BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Russian flower lovers were in full bloom. Colorful bulbs and blossoms are increasing in popularity in the sometimes drab capital of Russia. CNN's Jill Dougherty says beautiful bouquets are a big business now.</s>JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Maybe it's the climate, the gray skies and short summers. Whatever it is, Russians adore flowers; the brighter, the better. And here in Moscow at the "flowers 2000" show, the largest floral trade exhibit in the country, flower lovers are in seventh heaven. "It's such unusual beauty and what wonderful arrangements," Natalya says. A popular site: roses from Ecuador. Russians love flowers very, very much. When they go to the store, they always buy bread and flowers.</s>DOUGHERTY (on camera): Russia these days may be better known more for economic and other crises, but here, Russians find relief from all of that. (voice-over): Stella Ivanovna brought her granddaughter Nastya to, as she put it, "expose her to beauty." "Yes," she says, "to relax a little and look at something wonderful. We've had a lot of sad things happen this year." In Russia, flowers are becoming a big business, with flower farms sprouting in the countryside near Moscow. Natalya Borisova, a rose specialist, was checking out the competition. "Now it's much more commercial and our business is flourishing." Tatyana Kuzminichna's company sells flower pots in Russia and abroad. "This is our country series," she says, "and over there, that's the architectural series." The Dutch exhibit is packed.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a new trend, the orange and pink colors next to each other.</s>DOUGHERTY: It doesn't take long for Russians to catch on to the latest European trends. "We've begun to understand we need to bring some beauty into our everyday lives," Olga says, "and now we have the opportunity to do that." Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.
Beautiful Bouquets Big Business in Russia