Skilled florists can interpret your tastes (or those of the recipient), determine what’s appropriate for the occasion, and then create a work of art that fits those needs. Our ratings of florists for quality and price should help you pick the best.

If you want delivery, exotic flowers, or need advice, your best bet is a florist. But if you’re willing to pick up the posies yourself and want to save a lot of money, you have several other options.

When you need to send flowers to someone outside the area, what do you do? We review the options, and advise you on how to deal with each to ensure you and your special someone on the other end are happy with the results.

Our ratings of local chains and stores report how each stacks up for price and quality. To compare prices, our researchers used a 154-item list of common items—and lots of energy—to shop area options. To evaluate stores on quality of products and service, we surveyed area consumers.

The Organic Foods Production Act required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop national standards for defining organically produced agricultural products. The labeling standards that have been set vary depending on the type of product.