CARNATIONS ARE COOL AGAIN
As in fashion, flowers are subject to the whims of popular favor. Thus, carnations — that economical grocery-store staple not known for a trendy following — are due for a modern moment in the sun.
Carnations can actually be quite cool, explains Farmgirl Flowers founder Christina Stembel, who has included carnations in all of the company’s Valentine’s Day bouquets for the first time.
“When I started Farmgirl, I thought they were tacky, just horrible,” she remembers. But after visiting flower farms, Stembel learned that although they are a flower people say they don’t want, they are naturally quite beautiful, with a high petal count (just like popular peonies) and a long vase life. Meanwhile, their original muted colors resemble the coveted David Austin Juliet roses — albeit with a wholesale difference of $2.50 per stem.
That, plus a naturally spicy fragrance, were all the convincing she needed to come around to carnations. Still, she began by referring to them by their scientific genus name, Dianthus, to escape the stigma from clients. But after a few well-received posts on social media, she’s coming clean. There is no shame in loving carnations, Stembel says.
She advises sticking with a muted palette to look more sophisticated, or pairing a dark red with burgundy.
“I think what your mom likes, you typically don’t, because you want to be cooler and hipper,” Stembel says. “But I said I wouldn’t wear mom jeans, and I’m sitting here with high-waisted jeans on.”
Bouquets start at $48, https://farmgirlflowers.com.