Have you ever diverted from your budget at the grocery store by impulse-buying a bunch of flowers, only to get them home, put them in water, and find that you’re totally underwhelmed by their looks, smell, and lifespan? If the answer is yes, take solace in the fact that it’s not you. It’s a $34 billion USD global industry that often has flowers sitting for days on trucks and planes before they ever hit store shelves, not to mention homes. What’s more, 80 percent of these mass-produced flowers often come from outside the U.S. and are grown using harsh chemicals and pesticides. They also consume tons of water and other resources, both while being grown and shipped around the world — not exactly what you want from something that’s supposed to brighten up your tabletop.