Gardening is one of the nation’s favorite pastimes, and with these stunning new Garden Beauty stamps, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the American passion for flowers and gardens.

Allen Rokach took the photos that grace the stamps. With these close-up shots, the flowers are the stars, taking up almost the entire frameof each photo. Each stamp features one of the following flowers; a pink flowering dogwood; a rose-ping and white tulip; an Alliumor ornamental onion; a ink and white Asiatic lily; a magenta dahlia; a yellow and pink American lotus; a pink moth orchid with mottled petals; a pink and white sacred lotus; an orange and yellow tulip; and a yellow moth orchid with a pink center.

Gardens can be as small as a collection of pots on a windowsill or as large as space, money and time will allow. Orchids, cacti, herbs and many other flowering plants can be grown indoors as well as outside. There are any number of outdoor garden styles, including enchanting cottage gardens; water gardens, where lotus abound; woodland gardens that feature flowering trees and shrubs; and even gardens that highlight only one kind or color of flower.

Some gardens feature bright, sun-loving annuals (plants that last one gardening year); others highlight the beauty of perennials (plants that come back year after year). The two types woven together in a flower bed can create a colorful garden that produces blooms from early spring to late fall. Plantings can be formal or whimsical, regimented or exuberant.

Greenhouses, nurseries, catalogues – there are any number of ways to find plants, seeds or bulbs. Gardeners love to trade cuttings from their plantings as well as share tips and advice. With thousands of garden clubs across the country, experienced and novice gardeners alike can find a community of like-minded enthusiasts. Almost uncountable numbers of books, magazines, websites and blogs – not to mention local classes – make flower gardening an easy and captivating hobby to begin, so you can create garden beauty of your own.

Postal Products

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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