CHOMLEY FARRAN
Up until a few hours ago, I had few clues about the true story of Chomley Farran. His name makes him sound like one of Jane Austin’s more picturesque characters. I can easily imagine him as an eccentric English gentleman of the early nineteenth century, with an independent fortune and a passion for breeding carnations. He might even have been one of those ubiquitous Church of England curates whose devotion to horticulture was equal to, or possibly greater than his devotion to the church.
The above is almost certainly far from the truth, but Chomley Farran’s lasting claim to fame is the striking carnation or Dianthus caryophyllus named after him. ‘Chomley’ the flower, has the typical ruffled carnation form, but its real allure is in its colors. The 2.5 inch blooms are bi-colored–rose pink with flashy purple stripes and swirls. It is probably not to everyone’s taste, but I find it eye-catching and lovely.
As always, the catalogs and reference sources are at war with each other when it comes to descriptions. One catalog describes ‘Chomley Farran’ as one of the few surviving examples of a carnation type called “Bizarres” in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Denise Wiles Adams, in her definitive book, “Restoring American Gardens,” describes “Bizarres” as having “at least three colors”¦variegated in irregular stripes and spots.” ‘Chomley,’ has only two colors and large stripes, making it a “Flake” according to Ms. Adams’ criteria.
The style may be hundreds of years old, but after some intensive computer searching, I found a post, authored by a Ms. Georgina Farran, in the chat room of an Irish gardening website. Ms. Farran, of Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford on Avon, referred to Chomley Farran as “my father’s creation.” This would mean the ‘Chomley’ is a twentieth century masterpiece, rather than the nineteenth century work of horticultural art that I imagined.
No matter what its origins, ‘Chomley’s’ patterned petals make it a relic of an earlier time, when hundreds of carnation varieties were available in England, America and elsewhere. Now we are down to a handful, which means, perhaps, that garden carnations are ready for a renaissance. I will get in on the ground floor of this new vogue by installing Chomley in my garden a few months from now.
Garden carnations are short-lived perennials, hardy in USDA Zones 6 through 10. The stems can grow as tall as 3 feet, though ‘Chomley’ tops out at about a foot. The stems are erect, they tend to arch and some sources suggest growing carnations in hanging baskets. In the garden they might need staking or other means of corralling. The blue-green leaves are long, narrow and attractive in their own right. Like other members of the dianthus family, carnations like sun and well-drained soil. In my heavy clay, this will call for amendment with compost and/or sand. ‘Chomley’ is a great beauty–at least in my eyes–and I have no intention of letting it die in my garden for want of additional organic material.
Carnations are of ancient lineage. Liberty Hyde Bailey, Cornell professor and one of the patron saints of American horticulture, suggests that the caryophyllus species is native to the Mediterranean region. The flowers were used in ceremonies in ancient Greece. Considering the number of florists’ carnation buttonholes in evidence at various weddings, funerals and other ceremonial events; it appears that this tradition has only grown with the advance of Western culture and the centuries.
At different times and places, carnations have been known by evocative names like “sops-in-wine,” “gillyflowers” and clove pinks. Gillyflowers were mentioned by both Chaucer and Shakespeare. Sixteenth century herbalist John Gerard described them in his “Herbal,” and spoke of their therapeutic use, saying, “The conserve made of the flowers of the Clove Gillyflower and sugar, is exceedingly cordial, and wonderfully above measure doth comfort the heart, being eaten now and then.”
I think that ‘Chomley Farran’ will comfort my heart by simply blooming in my garden.
Though ‘Chomley’ is technically hardy in my USDA Zone 6 garden, I can’t help but notice that most authorities remark about its short-lived nature or recommend using it as an annual. It is easily propagated from cuttings, which should be taken in the fall and overwintered in a cool greenhouse or other marginally heated place. Due to the cruel but unavoidable fact that I have not yet won the lottery, I don’t have a cool greenhouse. However, I may find some other suitable location and try that with ‘Chomley’ next fall.
Though the real Chomley Farran may have been a work-a-day twentieth century plant breeder, his archetypal English name could inspire endless stories. In addition to being a Jane Austin character, he might have wandered through history and literature as a gambling buddy of Beau Brummell, a confidant of Baroness Orczy’s Scarlet Pimpernel or a member of Oscar Wilde’s inner circle. He might have visited Sherlock Holmes seeking help with a perplexing mystery or been friendly with Lady Margot Metroland, the 1920’s-era socialite of Evelyn Waugh’s “Vile Bodies.” He might even have run into Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot during a long, homicide-laced trip on the Orient Express.
These days you can find ‘Chomley Farran’ in several different catalogs and online vendors’ sites. Try Annie’s Annuals, 801 Chesley Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801; (888) 266-4370; www.anniesannuals.com. Free catalog.