re: #295 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus
Carnations are a staple of the floriculture industry, because they can be harvested just as the flowers open, and the cut flowers will finish opening (many plants won’t do this - you have to keep the flower on the plant to get it to open.)
Plus the cut flowers last well in the normal household environment.
And they smell. I am not particularly fond the odor, but I also don’t find it objectionable.
Plus they can reproduce like crazy.
The genus Dianthus lends itself well to cultivation, so if you have a garden I recommend them. Come in all sizes, an any shade of magenta (and white.)
You live near a great flower grower. Fred Clarke. He does exotic Orchids and commercial flowers.