Worldwide Flowers – More Than a Growing Industry!
Modern life is truly international. Internet communication delivers text and pictures across the globe in milliseconds and supermarkets display a range of foods grown and items produced throughout the world. Floriculture – the floral industry – is no exception and since its English beginnings in the late 19th century has become a major trading force in both developed and developing countries. Since the early days, high speed transport links and modern packing techniques have resulted in ever greater marketing opportunities. It is possible to send flowers to India with ease and to meet specific individual tastes designer flowers have undoubtedly established a place of their own within the industry.
Choosing the best flowers to cultivate depends hugely on climate. Whilst greenhouses have traditionally provided a controlled environment, equivalent growing conditions often exist outdoors elsewhere in the world. Although flower production was originally centred as closely as possible to the major markets of the developed world, improved transportation methods are shifting this balance. Whilst it is still perfectly possible and reasonable to send flowers to India, a more favourable climate and lower production and labour costs have enabled India itself to become a key flower producer along with other countries such as Ecuador, Kenya, Ethiopia and Colombia.
Within floriculture there is a huge desire to produce something new – the ultimate in designer flowers perhaps? Rose growers have long sought to grow a truly black rose through selective hybridisation and competition remains fierce within the industry. Elsewhere other demands for designer flowers exist. Companies, especially hotel chains or large corporations frequently choose specific flower combinations in specific displays. The result is a naturally beautiful, vibrant and fragrant corporate image which when placed in the foyer of the relevant building welcomes customers in an attractive and memorable way. Obviously not all flower export orders are on such a scale. To send flowers abroad as a means of keeping in touch with distant family or friends is equally important and demands the same levels of cultivation and packaging care.
Overall we live in a beautiful world, graced by a huge array of plants and flowers which are attractive as a result of their varied species, colours, forms and fragrances. The ability to send flowers abroad using careful and rapid transportation enables us to admire and appreciate flowers we would perhaps never otherwise see let alone enjoy. However, despite the finest cultivation techniques, surely the top producer of designer flowers must be Mother Nature herself!