Each year, the All-American Rose Selections announces the winners of its rose competition. The plants are judged on fifteen criteria, and are grown in test gardens throughout the country for several years.

Though Christmas is barely over, garden centers and nurseries are hard at work planning for next year. For 2005, a number of delightful new roses are being introduced. With a few exceptions such as the miniature roses, these are suitable for cut flowers.

I may not care for Christmas trees, but all the myriad kinds of poinsettias never fail to amaze me. These make great cut flowers.

Apart from the Christmas tree and other seasonal decorations, there are all sorts of suitable floral design ideas for the holidays.

Holiday gifts need not be expensive in order to be meaingful.

To help prevent consumers from running up needless debt, credit counseling agencies are holding holiday workshops on holiday spending. For flower lovers, gifts need not be expensive. Books and related items are very affordable.

I know people that spend days doing their Christmas shopping. That isn´t really necessary if you have flower lovers on your holiday shopping list.

Halloween and Christmas are the major holidays for decorations. As a result, floral designers often have little time to devote to Thanksgiving. Here are just a few ideas along with some books with inspiring projects.

old fashioned sweet peas, cut flowers, Father Cupani, Painted Lady sweet pea, growing sweet peas, Thompson & Morgan

Roses remain one of the most popular cut flowers. This is true year-round even during the summer months when we have lots of other cut flowers available from our cutting gardens.