"Ornamental and Floral" is the general term for any farmer who is growing flowers or other ornamental plants as a crop. Often, growers produce vegetables as well as flowers at different times of year. Growing flowers is an important international agricultural business. Growing flowers has much in common with growing a crop like strawberries since both are highly perishable and must be properly stored and shipped.

You can often save money and get better flowers by buying directly from the grower.

Buying direct from the grower is best if:

• You are buying flowers for yourself or you plan to personally deliver the flowers
• You want a lot of flowers for the money
• You want the freshest flowers possible
• You want to arrange the flowers yourself
• You want the flowers delivered to a remote location

Buying flowers directly from the grower is not for everyone.

Buying direct from the grower is probably not the best solution if:

• You are buying flowers for a wedding
• You are buying flowers for a funeral
• You want a very artistic, professional arrangement

There are some ways to get extra value by buying flowers directly from the grower.

Tips for buying direct from the grower:

• Buy just the flowers from the grower, buy a vase locally to save shipping
• Buy several different types of flowers and other foliage to create several arrangements with some of each
• Allow the grower to substitute similar flowers that are at their peak instead of insisting on a particular type or color of flower
• If the flowers are being delivered to a remote area, make sure to order a simple arrangement that will not require a local florist to arrange the order

The main business of most growers is wholesaling to florists or distributors. Many growers also sell directly to the public.

The traditional place to buy directly from the grower is at a farmer's market or similar outlet. Today, many growers sell directly to consumers through the web using Fed Ex or UPS to deliver the flowers.

This delivery method has a the advantage over local florists in that UPS and Fed Ex can deliver to almost anywhere in the US but local florists usually have a fairly small delivery area. So, if the person receiving the flowers lives in a remote community with no local florists, direct from the grower might be your only option.

Buying directly from a grower is a good way to get very fresh flowers and can save you some money. However, they are not providing you with the same product and service as a florist. Florists sell floral arrangements. Growers sell you flowers as a kind of kit to make an arrangement. What will be delivered is a special packing box with the flowers separately packed from a vase and ferns and other materials wrapped up.

You have to decide if this is acceptable to you and the person receiving the flowers. If it is, you get a good deal on some great flowers.

Another thing to consider when buying from a grower website is that most are tied into a network of local florists who put together more complex arrangements. This means they just take your order and pass it on to a florist. In this case you are not getting ripped off, you are just placing your order through the grower.

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