The Nice carnation
Emblem of the city of Nice
Today, I am going to tell you about a flower that I love but which has fallen somewhat out of fashion: the Nice carnation which is one of the emblems of the city of Nice located 30 minutes from our holiday rentals near Nice, www.locations-06.fr.
In the 1950s, the hills around Nice were filled with greenhouses where this pretty flower was growing in abundance. This flower which is characterized by a long dark green stem at the top of which a superb 8cm colorful flower blooms.
In the past, there were many carnations because the climate of the Cote d’Azur is conducive to the development of this flower. Nowadays, this flower that the Italians brought to the Côte d’Azur and which grows from autumn to spring is still found at the famous Saleya market but the real estate pressure on the Nice hills is gradually replacing the greenhouses with villas and buildings.
When we talk about carnations, it’s hard not to think of Daniel Auteuil (Galinette), Yves Montand (le Papet) and Gérard Depardieu (Jean) in Jean de Florette. Ugolin who has only one dream: planting carnations…
Nowadays, greenhouses are more present on the other side of the border towards Bordighera and San Remo. Carnations also come from countries as far away as Colombia.
On the Côte d’Azur, there remain around 150 carnation producers and only one BREEDER, Fernand Lanari in Cagnes sur Mer. A breeder is the one who creates new varieties of carnations (new colors, shapes).
At the end of April in Falicon, the carnation festival is held, a pretty colorful and fragrant festival which smells of tradition.
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I remember as a child that at weddings there were bouquets of carnations and that each guest adorned their jacket with a beautiful white carnation.
This flower, which is found in many colors: red, white, yellow, multicolored pink, etc., has a unique and pleasant scent. I also like carnations because if a bouquet of roses lasts 5 days in a vase, carnations last 3 weeks.
In Nice, carnations are cultivated in particular by the Malaucene family who are one of the last horticulturists. My grandparents: Louise and Odon grew them all their lives and when I see a carnation, it’s them that I think of. Thank you for this culture which is not culture but Our Culture.
