As part of the CalFlowers Fun 'N Sun Convention, Sun Valley hosted a farm tour of their Channel Islands property in Oxnard. Owner Lane DeVries led the groups around the farm answering questions and explaining the intricacies of flower farming. As a special treat, they brought down a pop-up tulip garden of nearly 10,000 stems to highlight our tulips, which grow year-round in northern California.
Here are a few highlights captured by Lani Nicole (of Black Moon Images).
Lane answering questions from our guests
One of their favorite supporters, E Shaunn Alderman, tip-toeing through the Matricaria
Matricaria, almost ready to pick.
They hosted 4 busloads of flower lovers.
Their fearless tour guide.
Floral designer Kelly Shore, she fell in love with their lilies.
They brought a pop-up tulip garden of nearly 10,000 stems.
Sun Valleys year-round fancy and double tulips were of great interest to our guests.
Their team members put on a planting demo, showing how we plant Matricaria.
Fun ‘N Sun convention
In keeping with its motto, “More Americans, enjoying more flowers, more often,” CalFlowers (the California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers), hosted its biennial Fun ‘N Sun convention July 24- 27 in Santa Barbara, California.
Attendees included members in the floral value chain: California and national growers, online and physical florists, mass-market retailers, designers, transportation and service providers, and others.
Next to Sun Valley also Joseph & Sons Inc, and Westerlay Orchids LP provided tours of their properties, with lunch provided at Joseph & Sons.
Education sessions included such topics as how to drive floral sales after Mother’s Day, federal public policy issues that impact the floral industry, flower trends for 2019, the future of the US floral wholesale business, and more.
A Flower Fair – the hallmark of the convention – featured hundreds of locally grown and imported flowers and greens – the largest such collection under one roof.
Leading floral designers from across the United States showcased design trends and ideas.
For more information:
For more information:
The Sun Valley Group
3160 Upper Bay Road
Arcata, CA 95521-9690
T: 800-747-0396
F: 707-826-8708
www.thesunvalleygroup.com
CalFlowers Fun 'N Sun
www.cafgs.org/fns