Dianthus Perennial
No matter how advanced we get with our technological developments, we still keep going back to nature in order to have a healthy, happy life. In fact, there is a tendency now to revert to nature in our lifestyle, as well as an increasing awareness on the damage we are doing to nature and to our planet.
Nevertheless, there are some aspects of nature that we’ve always given importance to. And flowers are some of the most important ones. We have used them as decoration and as an expression of our feelings and emotions, like love, respect and grief.
Dianthus Perennials are among the longest known flowers there are. In fact, the word “pink” might have its origins on the Dianthus Perennial, due to the particular form of the frilled edge of the Dianthus Perennial. The verb “to pink”, which some people believe comes from the German “pinken” means “to decorate with a perforated pattern,” and later became synonym with the color.
In fact, many species of Dianthus Perennials have the word “pink” in their common names, such as the Alpine Pink, the Deptford Pink, the China Pink, the Carthusian Pink, and the Clove Pink, also known as the Carnation. Some florists even refer to the group of species that form the Dianthus Perennial as “pinks,” because of their natural pink or purplish color.
Nevertheless, growers of Dianthus Perennials have been able to develop variations of the flower in several colors, including white, red, blue, and green. These variations are preferred by those who want something new and original or that like Dianthus Perennials, but need a different color that matches their gardens or homes better. On the other hand, more traditional people prefer them pink, and consider the other colors too extreme.
Although the association of the word “dianthus” and the word “pink” is not yet confirmed, the origins of the word Dianthus Perennial are. Dianthus comes from the Greek word “dios,” which means God, and the word “anthos,” which means “flower.” Perennial is a plant that lives for at least two seasons, as opposed to annual plants, which only live one at most; however, perennial is also a definition for something constant or long-lasting. Thus, Dianthus Perennial means “an ever lasting flower of the gods.” In addition, the fact that the name of the flower has Greek origins tells us how long these flowers have been known and appreciated.
Finally, it is believed that the flower originated in the Mediterranean area, but because of the extensive use of it during for centuries, the exact location of its origin is unknown.
