Why Garden Beauty Will Be US Postal Stamp for 2021

By Jill Brooke

 

 

Who doesn’t love a handwritten note with a beautiful stamp on it?

The U.S. Postal Service announced its 2021 stamps today and in the mix is a series of stamps by photographer Allen Rokach called “Garden Beauty.”

Garden Beauty celebrates America’s love of flowers and gardens with 10 new stamps including a pink flowering dogwood, a rose-pink and white tulip, an allium, a pink and white Asiatic lily, a magenta dahlia, a yellow and pink American lotus and an orange and yellow tulip among others.

Unlike other topics, flowers are often chosen as a focus because they trigger emotions of calm, happiness and delight. And of course, sell well. They are perfect for any occasion whether a thank you note, a birthday. greeting or weddings and celebrations.

Rokach is a renowned floral photographer who is not only the author of books including “Focus on Flowers: Discovering and Photographing Beauty in Gardens & Wild Places” but was also Director of Photography at the New York Botanical Garden. He also has had his work exhibited in one-man shows at the Brooklyn Museum, the New York Academy of Science, Wave Hill and the Horticultural Society of New York and at institutions around the South.

“A handwritten letter shows the recipient how much you care. The stamp you choose to adorn your envelope adds an extra important touch,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Director William Gicker. “The new 2021 stamps are designed to look beautiful on your envelopes, to be educational and to appeal to collectors and pen pals around the world. As always, the program offers a variety of subjects celebrating American culture and history, and this year, we made a special effort to include a little fun.”

Since the Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, it relies on the sale of postage stamps to fund its operations and uses these artistic creations to spur interest. Other fun categories for next year include Espresso Drinks, a Happy Birthday stamp and barns.

Last year they did a wonderful series on American Gardens that we covered as well on orchids.

What’s your favorite flower? Can’t decide between the orchid and allium?