Jan-Feb 2012

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado, New Mexico, & Wyoming

Jan./Feb. 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 1

RememberingWhy We Do What We Do 8 A Family of Growers – Our Story

13 Retailers Plan for Less Variety

16 Returning to the Farm

18 Successful Company Closings

22 Member Profi le: Welby Gardens

LooseLeaf January/February 20122

Webb has over 60 acres and 30+ years of expertise in growing hardy plant material. The Quaking Aspen, our signature tree, is grown from locally collected seed. Webb produces top quality aspen and shrubs for high elevations supplying customers all over the Western U.S. and Canada.

To learn more about our products and services, contact Josie Haire, Wholesale Representative at 208.788.2066 or [email protected].

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3

Board Of Directors

Dan Gerace, PresidentWelby Gardens Company, [email protected]

Bill Kluth, Vice PresidentTagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC303.659.1260 [email protected]

Davey Rock, Secretary/TreasurerPicadilly [email protected]

Kent Broome Bailey Nurseries, [email protected]

Stan Brown Alameda Wholesale Nursery, [email protected]

Steve Carlson Carlton [email protected]

Jesse EastmanFort Collins [email protected]

Tom Halverstadt Country Lane Wholesale [email protected]

Sarada Krishnan, Ph.D.Denver Botanic [email protected]

Bob Lefevre Advanced Green Solutions303.916.06091950rfl @gmail.com

Monica Phelan Phelan [email protected]

Les Ratekin Ratekin [email protected]

Terry Shaw Harding Nursery, Inc.719.596.5712hardingoffi [email protected]

Ex-Offi cio Members

Jim Klett, Ex-Offi cio CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape [email protected]

Lynn Payne, N.M. Chapter Senator Sunland Nursery [email protected]

Griff Sprout, Wyo. Chapter SenatorSprouts Greenhouse, [email protected]

Sharon Harris, Executive [email protected]

Our MissionProfessionals growing for a better tomorrow... your growing resource.

In This Issue

5 Calendar, Classifi ed Ads, & Advertisers

6 Board Message: They Might Be Giants

7 CNGA – A Member-Driven Organization: Members Help Association Stay Relevant

8 A Family of Growers – Our Story

Why We Do What We Do

13 Retailers Plan for Less Plant Variety, More Customer Service

Returning to the Farm: Demand for Local Produce Outreaches Supply

18 Successful Company Closings Take Planning

20 Safety Corner: Pinnacol Launches Application for Injured Workers

21 N.M. Chapter News: Green Industry Supports Certifi cation and Student Training

22 Member Profi le: Welby Gardens, Denver, Colo.

24 CSU Update: 2012 Superior Annuals

Publishing Info

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

959 S. Kipling Pkwy., Ste 200Lakewood, CO 80226303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672Fax: [email protected]

The LooseLeaf is produced by CNGA and Millbrook Printing Company3540 West Jefferson HwyGrand Ledge, MI 48837-9750Fax: 517.627.4201www.millbrookprinting.com

EDITORIALSharon R. Harris Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 [email protected]

The LooseLeaf feature writer and editor is Tanya Ishikawa of Buffalo Trails Multimedia Communications

www.coloradonga.org/editor-tanya-ishikawa

Visit www.coloradonga.org for classifi ed advertisements, plant publications, upcoming events, a member directory, and much more!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSDan Gerace Sharon R. Harris

Tanya Ishikawa Dr. Jim Klett

Lynn Payne Amy Statkevicus

ADVERTISING INFORick Haverdink

3540 West Jefferson HwyGrand Ledge, MI 48837-9750Fax: [email protected]

Cover Photo Courtesy of Eagle Crest Nursery, El Jebel, Colo. See related article on page 13.

www.coloradonga.org


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www.coloradonga.org 5

ProGreen ExpoTuesday to Friday, Feb. 7 to 10Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colo.

As one of the most highly rated educational and training offerings by CNGA, you don’t want to miss the 2012 ProGreen Expo featuring 107 seminars, 650 booths and 6,500 buyers. It’s going to be a great show! Visit www.progreenexpo.com for more information.

CNGA Industry CelebrationThursday, Feb. 9The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, Colo.

Cocktails at 5 p.m. Dinner at 7 p.m. The Annual Banquet is so yesterday… This event will be short on program and long on celebration, socialization and fun! Don’t let our location at the Ritz intimidate you. We’ll be bringing “CNGA style” to the Ritz, so come as you are!

2012 calendar

classifi ed ADSCNGA offers free posts and searches of our online classifi ed ads, including items for sale or lease and job openings. For more information and to see current postings, visit the Industry Professional side of www.coloradonga.org and click on Classifi eds under the Resources tab.

Landscape Maintenance Crew Leader

Dwyer Greens & Flowers in New Castle, Colo. (www.dwyergreens.com) is hiring for a crew leader with at least two years experience maintaining irrigation systems, lawns and gardens. Valid Colorado driver’s license required. Seasonal work from March through November, possibly less if employed by the ski industry. Housing may be available at nursery. Pay commensurate with experience.

Please send resume to [email protected] or P.O. Box 975, New Castle, CO 81647. advertisers

Alpha One Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2American Clay Works & Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Baxter Wholesale Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Britton Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Bron & Sons Nursery Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Carlton Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Circle D Farm Sales, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Clayton Tree Farm LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Clifty View Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Daniels Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2DWF Grower Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Harding Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Hash Tree Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Jayker Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17McKay Nursery Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12RatekinEnterprises/Hollandia Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Richards, Seeley & Schaefer, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Webb Nursery & Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CNGA thanks the following companies for their sponsorship of the Industry Celebration!

Register for Calendar events with CNGA unless otherwise noted.Tel: 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672 Fax: 303.758.6805 E-mail: [email protected]

CNGA is the host of calendar events unless otherwise noted. For more information, registration forms, and directions to programs, go to the Industry Professional site on www.coloradonga.org and open the Calendar under the Events tab.

From all available information as of this writing in early November, ProGreen is on target to be another great show for booth sales and excellent industry-specifi c education.

Are you interested in “deals and discounts” while you’re downtown? Use your smart phone to text DENVER DEALS to 63638 and add a key word of what you’re interested in – dining, cocktails, sports,

etc. so you can receive information about discount offers.

Treat yourself to a downtown stay at one of the reasonably priced ProGreen EXPO hotels with prices starting at $119. New this year is the Magnolia at 818 17th Street, which offers free breakfast and wireless Internet for $149.

Update on ProGreen 2012

Photo by CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

I grew up in the bedding plant industry. I watched my father and uncles working; my dad and his brothers trusted in each other and each of them did their part to build their company. Like my older cousins, I began helping after school and on weekends and during the summer when I was 8. We learned the business from the bottom up, with ever increasing responsibilities. Although it was hard, working was always fun, especially when we started getting paid at age 16.

I went off to college planning to study something else – anything else. I did not want to work in the family greenhouse. It didn’t seem to me that I should have to work so hard to make a good living, and the extreme hours and the uncertainty seemed too stressful. During college, I had a typical job just to make some money. Although I learned

a lot and enjoyed the experience, I never looked at it as a career. I also worked for a university as a post graduate and got my fi rst taste of bureaucracy and all that it entails. Despite my successes, I felt something was missing.

I have since asked myself, “What was missing? Why did I go back to the family business? Did I just give up, or did my priorities change?” The answer boils down to this: my accomplishments would benefi t the people that I loved most in the world, my family. I found that there is a feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself; the togetherness is remarkable. During college I realized I was a scientist at heart. In fi nding a way to apply my knowledge and skills in our business, I found a way to realize my passions and improve the family business at the same time. It also dawned on me that regardless of the career you choose, nobody becomes successful without a lot of hard work.

Did I make the right decision? I say “yes,” but maybe I absorbed too many nasty pesticides while playing under the benches, the kinds that interfere with proper judgment and common sense. Maybe you need to be a little crazy to love this kind of work. Although it took a few years, I really fell in love with growing plants when I produced my fi rst perfect crop. The sense of accomplishment was like a rush of emotion that was unequalled to any other in my working life. So many things had come together. I did not do it alone, but as the grower I was the director and we were sweeping at Oscar night. Once you get a taste of that, you keep working your heart out to get back there.

In our company there has always been great leadership. The vision and passion becomes viral and everyone becomes addicted. Everyone is motivated to work together towards our common goal. In this industry, there are different challenges everyday; if you live for the challenge then you have found the right path. In our family business, every accomplishment feels like you are adding to the long list of those that came before you. I am standing on the shoulders of the previous generation. They are giants and I have a lot to live up to. I am building upon the same foundation of trust and dedication to each other. I hope to create an environment that will draw the next generation.

I think we do what we do because it feels right. We are propagating a legacy, and we do it with plants.

They Might Be Giants:Why We Do What We Do


MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

By CNGA Board President Dan Gerace

Flowering Shrubs • Junipers Ornamental Grasses • Vines • Perennials Container-Grown Shade & Fruit Trees

Represented by Les Ratekin303-670-1499 • 303-670-1133 fax

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s i n c e 1 9 5 7


“Sharing

information is

an incredible

strength...”

In the last few months several board members and I heard from many individuals from other state associations that the days of strong, active associations are a thing of the past. A number of the organizations are determining if they can or should even remain in business since they can’t seem to fi nd ways to meet their members’ needs.

Based on membership renewals, program attendance, sponsorship commitments, and feedback from a signifi cant number of members, CNGA is not sharing this problem. Don’t get me wrong; the association has experienced our share of adjustments, reductions, and changes that every business has faced. One important quality that other groups seem to be missing is the shared commitment by members and the association to keeping CNGA relevant. Asking you and hearing about what you want from CNGA, and then responding to those requests, helps keep us all working for the same goals: to be more effi cient, informed, professional, forward thinking, and here tomorrow.

At a recent regional meeting I attended with Dan Gerace and Bill Kluth, I heard an analogy that really resonated with me. Someone said that ice hockey great Wayne Gretzky knew not only where the puck was but where it was going. It seems to me that this is what we all need to attempt to do to be successful and remain “in the game.”

Hearing from you about your challenges, what you learned from them, and what you want or need to do to move forward is a key component in trying to collectively determine where “the puck” is going. Sharing information, not a common experience in all associations, is an incredible strength that helps all of us think more broadly and determine where we should be heading to stay ahead of the puck. CNGA members are way ahead of the curve in enjoying this shared knowledge.

Because you are the only reason we exist, we have you identify the programs and services you want and need CNGA to provide. This is the primary way the Board of Directors determines what outcomes should be met in the upcoming year.

By now many of you have provided your priorities at the November 2011 Owners and Managers Meeting, through the member survey on possible 2012 goals, and in conversations with board members and CNGA staff. We so appreciate you providing your thoughts, ideas, and feedback.

As we continue to strive to provide value and relevance to our members throughout the region by providing in-person and distance learning offerings and new Business Services, we need to hear from you more than ever. While other groups may slip away, together we can ensure CNGA is here to stay, continuing to meet the needs of our members in the Rocky Mountain region.

Members Help Association

Stay Relevant

By Sharon R. HarrisCNGA Executive Director

CNGA — A MEMBER-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION

A Family of Growers –

Our Story


Once upon a time, about 55 or

60 years ago, in a sleepy, little

town in Colorado, there was a

family who made their living

from farming. The parents and

all the children worked hard

from spring to autumn to grow

vegetables in the hard soil.

When winter came, the father

went to work at whatever local company

was hiring.

This hard-working family had a good life, full of love and good times. The children played in the fresh air and sunshine. They got to see how seeds grew into plants, and became food for their neighbors.

When the oldest son graduated from high school, he decided to stay home and work on the farm. His parents could use another adult to drive the tractors and do the heavy work. Besides, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else but growing plants. He just found so much satisfaction in seeing a fi eld full of green leaves, which would someday be harvested and bring a good income.

Soon, his younger brother was graduating from high school and on his way to college to study horticulture. He was also hooked on the contentment from nurturing plants into valuable commodities, which could support him and his family. But, he was going to learn about growing plants for landscaping instead of food.

He and his brother planned to turn a couple acres of their family’s land into tree and shrub fi elds. After his second year of college, still working through the summers, he and his brother had saved enough to plant the tree seedlings and start the shrub cuttings. The owner of a garden center down the road recommended a mix of evergreens, Ash, Honey Locust, and Silver Maple, and told them he would buy most of the trees when they were ready.

In the new nursery’s fi rst season, between the garden center and some local landscapers, they sold out of their inventory. It was a great feeling and the whole family was proud of the success of their new venture. They decided to convert more acres to trees and shrubs.

Over the next few years, the younger son graduated from college, both sons got married, and their younger sisters and brother graduated from high school and went off to college. The family was growing and staying close through their ties to the land and the plants.

Our Story

“We’re lucky. Our industry has something that most other industries don’t have – color, fragrance, and feel; you have to promote those benefi ts as much as possible. I love the marketing part of it. It’s the people you meet along the way. Probably one of the best things is the continuance of the passion. There are so many different opportunities, so many different places where the business can go. We’re all looking at different niches to fi t into. Of course, having family come in and buy into the whole procedure of growing and selling plants is phenomenal. It makes me pretty proud, especially to have a business that is 61 years old.”

– Frank Yantorno, 2nd generation owner of Center Greenhouse, Inc. in Denver, Colo.

“The greenhouse and nursery business allows grandparents, parents, and children to work side-by-side beginning at an early age. Growing up, my brother and I had a work ethic that was second to none and knew the benefi ts and sacrifi ces that come with this business at a young age. My favorite part is April 15th to June 15th – the three months of the year that you spend the rest of the year planning around. We’re dealing with a product that puts smiles on people’s faces, and it’s a friendly industry for the most part.”

– Brian Yantorno, 3rd generation owner of Center Greenhouse, Inc. in Denver, Colo.was going to learn about growing plants for landscaping instead Center Greenhouse, Inc. in Denver, Colo.

went to work at whatever local company “We’re lucky. Our industry has something that most other industries


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“The best part is being with my family. I feel that I’m a very lucky man to have raised two children here in the nursery, and now I’ve got grandchildren and great grandchildren working here on special occasions, even the 3 year old. It’s kept my family together.”

– Billie Harding, founder of Harding Nursery, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“You live for the craziness of the spring rush. There is great satisfaction in watching a plant grow from a small seedling or cutting into a beautiful plant. Also there’s not many careers in which you get to see your parents, your children and your grandchildren everyday and I enjoy that. We are fortunate to work in the green industry!”

– Sharon Harding-Shaw, 2nd generation owner at Harding Nursery, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Why We DoWhat We Do

“The best part is being with my family. I feel that I’m a very lucky

What We DoBefore long, the father was joining the nursery business and

investing in loop houses to grow fl owers. They hired their fi rst few employees, mainly the same people who had worked their farm with them in years past. They also added a bedding plant expert to oversee the fl ower production.

On the 25th anniversary of the nursery business, the family threw a great celebration. Now, a large clan of parents, children and young grandchildren, plus an extended family of longtime employees, they refl ected on their hard-earned good fortune. Surrounded by beautiful, fragrant plants and loyal customers and friends, they took a moment at the end of that silver season to appreciate everyone for their contributions to the business’s success.

Then, it was back to work, planning for the next year, preparing for the winter, and continuing the seasonal cycles that were both challenging as well as comforting. Jobs controlled by the seasons, at the mercy of the weather, and dependent on so many living variables, the family business was like no other. It was not an 8 to 5 schedule; the plants were on their minds 24/7. Some children and later grandchildren chose different career paths, while others left only for a while to college or other jobs, returning before long to fi nd their new niche at the nursery.


The property and number of greenhouses grew. A welcoming garden center and classroom was constructed, as well as a new parking lot. The family’s original home, where the oldest brother’s family lived after their parents’ passing, remained in the middle of the property. The younger brother’s family lived on the adjoining property, which also had homes for seasonal workers.

The investments in facilities always meant more work to keep up sales and increase customers. But, even when sales were good, there wasn’t much time to rest. Constant work was part of the business. So was change – challenging but also exciting. New plant varieties, different customer trends, and updated technology made adaptation a necessity. Balancing tradition with innovation was the way the business survived, as each staff member contributed their own talents and ideas.

And, that is how the company still is today: an ambitious, busy, refreshing, colorful, meaningful, supportive, stimulating, diffi cult, rewarding place to make a living.

To be continued... by the next generation

Who was this family and company? Did it remind you of yours? It could be almost any CNGA member, established in the 1950s, when many entrepreneurs started greenhouses and nurseries in Colorado. It’s actually not just one company or family, but an amalgam of several family businesses, created to help you recall the history of the green industry and the reasons why we do what we do. Though not an easy career in any economy, nurseries and greenhouses provide an essential service to communities and a fulfi lling livelihood to the dedicated owners, managers and employees who choose the work.

Thank you to the following CNGA members who provided the real stories to inspire this fi ctional tale: Center Greenhouse, Inc. in Denver, Harding Nursery, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Kiyota Greenhouses, Inc. in Fort Lupton, and Ken and Mike Jeronimus.

“I just loved the challenge. When you walk through a fi eld of trees, it’s like you are living with them, and they get into your whole body. It’s hard to put into words what it is; it’s part of your genes, I guess. You’re only as good as the people that work for you. I always like to surround myself with good people. It’s a family effort; that’s exactly what it is. Of course, I’m so proud of my son, the way he took over. It was awesome to have Mike there.

In the old days, there was such a closeness with the association. I’m sure it’s the same today. Al Foster, Stan Brown’s dad, George Kelly – all those guys were so helpful to me. It was so much fun to get together. Everybody was just so nice, so encouraging. Harry Swift, Ken Wilmore, Charlie Wilmore – they were a big inspiration to me, and helped out a lot when I started.”

– Ken Jeronimus, founder of Green Acres Nursery and Boxelder Creek Nurseries

“The love of the plants and the land really gets underneath the skin. I really enjoyed growing plants, watching them grow. Starting from nothing and making a plant out of it was very enjoyable. I really enjoyed the people, too. I had a lot of happy moments through the years: walking through the lilac fi elds watching them bloom in the spring, the fall colors in the fi eld, seeing one of the plants go off on a pickup. There was no one defi ning moment.

“It was just being with the people and growing up with them. Enjoying their lives was a lot of it for me. I held the babies, went to the graduations, and put a few into the grave. Employees are as close as family because we have to be so tight to make things work. There was a year when we didn’t get our seasonal labor and visas, and our year-round staff brought their children and wives, and did everything it took to get that crop out of the fi eld. That’s what family’s about and they are family.”

– Mike Jeronimus, 2nd generation owner of Green Acres Nursery and Boxelder Creek Nurseries

work was part of the business. So was change – challenging “I just loved the challenge. When you walk through a fi eld of trees,

“I love the retail part of the business. We are lucky to have such loyal customers. My favorite time of the year is around April 15, when the greenhouses are full of blooming baskets overfl owing with plants all ready for spring sales. I believe the greenhouse business is a great place to raise a family. Children can help if they want at an early age. It is so satisfying to see a small plant grow into a beautiful fl ower

or vegetable. It is hard work, especially during May, but if you love the business, it’s very gratifying.”– Mayrene Kiyota, founding owner of

Kiyota Greenhouses, Inc. in Fort Lupton, Colo.

“My favorite part would have to be working together as a family. The best part of the business is all the people we deal with. We have customers that help with suggestions from new varieties to new programs to implement. All of our vendors help out with their expertise. Several customers, vendors, and friends have joined us at a Bronco game (south stands of course) from time to time. I have met a lot of great industry friends during my tenure. My favorite moment is now having accomplished 52 years of business with two generations. It’s great to sit back and think about what we were then and where we are now.” – Dale Kiyota, 2nd generation owner at

Kiyota Greenhouses, Inc. in Fort Lupton, Colo.

or vegetable. It is hard work, especially during May, but if you love the business, it’s very gratifying.”or vegetable. It is hard work, especially during May, but if you love the business, it’s very gratifying.”

“My favorite part would have to be working together as a family. The best part of the business is all the people we deal with. We have customers that help with suggestions from new varieties to new programs to implement. All of our vendors help out with their expertise. Several customers, vendors, and friends have joined us at a Bronco game (south stands of course) from time to time. I have met a lot of great industry friends during my tenure. My favorite moment is now having accomplished 52 years of business with two generations. It’s great to sit back and think about what we were then and where we are now.”


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13

Retailers Plan for Less PlantVariety, More Customer Service

Thank you to Fort Collins Nursery Owner Jesse Eastman, CCNP, and Eagle Crest

Nursery General Manager Diana Mundinger, CCNP, for sharing their

perspectives and insights on market conditions in the coming years.

Photo Courtesy of Fort Collins Nursery


What do you see coming ahead as far as plant inventory?

Eastman: From my perspective as a grower/retailer, we’ve already enacted a lot of inventory changes over the last two years. We’ve been overwintering less plants, and back-stocking fewer plants. As unpredictable as the retail climate has been, we’re not getting caught having too much stock. We’ve pared down our inventory levels pretty low, and don’t see much more changing.

It will have an impact on what is available from growers. The market situation is definitely forcing growers to focus more on what they’re doing and how to make it valuable to customers.

There’s a lot of emotional backlash against growers that are selling to Home Depot, because independent retailers feel it is cheapening those brands. Also, we are finding out now that independent garden centers won’t be able to carry some new annuals like Blueberry Cheesecake Petunias for two years because Home Depot signed an exclusive contract for them. Wise growers will focus on who their market is, and whether it is the big box stores or independents. Independents are getting savvy not to duplicate what is available at big boxes.

My hope is we will continue to see big variety, but growers who are more committed to the big box customers as their outlets will probably pare back options because big boxes don’t carry variety but quantity. With retailers in general carrying less inventory on hand, it will surely make it harder to find certain varieties or at least make them more expensive.

Mundinger: After talking to Eagle Crest Owner George Robinson and Nursery Manager Bryan Becker, who toured growers during the late summer months of 2011, I think that the glut we have seen on B&B trees and the lower prices may continue for the next year or two. It is still necessary for many growers to thin their fields. After that we may start seeing plant material become scarcer.

The plant material supply will most likely get tighter down the line, since most growers have reacted to the economic conditions in the last couple years by growing fewer plants and cutting back on expenses to compensate for fewer sales. Some growers can react to stronger sales ahead quickly, but longterm crops such as large landscape B&B trees may be tight in years to come.

Will a tighter inventory lead to higher prices? Eastman: We’re

seeing some of the bigger growers actually lowering prices; quite often that comes with a narrower inventory. We’re starting to see more tradeoff between selection and price, whereas the two didn’t used to be mutually exclusive.

Mundinger: Although a tighter inventory should lead to higher prices, I

know that we as retailers and most growers are fighting raising prices too drastically. Sales are hard enough to get in this economy without fighting price resistance from customers.

How will customers react to less variety or higher prices?

Eastman: There are still a lot of customers out there who are into what’s going to be the new heuchera this year, or what’s going to be the new lilac. But, we’re seeing more and more people not interested in a breadth of variety and more interested in the utility of plants. People are looking for good shrubs for hedges, rather than adding for example a new lilac to the flower repertoire in their yards. Hopefully that transition to the potential of less variety in the marketplace will coincide with a shift in customer needs and wants.

Mundinger: Thankfully, we have a loyal following of customers, but there is always a concern that higher pricing would drive some of them to shop at big box/discount stores.

Eagle Crest Nursery is aggressively preparing for the future by building a new store and greenhouse that will better serve customers and display popular merchandise more attractively. Photo Credit: Eagle Crest Nursery.

“More and more, customers are

interested in a plant’s utility rather

than the particular variety.”

– Jesse Eastman, Fort Collins Nursery


What trends or changes are happening for retailers?

Eastman: At trade shows and industry meetings, I’ve heard that the idea of selling a packaged project is going to increase in popularity. Whether grouping a whole range of plants for a landscaping strip, or just creating instruction sheets, retailers are making it easier for customers to accomplish projects. Customers are more focused on the utility of accomplishing something in their yards, rather than the satisfaction of the gardening endeavor itself. They are saying ‘How much can I accomplish in three hours on a Saturday, and can I start and finish a project in that time?’ We are couching our products in the language of how many hours they take, to show them what they can do in the limited time they have.

We are getting a lot more customers who haven’t done gardening projects, landscaping, or farming before, and can’t look at it and estimate what they’ll need. A lot of people are finally accepting that the economy is down for the long term, not traveling as much, and doing “staycations” instead. They are deciding to stay home and that it’s worth investing in their yards.

Mundinger: As with most every industry these days, being able (and willing) to adjust to changing trends is the key. Although we have seen a decline in large landscape installations, we have seen the trend of flower and vegetable and small ticket sales increase. We anticipate this trend to continue even as the economy recovers.

An improvement in economic conditions seems painfully slow, but we do expect a turnaround in the future. It is our job to be prepared and ready to react to a changing economic climate. New construction will return, although not at the pace it once was. We will be able to see new construction starts, and since the landscape is always the last step of construction there will be some time to prepare for the need, once again, of larger trees.

What are you doing to prepare for any of these trends and changes?

Eastman: We are focusing more on education, including creating project packaging, and providing more opportunities for people to learn more about plants. We’re finding fun, gentle and positive ways to teach people more about gardening, so it’s not this intimidating thing to understand. It doesn’t do any good if they have fun in class, but go home and have a crummy time and not accomplish anything, so we really have to support them.

In the environmental and social sustainability area, the city of Fort Collins has the Climate Wise Initiative, where they cooperate with local businesses to set customized goals to reduce impact on the environment and save money. They are helping us with figuring out where to get rebates for energy efficiency improvements, calculating payback times, and developing ways to incorporate the changes into the whole company culture. We are being sure to communicate these changes to our customers, which will differentiate us from other businesses and provide another reason for customers to choose to shop with us.

We are finding more ways to interact with people online, and selling our products online makes it easier for our current customers as well as reaching new customers. We are creating and selling Christmas wreaths online, though we’re not at a point of doing a full mail-order catalog online. Already our business is building and we are shipping wreaths all over the country.

Mundinger: At Eagle Crest Nursery, we are taking an aggressive stance to prepare for a future upturn. We are in the middle of building a new store and greenhouse facility that will communicate to our customers our commitment to be here for the long haul. It will allow us to better serve the customer, better display the type of merchandise that has been increasing in sales (gift and bedding plants), and establish a better presence as a major garden center in our mountain valley.

Fort Collins Nursery is finding more ways to interact with people online, including selling Christmas wreaths from its website. Photo Credit: Fort Collins Nursery.

Ryan Kinnison was raised in Nebraska spending time on his family’s farm. When entering college, he knew he loved growing plants but also wanted a more modern career. He decided to study horticulture, and after graduation, found a job in a nursery and greenhouse growing ornamental grasses and flowers.

Fast forward several years later and Kinnison has returned to farming. But this time, as the operations specialist with Circle Fresh Farms, he visits with potential and new growers and helps them develop strategies and facilities for growing produce for the local market.

Circle Fresh, a distributor and consulting firm for a network of Colorado growers, was created to help fill the state’s unmet demand for local, pesticide- and herbicide-free vegetables and fruits. The new company is connecting small farmers to markets and restaurants, whose customers are asking for more local produce.

“Nursery and greenhouse growers have the opportunity to go into this new market. They already know the art and science of growing plants so just need to change things up and add new crops,” Kinnison said. “It’s funny to me. Several years ago, I said ‘Mom and Dad, I want to diversify into a nursery career.’ Now, I am diversifying in a different way. I’m going back to food production, but I’m filling a new need.”

Studies by Colorado State University have shown that more than 70 percent of Colorado consumers prefer locally grown food. Yet, every greenhouse in Colorado could stop growing everything, switch to food production and still only feed 7

Returning to the Farm

“The market for local produce is stable and will grow,

because food is a recession resistant product and customers

are demanding healthier options.”

– Ryan Kinnison, Circle Fresh Farms

Demand for Local Produce Outreaches Supply

Consumer demand for healthy, local produce

at markets and restaurants is opening

up new opportunities for growers. Photo Credit:

Circle Fresh Farms.


percent of the people in the Denver metro area, according to Department of Agriculture statistics cited by Kinnison.

He and Circle Fresh CEO Richard Naha agree now is the time to empower small-scale farmers to to take advantage of consumer demand for healthier produce.

“People are willing to pay a premium for locally grown, organic produce. Eight years ago this would not have been possible,” explained Naha, who gives a lot of credit for food nutrition awareness to employees of Whole Foods and other natural grocers as well as books and documentaries such as Food Inc. “For a while we took our eyes off the ball, and became disconnected from our food. But, we have started learning that when food comes from so far away, it never has a chance to develop nutritional value and flavor.”

For example, to transport tomatoes long distances, they are picked before they are ripe, loaded with salt to preserve them, and immersed in ethylene gas to turn them red. As information about this unnatural process is spread, “Consumers are listening and concerned, and that is creating a demand for something picked when fully ripened. They are willing to pay the premium, which supports the launch of new growing ventures,” Naha said. “Later, we will be able to grow to scale to get better price points.”

People are not only demanding healthier food, but due to the economic decline, they are shifting spending from what they consider non-essential landscaping and gardening to

necessities like food and edible plants. Some greenhouses and nurseries are either adding edible crops to their production mix, or switching completely to produce as the former Picadilly Nursery owners did this year. Picadilly closed (see related article on page ?) and re-opened as Trinity Farms, one of Circle Fresh Farms’ six growers.

The growers wholesale their produce through Circle Fresh to Whole Foods and 18 restaurants in the Denver metro area, but can also retail their produce through highway stands, farmer’s markets or other venues. And, their products still maintain their individual company brands.

Diversification into agriculture is definitely going to be “a movement for the longterm, not a fad for a few years,” said Kinnison. “There’s a market for all but everybody needs to be diverse and unique to make it good. The market is stable, because food like health care and other essentials is recession resistant. Purple petunias are discretionary versus feeding the kids at night.”

Demand is going to continue to grow, and greenhouses have the advantage of supplying local produce all year long, even during months where supplies from out-of-state sources dwindle, he said.

“Local food is the new wave, and it’s an exciting wave to be on,” he concluded.

Returning to the Farm


News of greenhouse and nursery closures can hit customers and industry colleagues in the industry hard. However, conditions – whether they are market-driven or personal – may just not be right for the continuation of a certain business.

A variety of factors can cause companies to close their gates. Some are more external such as a poor economy, increased competition, or a catastrophic weather event, while others are more internal such as key retirements or negative consequences to operational decisions. But, no matter what the case, closure is often a natural part of entrepreneurship, just another change among the many that people in the green industry know all so well.

Statistics cited by several marketing websites claim that 95 percent of retailers don’t have a strategy for closing down a business. Yet, marketing experts recommend business owners create an exit strategy when fi rst starting the business.

A strategic plan for ending or transitioning a business not only helps save money by avoiding lost profi ts, but can also stop a slide into debt. The success of business closings can be affected by decisions about what time of year to close, how to communicate to customers and employees, and what mixture of sales methods and discounts to use. As with any business decision, considering the possible scenarios – both negative and positive – can help deter unexpected situations and ensure a smooth transition.

Closing a Business Takes a Lot of WorkA few years ago, Dian Torphy, CCNP, decided to close Left

Hand Valley Nursery in Longmont, Colo. She wanted more fl exibility in her life than the longterm commitment of a tree-growing business could provide. Due to the slow economy, Left Hand Valley had reduced its staff and she was working more hours. With her kids fi nishing up college, she felt it was a good time to try something new.

Before Torphy began the three-year closing process, she did a lot of talking with the previous nursery owner and “a few select people” who helped her to make decisions on the best strategies. Though telling her staff was an emotional and diffi cult part, she informed them of her plans early on.

“My employees were great. They stuck with me and kept quality up,” she said. “I planted only what I knew we would

sell out of and those trees that I would need to fi ll the customers’ orders. For example, I knew I would have a lot of Ash and Honeylocust remaining at the end, so to make a more diverse selection available I planted Autumn Blaze Maple and Aspen the fi nal year.”

“I kept our yards fully stocked during that time to maximize sales while we continued to grow out our trees in the fi elds,” she added.

To continue to serve her current customers, Torphy sent out a letter to all customers in July 2011 to announce the mid-2012 closing.

“I made it a part of our upcoming sales fl yer with ‘tree sale’ stamped on the envelope, hoping that would aid in their opening the letter. I called many of my closest vendors and customers before the letter went out. That was important to me – to have direct communication with as many people as I could,” she explained. “I received a lot of support from customers once I told them the news. Being a small company I deal with the customers everyday directly. It was nice to hear both that they were sorry we were closing and that they wished me well.”

Torphy did not have to sell the land, because she agreed when buying the business to return the land to the former nursery owner when the time came for Left Hand Valley to close. The landowner is planning to convert the open space to grassland.

The hardest part of closing has been the uncertainty, “not knowing how everything will play out especially in this slower economic time. I think closing down would be easier if your product was in greater demand, but then one would be less inclined to do so!” she said. “It has taken a lot of work and energy to close and I’m not done yet. There are still a lot of questions to be answered. Basically, I have put a lot of thought into it and most things have gone really well, but there are always some disappointments – but no more than when I was running the business full steam. As far as planning, I wrote down all sorts of scenarios and then put budgets to them and went with those ideas that felt the best and made the most sense fi nancially.”

As she nears the fi nal days at the nursery, Torphy is feeling glad to have owned a business, even though it was overwhelming much of the time. She is thankful that the experience taught

Successful Company Closings Take Planning


her so much about everything from politics and government to people, finances, tree growing, land issues, and machinery. And, she is ready for her next career adventure.

Closing a Business Can Open New DoorsThe owners of Picadilly Nursery in Brighton, Colo. had been

investing a lot more time in their business since sales dropped off five years ago. With a poor economy and customers buying less, Davey Rock, CCNP, his father and brother were hiring less employees and filling in the gaps in labor themselves. The family began talking about what else they could do with their talent, land and equipment.

In the spring of 2011, they decided if sales were not showing improvement by fall, they would close the business and reopen as a wholesale organic produce grower.

“The decision didn’t happen overnight. We had been looking for different ways to generate revenue, and that one fit the slot pretty good,” Rock explained. “We put up one greenhouse full of tomatoes last spring, and it was more successful than not.”

When fall came, it was clear that Picadilly was ready to close, and the family followed a game plan they had created for their closing. Rock said he never sought out resources on how to close, believing the industry is so unique that a general business closing plan would not fit his company well. Still, he said a little more planning time would have been helpful.

Picadilly informed vendors of the closing by telephone and in person when salesmen came to the nursery. An e-mail was sent to 3,000 customers and contacts, announcing the closing and informing gift card holders to use them before the last day. Newspaper ads and a billboard were also used, and the local newspaper wrote an article.

“People were naturally disappointed we wouldn’t be here anymore,” Rock recalled. “Some people came in to shop to help out. People were happy to know we weren’t selling the property and moving away, and happy to know we were keeping most the staff.”

He couldn’t believe the influx of people who came to the going-out-of-business sale. Before the announcement, the nursery advertised a 50 percent discount sale and only got a small customer response. But, after announcing the business closing, people flocked to the nursery for the same 50 percent discount. Rock was surprised at the material he was able to sell that was not as attractive to customers previously.

His family made the decision not to sell anything for less than 50 percent, because “Whenever you discount much more than that, it almost becomes more convenient to throw it away then to sell it,” he said.

They plan to take whatever inventory remains to auction this spring. Auctions around Mother’s Day are known to be more profitable than fall auctions, because spring’s when people are wanting to plant, Rock said.

Picadilly is fortunate to be closing on its own terms, due to not having gone into debt before deciding to close. Plus, keeping the property for the new business has made the transition easier.

“The hardest part for me is this is all I’ve ever done. My family has made its living from it for 28 years. Thinking about that nursery not being there is a scary thought,” Rock admitted. “The scariest thing was making that decision to go out of business.”

But, he added, “If you’re going to make that decision to do it, make a plan and advertise heavily. Springtime would be a

peak time to do it. And, don’t feel as if it’s someone’s fault. The market is like it is; there’s a lot of competition in everything. There’s always a chance you can’t do the same thing that you were doing on day one.”

His advice for closing a business is to not feel like you failed but to make the best of it. Don’t be embarrassed or quiet about it, but advertise “the heck out of it” and liquidate inventory.

As Picadilly’s shelves got emptier, they worked out a deal with another nursery to sell their plants on consignment. “I probably would have stocked up more had I known things were going to take off the way they did. We were able to load up on someone else’s material that they were long on and bring back what didn’t sell. It worked great for them, us and our customers,” Rock said.

With the nursery’s closing has come the opening of Trinity Farms, which is distributing its produce grown year-round through fellow CNGA member Circle Fresh Farms.

“It is exciting to have a change,” said Trinity’s co-owner. “The change makes life exciting. We should have a lot more time. I’m really looking forward to not having a storefront, where you have to be there rain or shine. I’m looking forward to not having as much fluctuation in income, and to having more consistent cash flow and more time for the family.”

Tax Resources for Closing a Business

• http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue/REVX/ 1178305429865

• http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98703,00.html

HASH TREECOMPANY

WHOLESALE CONIFER NURSERY

Growers of Quality Specimen ConifersSelected Seed Sources of Pine, Fir & Spruce

1199 Bear Creek RoadPrinceton, ID 83857

Fax: 208---875---0731E---Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.hashtree.com

877---875---8733


Pinnacol Launches Application forInjured WorkersApplication gives workers access to vital claims data

SAFETY CORNER

Pinnacol recently launched a new online application for injured workers designed to provide instant access to claims and benefi ts information. “Helping injured workers has always been at the core of what we do. And,

now more than ever, we’re focused on their health, comfort and satisfaction,” said Pinnacol Associate Vice President Debby Magures.

Injured workers can access Pinnacol’s online application from the company’s main website at Pinnacol.com. Under the “I’m an Employee” heading on the homepage is a link that says “View My Claims.” Using this link, injured workers can register for access to the site by entering an e-mail address and password. An e-mail will then be sent to the address with further instructions and a link to set up their Injured Worker Online account. (For security and confi dentiality, establishing an account requires a claim number, date of injury and the last four digits of the injured worker’s social security number.)

Once the account is established, injured workers can access:

• Name and contact information for their designated claims representative and other key staff

• Information to help them understand and navigate the workers’ compensation process

• Benefi ts check information, including payment details and the scheduled mailing date of their last check

• Medical information, including bills, records and correspondence from providers

• Claims-related correspondence from Pinnacol Assurance.

According to Pinnacol Business Analyst Monica Donaldson, “This new online application for injured workers is comparable to our Pinnacol Online application in the way it provides instant access to important information for agents, policyholders and medical providers. In terms of doing business online with Pinnacol, injured workers will now be able to access critical information and services instantly, like our other key stakeholders.”

If you have questions about the new injured worker application or would like more information, please contact your Pinnacol marketing representative.

PinnacolApplication

Injured Application

Injured Application

Application gives workers access to vital claims data

Pinnacol

Injured

SAFETY CORNER

“Injured workers will now be able to access

critical information and services instantly on

Pinnacol.com.”

– Pinnacol Business Analyst Monica Donaldson


CHAPTER NEWSNEW MEXICO

By N.M. Chapter SenatorLynn Payne

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment! And yes, for all of us folks lucky enough to be involved in the nursery/greenhouse/landscape business in New Mexico, it truly has been enchanting. Driest year on record, lowest temperatures on record, dust storms, forest fi res. Let’s see, what’s another word for enchanting? Captivated? Ravished? (Or is that Ravaged?) Overpowered? Overwhelmed? I don’t know: “The Land of the Overwhelmed”? Nah, that’s no good; I guess we better stick with the original motto!

So, what’s the good news? Well, there just happens to be a lot! Now that we’ve set all these records, we only have blue skies to look forward to from now on! The economy is improving; there’s less competition (sorry about that), and there’s less bargain priced plant material on the market. 2012 is going to be a great year, no really! I’m not being sarcastic; I really believe it!

More good news. We made great strides forward with the New Mexico nursery professional certifi cation manual. Many of us will be able to say “Our company has more certifi ed nursery people than your company!” Since we are a CNGA chapter, we were able to modify the excellent CNGA manual and add a few topics to make it more New Mexican! Our intention is to review and improve it every two years. Recommended pesticides change regularly, new pests are introduced, new and improved techniques are developed, and you know, no matter how good you get, there’s always room for improvement!

Here’s even more good news! Every fall, Sunland Nursery Co. in Las Cruces hosts a dinner for all NMSU horticultural students, professors and department heads. Also invited are NMDA folks and everyone else in the area involved in the green industry, including the community college, local high schools and county extension agents. This year Sunland had over a hundred guests! That’s a lot of enchiladas, especially when you consider the average appetite of a college student! The event gave everyone a chance to socialize, as well as encourage the students to work hard and make us all proud!

Several years ago, Sunland partnered with NMSU to develop an “externship program,” which created intern opportunities for the students. Since then,

Aldershot of New Mexico, a wholesale greenhouse company, also partnered with the university in offering positions to students. It has turned out to be a great program, allowing the students to get a little hands-on experience and college credit at the same time.

Happy New Year from all your friends in New Mexico!

Green Industry SupportsCertifi cation andStudent Training


MEMBERPROFILE

What were the early days of the business like?

Alex and Esther Gerace started their married life truck farming with Alex’s extended family of 13 siblings in 1938. By 1943, it was obvious that Alex and Esther would have to make it on their own and they purchased Welby Gardens’ original 17 acres at the confl uence of the Clear Creek and Platte River in Welby.

For the fi rst seven years, Alex farmed the property with work horses. By 1948, their family had grown to six and it was necessary to supplement the short summer harvest season with additional income during the winter months. They bought an old glass and wood-trussed greenhouse, and grew young vegetable starts, which were sold at the Denargo Market in April and May. This enabled local farmers to get earlier harvests at premium prices in Midwestern and Texas markets. Truck farming gave the area a great advantage nationally until the dam projects were complete on the Colorado River, which led to year-round farming in central and southern California and Arizona.

By the mid 1950s, the celery blight in Welby and the intensive competition from the West

Coast had a great impact on the 2,000 local farmers. Welby Gardens began to add geraniums and other fl owers to the product offering.

What is the background of the owners?

Alex and Esther were fi rst-generation, American-born Italians with 8th grade educations, but they were blessed with a depression hard work ethic and common sense, which they passed onto their children. At 91, Esther still runs the original garden center. Second generation Carmen and John Gerace fi nished high school and entered the business; they both were gifted with great mechanical abilities to engineer the equipment and construct the facilities from the ground up. All three sons took on growing responsibilities as well, and laid the groundwork for the next generation, teaching them skills as they worked alongside them and encouraged them to take up responsibilities and to further educate themselves to carry on the business.

Tell us about your property and your staff.

Over the 63 years of greenhouse operation, Welby Gardens has grown to 23 acres or more than one million square feet of greenhouse space. The growing facilities are located at Welby main on 74th Avenue, a propagation range on North Washington Street, and the Westwoods location on West 64th Avenue in Arvada. Welby also has three retail stores: the Welby Garden Center at 74th and Clayton, Country Fair at I-25 and South Colorado Boulevard, and the Westwood location in Arvada. Besides family members, the Welby staff consists of 150 year-round employees and seasonally swells to 260 members. Welby is proud to have a dozen staff members who have served for 20 years or longer.

Please describe your product line and services.

Welby Gardens specializes in bedding, perennial, and potted plants. The fi nished plants are sold under the trademark of Hardy Boy® Plants. The company also sells young plants from vegetative cuttings to other growers across the country under the trademark of Hardy Starts™. We offer

Hard Work Reaps Rewards for Welby Gardens Family

Welby Gardens

2761 E. 74th Ave.

Denver, Colo. 80229

Tel: 303.288.3398

Fax: 303.287.9316

[email protected]

www.hardyboyplant.com

An aerial view of Welby Gardens main location in Denver, Colo.

The Hardy Boy® Summer Container Trials at Welby Gardens in Denver, Colo.


a wide assortment of 3,000 different items, as well as a narrow and deep assortment of great garden performing annual and perennials.

Welby customers expect consistent quality and speedy, reliable service. Gardeners appreciate our plants’ ability to thrive in our harsh climate. Welby Gardens still uses local mineral soil in all fi nished products to ensure a smoother transition from the greenhouse to the troublesome local soils.

Why have successive generationschosen to follow the founders’ footsteps into the business?

As family members have been able and willing to take up responsibilities, they have been allowed to do so. Each member of the family has brought their own particular set of talents to the organization and has been able to exercise them to their full potential. Family members have been able to share in the equity of the company. The business has always been open to outside talent and good hard-working people, who the family “adopted” and integrated into an every-growing, extended family. The family considers their employees to be their best and fi nest assets. The staff continues to challenge and invigorate the core family and visa-versa.

What makes the greenhouse business satisfying?

Welby Gardens has grown up in a nascent bedding plant industry and has matured and grown along with it. The industry was ripe for innovation and creativity. Science and technology has furthered the breadth and scope of the ability to grow and market plants and fl owers. With the help of Welby’s fundamental suppliers, growers like Welby are at the head waters of a chain of production and distribution that brings living plant material to enrich the lives of others. We learn and pass along the skills to care for these plants and bring beauty to the hard and increasingly mechanical world. Our plants keep nature and living things in the forefront around our homes, places of business, and public areas. Today there still is a place in the greenhouse business for a family fi rm to grow and prosper, if we are willing to sacrifi ce and to evolve to meet its challenges. For our family business, growing fl owers is a way of life, a very special life choice, and its success can be very fulfi lling and personally rewarding.

What were valuable lessons from the founders that support the business today?

Alex and Esther always taught that hard work was necessary for success, and by making mistakes, we learn. Making a mistake is an opportunity to learn and prosper. This allowed the younger generations to take up the tasks at hand and to learn from their mistakes. We have all been made better for it and remained open to new ideas and new people. It is humbling and empowering at the same time.

How does the near future look for the industry?

The green movement is here to stay; the next generation is taking up the banner and is rededicating itself to return to the earth in many ways. We need to double our efforts to fi nd new

ways to reacquire a leadership role in this movement. Green has to also mean green industry in the minds of the public and be an essential part of the communal thinking. This requires that we fi nd new products and reinvent old products to conform to this green standard, and we need to promote the products as such. We need to rebrand the green industry and all our products and services this way. As always what is old will be new again, but with better technology and science behind it.

A crop of Cyclamen in the fall at Welby Gardens in Denver, Colo.


Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

959 S. Kipling Pky, #200

Lakewood, CO 80226

2012 Superior Annuals from the CSU Trials

CSU UPDATE

The annual fl ower trials at Colorado State University continue to grow. The garden has become a major tourist site in Fort Collins during the growing season. 2011 was the eleventh year annual fl owers were planted at the Remington Street site near the University Center for the Arts.

The garden is maintained by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture with guidance from a committee of growers, fl ower seed and plant companies, and public garden horticulturists. Twenty-fi ve plant and seed companies participated and funded the 2011 trials along with many other in-kind donations of supplies. Industry and university personnel and Master Gardeners served as trial judges.

Some 2011 winners include:

Best of Show – Argyranthemum ‘Flutterby Yellow’ from Paul Ecke Ranch Intense fl owering and bright yellow color makes this variety stand out in any garden. Plants were uniform in growth habit and fl owering. Constant bloom throughout the summer made it rank the highest.

Best New Variety – Lantana ‘Bandana Rose Improved’ from Syngenta Flowers

Vibrant multicolor fl owers on this Lantana looked good even as they aged. Plants had a uniform “tidy” growth habit with healthy green foliage. Plants produced virtually no fruit or seeds, saving energy for a constant show of blooms.

Other outstanding plants include:

Nicotiana ‘Whisper Mix’ from Floranova The light pink and white fl owers on this

variety sway in the air on tall stems give it a very delicate and fanciful feel in the garden. It would make a great landscape plant especially for the backs of borders. The basal leaves of the plants had good vigor and a healthy appearance.

Pennisetum ‘Skyrocket’ from Eason Horticultural Resources The showy variegated foliage was impressive and vigorous. The graceful pink plumes added additional texture to the garden.

Phlox ‘Astoria Peach’ from Suntory Flowers, LTD. This plant was truly outstanding along with the other fl ower colors in this series. The soft peach fl ower color combined with prolifi c fl ower numbers throughout the entire growing season made it an obvious standout. Plants were also uniform in habit and had great vigor.

Zinnia ‘Queen Red Lime’ from Benary Unique fl ower color, starting out as a lime green color and maturing to a mauve color on the outer petals, was the primary feature of this variety. The taller statuesque growth habit made it an excellent cut fl ower. Plants were also ranked high due to resistance to powdery mildew and strong stems which were weather resistant.

A complete listing of all winners can be found at www.fl owertrials.colostate.edu. The information and photos of winners are also available on the CNGA website at coloradonga.org on the Industry Professional Side under Members Only on the Member Resources page.

By James E. Klett, Professor and Extension Landscape Horticulture Specialist, Colorado State University

Phlox ‘Astoria Peach’

Lantana ‘Bandana Rose Improved’

Documents

Jan-Feb 2012