I've written about carnations before; but here's the thing: their family, dianthus, has many members worth a second look. The biggest feature is they're available in a wide range of colors, and they last a very long time. I'm looking at a fucshia bunch right now-- it has a large bloomhead, so you don't need a whole lot to make an impact, plus the florets are just happy looking-- the color is rich and saturated. This time of year the stem is medium length, so you can make reasonable sized arrangements, and as always, you can trim them down. It's tough to make them longer, so cut carefully. The fall and winter holidays are just around the corner; and while many of us have expectations of and feel the obligation of the perfectly decorated home, the best meal, the most, greatest presents, try to set your own course. If purple is your very favorite color, give yourself permission to use purple lights, ribbons, ornaments and flowers to decorate. YOU are the final judge of whether your design is "holiday" or not. And give yourself a nudge to look at standard flowers in a new way, and create a new- fangled arrangement with what's readily available to you. Then relax, and have fun.

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