Spring in Bloom at a Test Garden
We began business in 1988 as Plant Clones of Davis
but changed the name to Flowers and Greens to reflect our growing specialization
in flowering plants.
In 1996 we acquired a 20 acre farm, about 7 miles north and west of Davis, and
constructed a 5000 sq. ft. greenhouse and three 30% shade shelters comprising
about 15,000 sq. ft. An additional two acres are used for propagation of Alstroemeria
and other geophytes.
Since acquisition and development of the farm
and mini-nursery, we expanded production of Alstroemeria and began growing
significant numbers of Watsonia, Calla, Freesia (F. alba), Amaryllids, Crocosmia
and Acidanthera.
In 1989 I bought my original seeds from Fred Meyer and
Leonard Carrier, two
California-based breeders who, unfortunately, are now deceased. Since then I have made a few new selections including a magenta and some new lavenders and pinks. These are mainly the
result of bee and hummingbird pollination with a base of about a thousand alstroemeria
seedlings. I select seeds from the best mother plants and increase most
Over the years, I have prepared a rich organic soil using compost, wood chips and shredded bark, that
is well-drained and nearly weed-free. All of this overlays a nearly impermeable clay.
After that the main job is cloning selections. The unheated greenhouse is used to increase slow-growing or unique
selections. These stay in the greenhouse for 2 years minimum, if they are
vigorous. The time required to get a new selection from seedling to the catalog
depends
on the rate of growth of the selection. It ranges from 2 or 3 years on up to
5 or 6 years.
In recent years, I have been refining our
selections of magenta, pink and lavender offerings. These are not named as
yet, that may change in the near future.
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