Today is the final day of the California Spring Trials and most of the visitors will end their tour in the North (near San Francisco) or the south (near Los Angeles). At different sites in between these two large cities displays were filled with new, existing, improved and even experimental varieties. So far, the participating companies are pleased with the number and quality of visitors. However, the early date of the event is still something they are very unsatisfied with.
Final Day
At 5 pm today, the event officially ends, but closing times differ per company. Ball Horticultural Company, Proven Winners and Dümmen Orange closed their doors on March 26 and Speedling and Windmill Nursery will close their doors today at 12pm, Beekenkamp at 2pm Benary and Benary+ at 4pm and Grolink at 4:30 pm. All other locations are open till 5pm today.
Unhappy with the dates
When visiting the participating companies, one of the most heard complaints of the event is the fact that it is so early this year. "Usually, it is being held Mid-April, now it is almost a month earlier. It costed us and many others a lot of effort to force our plants in bloom on time, particularly with the weather we've had over the last couple of weeks", says one of the exhibitors. "On top of that, it is Spring break this week and hotels are therefore more expensive", says another exhibitor.
Visitors
Fortunately, it did not seem to affect the interest for the CAST. The participating companies are not only pleased with the visitor numbers, but also with the quality.
FloralDaily
The FloralDaily team is also at the event and will make a full photo report of the show. They are traveling from South to North, spotting the highlights of each participating company. The full photo report will be published on Monday, April 1, but below already some first shots from some sites in the north. More information on the products will be given in the photo report.
Scott Hanes of Benary+ holding Taka Tuka Bidens ferulifolia Red Glow, one of the three new varieties in the Taka Tuka series.
Alicia Suits of Sakata with their new begonia series: Viking.
Jerome O'Neill of Vista Farms with the Bougainvillea Sunstone Red and Sunstone White.
Nomi Hen of Cohen Propagation Nurseries presenting a new variety in the Nemesia series (bred by Breier); Honey Dark Purple