The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers (Gardener's Supply Books)
Byczynski, who quit her city job to become a flower farmer, has interviewed hundreds of farmers who grow flowers as all or part of their income; she offers profiles of 12 of them. Byczynski emphasizes organic flowers because organic-farming practices protect both people and the environment. She gives advice on selecting seeds (recommending foolproof flowers for the novice grower), site and soil requirements, buying and starting plants, growing and caring for them, and creating a dried-flower garden. The author discusses growing woody ornamentals (certain species of trees and shrubs) that can be used in floral designs as well as harvest and postharvest procedures. She gives advice on arranging fresh flowers and on going commercial (marketing and pricing). There's a list of 100 recommended cut flowers, full-color photographs, and black-and-white line drawings.George Cohen