Carnations

All have evergreen foliage, often tinged blue-grey, and usually bear fully double flowers. Malmaison carnations have highly fragrant, peony-like flowers, usually in shades of pink, red or white. Border carnations flower in mid-summer with blooms up to 8cm across in white, cream, pink, red, orange and yellow, often with contrasting markings and sometimes scented. Perpetual-flowering carnations have a similar colour range, with larger blooms, and reach up to 1.2m tall – ideal as cut flowers and for exhibition.

Border carnations are hardy and will thrive in well-drained soil in a sunny, open position. Perpetual-flowering carnations are tender, requiring a warm greenhouse or conservatory. Given good light and temperatures above 10°C, they can flower all year round. Malmaison types are also best grown under glass but only flower for a short period in summer, and do not require winter heat. Most carnations benefit from support for their tall stems.

Border carnations will not thrive on very wet or very dry soils and will flower poorly in shade. If grown outside, perpetual-flowering and Malmaison carnations will struggle through the cold and wet of a UK winter.

Carnations grow wild around the Mediterranean and are one of our oldest cultivated flowers, dating back to Greek and Roman times. They were particularly popular from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries, but many varieties are now lost. However, some are maintained by enthusiasts, and specialist nurseries occasionally offer plants for sale by mail order or at shows.