Flowers Are A Longer Running Hit Than Star Wars

The first Star Wars movie was released in 1977 and, with five
movies and a cartoon series since then, it's remained a hit with
fans ever since. Twenty-nine years is a pretty long time in terms
of popularity among the American public, but flowers have held
worldwide popularity far longer. People have been growing flowers
and presenting them as gifts for centuries.

Some flower varieties have been around for thousands of years.
Some of these ancient flower types are:

* Roses: Roses were first cultivated in China over 5,000 years
ago.

* Chrysanthemums (Mums): Artifacts dating back to the 15th
century B.C. give evidence of the first cultivation of
chrysanthemums.

* Lilies: Lilies have been around for so long that they're
actually mentioned in the Bible in Christ's famed Sermon on the
Mount.

* Delphiniums: Delphiniums are mentioned in the Greek myth
telling of the death of the warrior Ajax.

* Daisies: Daisies adorned 4,000-year-old golden hairpins found
in the ruins of a Minoan castle on the Island of Crete.


People throughout the ages have so cherished flowers that
they've actively cultivated them though many varieties have no
food or medicinal value. They've been presented to kings and
queens and have adorned the hair of princesses. They've been
used in religious ceremonies and placed at the shrines and altars
of deities.

Today, flowers continue to be among the most popular gifts given
and received. In a recent survey of both men and women all over
the United States, flowers led the pack as the best "I love
you" gift and the best gift to say, "I'm sorry." They ranked
second as the gift most likely to make a person smile, the gift
that makes people feel the most special, and the best gift to
receive from a business associate. Fifty-eight percent of
Americans have given flowers as a gift within the last twelve
months.

Aside from their obvious beauty and the pleasure they bring, one
of the things that probably makes flowers such a popular gift is
the fact that they're extremely easy to personalize and even
easier to order. Your florist can walk you through the process of
choosing the perfect gift for anyone in your life. You simply
need to provide a bit of information about the person and what he
or she likes and dislikes. If you know the recipient's favorite
colors or flowers, your gift of flowers will be an even greater
success. Your local florist has connections all over the country,
and even internationally, so you can call the florist right in
your hometown and send flowers to someone all the way across the
country just to say, "I was thinking about you."

George Lucas may have found just the right combination of plot
and effects to make Star Wars one of the most popular movies in
history, but flowers had him beat centuries ago.

Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of
Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers
( http://www.wesleyberryflowers.com ), a successful
multi-million dollar floral business that was established
in 1946. As a member of the Henry Ford Hospital Community
Relation Board he has contributed to the community at large.
He owns both a brick and mortar and an internet flower
delivery business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at
http://www.800wesleys.com