Why Send Red Roses: A Guide to Floral Etiquette

What flowers do you send for a new romance?
What flowers to include in your bridal bouquet?
What is the perfect flower to say "Thank You?"
Do your personality traits reflect your favorite flower color?
How to propose marriage at 30,000 feet.
Why do Japanese avoid wearing purple at weddings?

Discover the answers to these questions, and many more in Why Send Red Roses.

It has been said that flowers are the "artwork of angels." Uplifting another's soul with the gift of one of nature's most magnificent creations nurtures and brings value into our own lives.

Author Gayle Christie shares stories and inspirational messages of the excitement, romance, and comfort that flowers have brought to others.

But, what flower to send? What color?

Why Send Red Roses, illustrated with original watercolors, answers these questions. Included are the meanings of different flowers, the flower for every month and state, and international color protocol. The etiquette of flowers is based on traditions that began with the Greek and Roman myths and continued with the early Chinese, Assyrians, Egyptians, and Native Americans. English floral symbols date back to the reign of Elizabeth I , but it was the Turks who in the late 17th century, really developed the practice of communicating with flowers.

Gayle Christie makes her home in Houston where she owns and operates Florage (pronounced flor-ajh), a national company pioneering in the field of floral preservation. Florage employs an innovative vacuum freeze-drying process to preserve customers' original flowers from meaningful occasions. These flowers are then used to create one-of-a kind works of art.

Florage creations can be found in the collections of Prince Albert of Monaco, former First Lady Barbara Bush, U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, wife of the Prime Minister of Egypt and Argentine Ambassador to the the U.S. Raul Granillo Ocampo, among others.

Ms. Christie began her love affair with flowers as a young girl growing up on a farm in Kansas and became committed to preserving the environment during the years she and her husband lived on a mountain ranch in Wyoming. After graduating with a B.A. in fashion from Stephens College, she worked as a model and then extensively in the travel industry.

She served on the Board of Directors for the International Freeze-Dried Floral Association. She is president of the Houston Alumnae Association of Stephens College, and currently servers on the board of the Institute of International Education. She is a past board member of Ikebana, an international organization for Japanese flower arranging.

Ms. Christie has been featured in local and national publications as well as on numerous television shows.

As with all her products, Gayle Christie will be donating a portion of the profits from Why Send Red Roses to create an awareness of preserving the environment's natural beauty.