The colour of pink and other stories.

My mother loved a 'pink' and I can remember her picking them and holding them under my nose to inhale the sweet spicy scent.  It is a smell that will always be associated with hot summer days. A happy smell.  The ones I remember don't look much like my sweet williams, but they are related.  I remember the pale green, sage coloured leaves and that the flowers were less clustered. This memory might explain my current obsession with Dianthus barbatus, commonly known as Sweet William. Dianthus family is quite big, but they all look fairly similar when you look carefully.  Which I have been doing!

 

This picture below is a dried Sweet william floret that I pressed last summer.  Next to it is a dried pink of some sort that I found recently whilst clearing my mother's house.  It was one she dried about 30 years ago. The shape is still there but the flower has faded.

 

 There are many flowers in this family, including carnations.   Deptford pink, alpine pink, cheddar pink, 'doris'  - which I think is the one that I remember.  This google image link will show you how many they are and how familiar they look.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dianthus+doris&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=856&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCYQsARqFQoTCP346vuZh8YCFYNG2wodhhwArQ#tbm=isch&q=dianthus+


Pink actually refers to the crimped edges of the flowers. (pinking shears) and only became known as a colour in the 17th century, so there is an interesting fact.  Barbie wouldn't have stood a chance before Dianthus came along.

Here are some drawing I have been working on.  Recognise the one on the right?  You can come and see these drawings and things at my open studios.  My house July 4th/5th and 6th.  Further details will follow.