2023’s Best Cities for Local Flowers
Does your city grow the freshest blooms?
To mark Mother’s Day this May, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Local Flowers.
They compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on five floral categories. They looked at access to flower shops and specialty-cut flower vendors, consumer ratings, and even the number of flower festivals, among 10 total metrics.
See which cities’ local floral scenes are fleurishing in Lawn Love’s ranking below. To learn how Lawn Love ranked the cities, see their methodology.
Top 5 close up
Check out the slideshow below for highlights (and lowlights) on each of our top five cities.
No. 1: New York | Overall score: 52.53
Flower Access: 2
Delivery Access: 1
Vendor Quality: 14
Local Demand: 1
Events: 4
Local tips: Spot flowers blooming along the High Line, or in one of the city’s many green spaces. Add some charm to your day with a stroll through the NYC Flower Market, or get a beautiful bouquet of fresh or dried flowers from Stems in Brooklyn.
Photo credit: Roberto Vivancos | Pexels | Pexels License
No. 2: Miami | Overall score: 39.81
Flower Access: 1
Delivery Access: 9
Vendor Quality: 134
Local Demand: 13
Events: 4
Local tips: It’s easy to buy blooming flowers in Miami, which has the most flower shops per square mile. You can find an impressive bouquet at house of lilac or Midtown Garden Center. Stop and smell the flowers at The Berry Farm’s flower festival until April 16, or plan to visit the Tamiami International Orchid Festival in May.
Watch buds blossom right in your backyard by planting some colorful native plants.
Photo credit: Tory Brown | Pexels | Pexels License
No. 3: Philadelphia | Overall score: 39.69
Flower Access: 40
Delivery Access: 10
Vendor Quality: 4
Local Demand: 8
Events: 1
Local tips: America’s Garden Capital is home to historic horticultural spots like Bartram’s Garden and the largest and longest-running flower show. Urban flower farm Love ‘n Fresh Flowers teaches various flower workshops, and can grow personalized blooms for your wedding.
Add color to your yard year after year by planting perennials that are native to Philadelphia.
Photo credit: Kelly | Pexels | Pexels License
No. 4: Chicago | Overall score: 39.06
Flower Access: 26
Delivery Access: 2
Vendor Quality: 2
Local Demand: 3
Events: 35
Local tips: Check out Chicago Botanic Garden’s American Flower Show series, featuring daffodils, dahlias, lilies, and other blooms throughout the year. Peek through petals at spring flower shows running through May 14 at Garfield Park Conservatory and Lincoln Park Conservancy.
Create a flower show right in your backyard by growing some native plants.
Photo credit: Chait Goli | Pexels | Pexels License
No. 5: San Francisco | Overall score: 37.80
Flower Access: 4
Delivery Access: 6
Vendor Quality: 7
Local Demand: 6
Events: 4
Local tips: Learn about rare and endangered flowers from across the globe at the Conservatory of Flowers. Explore over 50 vendors at the San Francisco Flower Market or check out one of the many floral oases growing in and around the city.
Photo credit: Juan Salamanca | Pexels | Pexels License
Key Insights
The gist
Big cities bloom to the top alongside botanical icons like Pasadena, California (No. 11) and Portland, Oregon (No. 20), which both share the nickname “The City of Roses.”
While some Southern cities stem to the top, such as Nashville, Tennessee (No. 16), and Houston (No. 17), smaller cities and suburbs in the South wither to the bottom. Texas cities Laredo (No. 196) and Garland (No. 197) droop alongside Peoria, Arizona (No. 198), Port St. Lucie, Florida (No. 199), and Surprise, Arizona, in last place.
Standout stats
Flower empire: New York flourishes at No. 1 with a nearly 13-point lead ahead of the next-best city, Miami. NYC has an iconic flower district and boasts the highest number of flower delivery services.
Cut Flower Capital: California produces 76% of the flowers grown and sold in the U.S. It’s no wonder that 36 Golden State cities sprout in the top half of our ranking, with San Francisco (No. 5), Santa Rosa (No. 6), and Los Angeles (No. 9) budding in the top 10.
California cultivation: Santa Rosa is No. 1 in Vendor Quality and claims the most members in the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG). Los Angeles germinates the biggest number of plant nurseries and garden shops and has the nation’s largest wholesale flower district.
Urbs in Horto: Chicago lands at No. 4, living up to its motto meaning “city in a garden.” The Windy City ties with several cities for second place in the number of ASCFG members and cultivates the second-highest number of flower delivery services.
Garden gateway: St. Louis (No. 7) blossoms with the sixth-highest overall Vendor Quality. Mound City anthophiles can buy bouquets in the historic Florist Row, where flower shops and nurseries cluster in the Gate District neighborhood.
Petal parties: Honolulu (No. 10), Philadelphia (No. 3), and Lancaster, California (No. 77), tie for hosting the most flower festivals out of all the cities in our ranking. This year marks the 75th annual Floral Parade in Honolulu. Philly is home to the nation’s largest annual flower show, and Lancaster hosts the California Poppy Festival.
Peony for your thoughts: Expert take
Many consumers aren’t aware that 80% of the cut flowers purchased in the U.S. are imported from countries like the Netherlands, Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya. Many also don’t understand the benefits of buying locally grown flowers — or at least buying flowers from local vendors.
