit most budgets.

Listen to our chat with Ken from Narcissus Florals & Gifts about Carnations:

This post was created in collaboration with our advertising partner, Narcissus Florals & Gifts. For more great décor ideas or to place your fall flower order, call Narcissus at 732.281.0333 or stop by their beautifully decorated store in the Seacourt Pavilion on Bay Avenue in Toms River. Narcissus is available for wedding and event design. Please call to schedule your free consultation at your convenience.