Favored Flowers

DIVCultural history of the flower trade in New York City and the transformation of the cut-flower industry into a global commodity system./div

This rich treasury of 253 high-quality, black-and-white illustrations encompasses a profusion of tropical blooms, garden flowers, house plants, roses, orchids, wildflowers, and many other popular florals.

Billions of fresh-cut flowers are flown into the United States every year, allowing Americans to choose from a broad array of blooms regardless of the season. Favored Flowers is a lively investigation of the worldwide production and distribution of fresh-cut flowers and their consumption in the New York metropolitan area. In an ethnography filled with roses, orchids, and gerberas, flower auctions, new hybrids, and new logistical systems, Catherine Ziegler unravels the economic and cultural strands of the global flower market. She provides an historical overview of the development of the cut flower industry in New York from the late nineteenth century to 1970, and on to its ultimate transformation from a domestic to a global industry. As she points out, cut flowers serve no utilitarian purpose; rather, they signal consumers’ social and cultural decisions about expressing love, mourning, status, and identity. Ziegler shows how consumer behavior and choices have changed over time and how they are shaped by the media, by the types of available flowers, and by flower retailing. Ziegler interviewed more than 250 people as she followed flowers along the full length of the commodity chain, from cuttings in Europe and Latin America to vases in and around New York. She examines the daily experiences of flower growers in the Netherlands and Ecuador, two leading exporters of flowers to the United States. Primary focus, though, is on others in the commodity chain: exporters, importers, wholesalers, and retailers. She follows their activities as they respond to changing competition, supply, and consumer behavior in a market characterized by risk, volatility, and imperfect knowledge. By tracing changes in the wholesale and retail systems, she shows the recent development of two complementary commodity chains in New York and the United States generally. One leads to a high-end luxury market served by specialty florists and designers, and the other to a lower-priced mass market served by chain groceries, corner delis, and retail superstores.

The Art of Wearable Flowers reveals the secrets to creating gorgeous floral accessories that you can wear. This guide book provides how-tos for 40 floral wearables, including an eye-catching succulent ring, gorgeous hyacinth hoop earrings, a fabulous petal necklace, and a luxurious headpiece, plus bracelets, corsages, headbands, and more. ,br>Renowned floral artist Susan McLeary shares this stunning collection of 40 flower- and plant-based designs that you can try out for yourself. • Each project includes an ingredients list, styling tips, and easy-to-follow instructions paired with step-by-step photographs. • This flower arrangement books gets the ultimate makeover to elevate every outfit with natural beauty • Filled with essential information on tools, design techniques, and plant care, making it easy to create these remarkable arrangements at home Featuring hundreds of inspiring photographs presented in a beautifully designed book, The Art of Wearable Flowers is a must-have accessory for any modern woman. Susan McLeary's expertise in styling flowers—combined with breathtaking photos of her signature arrangements—makes this a wonderful gift for the florist-frequenter. • Not your average flower book, this book is for anyone who wants to make a show-stopping appearance at a wedding, birthday party, or any special occasion • Great for brides (and as a bridal shower gift!), florists, crafters, flower gardeners, and flower stylists • Perfect those who loved Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell, The Flower Recipe Book by Alethea Harampolis, Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar, and The Flower Chef by Carly Cylinder

Add floral flair to stationery, gift packages, other flat surfaces with 19 realistic flower stickers: snapdragon, rose, iris, tulip, geranium, carnation, pansy, sunflower, 11 more.