Carnation

Botanical

by Twigs Way

Carnations permeate our culture from the wedding bed to the funeral wreath. Derided in Shakespeare as ‘nature’s bastards’, they challenged the tulip as the florist’s favourite flower, and went on to give their blessing to both a military coup and a Soho night club. Spanning the world from the gardens of the Ottoman Empire to the Mothers’ Day traditions of America via Chinese medicines and French empresses, Carnation is the first book to tell the cultural history of this hugely important flower.Twigs Way traces the trials and tribulations of early breeders, the florists’ fascination with striped and spotted varieties, delightful names such as the ‘Lustie Gallant’ and the ‘Bleeding Swain’, and the symbolism of the red, white and even the green carnation, which was made famous by Oscar Wilde. Those who appreciate the carnation’s glorious scent, both sensuous and soothing, will delight in the knowledge that the carnation can heal body and mind, used by herbalists in Europe and China. As it ranges from the traditions of the medieval marriage bed to Renaissance paintings of the Madonna and Child, this lavishly illustrated book will entertain anyone with an interest in history, art or culture. It is full of unexpected delights that will charm the mind and invigorate the senses – just like the carnation itself.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2017

Reviews

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a soft spot in my heart for carnations. A large amount of my childhood was spent in various funeral homes and cemeteries in the Chicagoland area. The viewing room always smelled like carnations. They have a strong fragrance. Whenever I smell them I am instantaneously brought back to the safety and security of my deceased loved ones.

This book and the whole set of books are spectacular. They are full of history and lots of fun reading.