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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fashionable flowers

Carnations often play second fiddle to roses, especially on Valentine's Day, but the sturdy and inexpensive flower looks classy when the stems are bundled tightly and the color scheme is simple.For 
 (MEGAN COOLEY For / The Spokesman-Review)

Carnations are hot.

Ever since Carrie Bradshaw, the trendsetting character on “Sex in the City,” declared carnations her favorite flower, they’ve been popping up in expected places, from the pages of shelter magazines to bridal bouquets.

As an added bonus, carnations are inexpensive, sturdy and long lasting.

The trick to making the flower look richer than its price tag is to bundle the stems tightly and forgo the baby’s breath and feathery green filler that often is sold along with them.

Also, buy as many carnations as you can afford. The arrangement shown here contains about three dozen stems and it’s only about 10 inches in diameter.

Build a bouquet

Making this bouquet is easy, and it will show your sweetheart that you’re more fashionable and frugal than those who pay top dollar for roses this Valentine’s Day.

Color counts

The first step is to choose a simple color scheme, such as this pink and orange arrangement. For a rich look, the hues shouldn’t be too far away from each other on the color wheel. Consider the following color combinations: white and pale green, red and hot pink or yellow and orange. Or, go for a monochromatic look.

A bouquet of high-contrast colors, such as red and white, might look more like a high school homecoming corsage than a striking centerpiece.

A beautiful bundle

Remove most of the leaves from the stems. Bundle the carnations so the flowers create a nearly flat surface—no one stem should protrude much higher than the others. This gives the effect of a carpet of carnations and makes the petals look like delicate tissue paper.

Secure the bundle together with floral tape, then cut the stems to the appropriate length for your vase. The flowers should sit just above the mouth of the vase, so you might be cutting the stems quite short.

Fill the vase with a couple inches of water, then wait for the surprised looks when you tell people your lovely arrangement is made with carnations.