Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did improved transportation change the materials available to floral decorators?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

floral decoration — Floral decoration An eternal bouquet for the dead, limestone relief from Egypt, 4th century bce; in the Brooklyn Museum, New York.

Improved transportation significantly expanded the range of materials available to floral decorators by reducing dependence on local, seasonal resources. Historically, decorators were restricted to native wildings, but as transportation networks developed, plants were introduced from foreign countries, allowing for a much broader selection of species.1

For example, the advent of the clipper ship in the 19th century enabled the introduction of exotic plants to Europe and the United States, such as chrysanthemums and bleeding hearts from China, and gladioli and freesias from South Africa.2

In the 20th century, the ability to transport plant materials by air further revolutionized the medium, allowing flowers to be flown globally from one region to another. This connectivity, combined with the rise of commercial greenhouse cultivation, has enabled floral decorators to access a vast, varied, and year-round supply of materials, moving far beyond the limitations of regional or seasonal availability.1