Human Flower Project

About

The Human Flower Project is an international newsgroup, photo album and discussion of humankind’s relationship with the floral world. We report on art, medicine, society, history, politics, religion, and commerce. Written and photographic submissions are welcome.

Since its inception in September 2004, the Human Flower Project has been non-commercial, focussing rather on research, news gathering, commentary, and visual documentation. I hope to present worldwide perspectives on this topic and welcome contributors of all ages and nationalities.

I am a sociologist and writer in Austin, Texas. Coming from a background in sociology, literature, and journalism, my primary flower interests run along those lines. What are your interests? Making daily posts, I want to share this space with anyone who has observations, photos, information or stories about how the lives of people and flowers intersect.

Please post comments (it’s easy) or send submissions of photos and/or commentary to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

From the mourners of a Neanderthal man buried with flowers in 60,000 B.C.. to today’s megawatt floral designers on HGTV, people have turned to flowers out of anxiety, necessity and joy.

By studying flowers, we look into human emotion and value. Since the flower trade is global, and has been for centuries, by following the circuit of plants across the world, we track international relations and economics.

Seeing how artists represent flowers, we re-experience what it is to be living temporarily, alongside life in many forms different from ourselves.

Julie Ardery

In a roadside cutting garden, near Lautrec, France

Photo: Bill Bishop