What's Old is New Again
Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop.
Today’s focus is on the carnation, which ties in well with January’s gemstone, the garnet.
I have a special memory of carnations. When my husband and I had our first apartment, he would come home every week with half-a-dozen red carnations, put them in glass coke bottles, and place them all around our apartment. Nothing fancy - single stems in recycled bottles - but that simple act created a happy memory that has lasted for years.
The carnation is a very under-appreciated flower. Once a prized favourite among elite society, somewhere along the way carnations fell out of favour. They gained a reputation for being old-fashioned, common and unrefined. But, as tends to be the case, things have come full circle, and what’s old is new again. The carnations of today are quickly becoming a fan favourite. If you’re not on the carnation bandwagon yet, here are five reasons why you should quickly jump onboard:
Layers upon layers of dainty ruffled petals give the carnation a soft, dreamy feeling. Their fragrance is a bit sweet and a bit spicy, yet oh-so subtle.
Carnations are affordable, and affordable is never a bad thing.
Carnations have one of the longest vase lives of any flower, giving you an even bigger bang for your buck.
Carnations are available year round so you never need to be without them.
No longer do carnations come in just the standard old red, white or pink. Growers are cultivating and producing new show-stopping varieties. The new editions come in a wide spectrum of colours and hues that are vibrant and trendy. One of the most popular colour choices during the winter months is a deep, dark burgundy - very reminiscent of a stunning garnet.
Carnations are filled with symbolism. As well as being the flower for the month of January, it’s the flower to celebrate first anniversaries, and the national flower for Monaco, Slovenia and Spain. And let’s not forget about the language of flowers.
In general carnations symbolize admiration/affection, while a pink one symbolizes gratitude/mother’s love, red ones love/passion, and white ones innocence/sweet & lovely.
I hope this helps you look at carnations in a different way, and as January is a great time for new beginnings, how about making this the year you start your love of carnations.
One of my favourite places to find beautiful jewelry - garnet or otherwise - is Maison de Camille . This is a woman-led business, that began during the 2020 Pandemic. Kerri-Lee and her team create meticulously handcrafted pieces in their Vancouver, Canada, workshop.
