January 2007, NEWS

ASCFG Grower Grant Awarded to Erin Benzakein

Erin Benzakein, owner of Floret, a small floral design business specializing in sustainably grown seasonal arrangements in Mount Vernon, Washington, is the recipient of the ASCFG Research Committee Grower Grant for 2006.

One of a pool of several excellent grant submissions, Erin submitted two grant applications for this funding cycle. The first project will study the production of ornamental grasses for the cut flower trade. Erin has corresponded with experienced growers, garden designers and nursery owners to compile a list of twenty seven grasses to be trialed. Included are Calamagrostis, Miscanthus, Molinia, and Panicum varieties and a number of uncommon and lesser-known cultivars. They will be grown and graded on their ease of cultivation, length of bloom, vase life and usefulness as cut flower material in designs. The goal of this trial is to gather information on growing, harvesting and acceptability in the floral market. Her hope is that the data and experience gathered from this trial will open up a whole new area in the North American cut flower market.

The second grant will be applied to the examination of several varieties of Rosa for rose hips production. Italian, German and Dutch growers have bred many exciting new varieties which could have great potential. These plants offer an extended season of harvest, hardiness and proven disease resistance, long vase life and remarkable storage capabilities. The European varieties provide great textures, colors from pink to orange to nearly black, and a wide range of shapes and fruit presentations.

Results of these projects will be published in The Cut Flower Quarterly. The ASCFG Research Fund is supported through the ASCFG Seed and Young Plants Trials program. It was established to promote research that will benefit specialty cut flower growers in the field or in the greenhouse.

Erin is an organic flower grower, Master Gardener, and floral designer in Washington’s Skagit Valley. She confesses to being “completely and utterly obsessed with flowers”.

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is a trade association for greenhouse and field commercial cut flower growers. For more information see www.ascfg.org

‘06 CalScape People’s Choice Booth Winners

Ukiah, CA – CalScape Expo attendees selected the spectacular booth created by Rolling Greens of Culver City, CA, as their first choice in the People’s Choice Booth Award contest held at CalScape Expo in Palm Springs on October 11-13. The Exhibitor Showcase with one hundred booths filled with lush foliage, hard goods, and friendly service-oriented vendors, including 15 exhibitors making their first appearance at CalScape Expo, made the selection process challenging. When all votes were in, the top five exhibitors were identified and prize ribbons were given to the top three booths.

Rolling Greens of Culver City, California, was awarded the first prize blue ribbon as the 2006 People’s Choice Booth Award. Nurserymen’s Exchange of Half Moon Bay, CA, captured the second place spot while Modeco Systems of Jackson, WI, came in third. Attendees voted Green House Nurseries of Arleta, CA, fourth place winner and rounding the fifth place spot was San Francisco Foliage of San Francisco, CA. Over 540 people attended the interiorscape convention, which focuses on the professionals who design, install and maintain plants in the interior environment. The exhibitors were congratulated on their contributions to the show’s appearance and convivial atmosphere, features that make CalScape Expo a unique and celebrated industry event.

CalScape Expo 2006 Interiorscape Awards

Ukiah, CA – Nine companies were honored for their outstanding interiorscape work at the Plantscape Industry Alliance’s Interiorscape Awards Program and Hall of Fame Banquet held at CalScape Expo in Palm Springs on October 12. Entries are judged solely on their own merit against a point system. Each entry is reviewed individually within its category and valuation.

Gardener’s Guild, San Rafael, CA, was the winner of an Award of Excellence for “Crocker Galleria” in the category of Installation at the $50,001 - $100, 000 level. The Design category had four winners with Parker Interior Plantscape, Scotch Plains, NJ, winning an Award of Excellence for “SCA” at the level of $7,501 - $15,000; Initial Tropical Plants, Inc., San Francisco, CA, was a Merit winner with “San Francisco Hilton - Financial District” at the $15,001 - $25, 000 level; Planterra Corp., Bloomfield, MI, won a Merit Award for “Riverside Office Center” at the $25,001 - $50, 000 level; and Gardener’s Guild, Inc., San Rafael, CA, won a Award of Merit Award for “Crocker Galleria” at the$50,000 - $100,000 level. Initial Tropical Plants, Inc., St. Louis, won an award of Merit also in the Design category at the $50,001 - $100, 000 level for “KV Pharmaceutical Company.” Parker Interior Plantacape, Scotch Plains, NJ was the winner of a Merit Award in the category of Atrium at the $25,001 - $50, 000 level for “Monday Properties”. A Major Renovation Merit Award was awarded to Initial Tropical Plants, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA, for “Fletcher Jones Motor Cars” entered at the $7,501 - $15, 000 level. The category of Special Event & Holiday had four entries winning and Award of Excellence: Coastal Plantscapes, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, won at the $2,501 - $7,500 level with the “Stratteman Residence”; Initial Tropical Plants, Inc., Los Angeles, received and Award of Excellence for “Tishman Speyer - Mellon Bank Center” at the $7501 - $15,000 level; and Oasis Interior Plant Design, Inc., Irvine CA, was recognized for “South Coast Plaza” at the $25,001 - $50,000. Excellence at the $50,001 - $100,000 level also in the Special Events & Holiday category was awarded to Initial Tropical Plants, Inc. Los Angeles, for “Two Rodeo.”

Maria De Jesus Zapien an employee of Gardener’s Guild, Inc., San Rafael, CA, was honored with the Technician award for her excellent service to her company and their clients.

Interested companies are encouraged to enter the fifteenth annual PIA Interiorscape Awards Program in 2007 and are reminded to take photos for the Holiday & Special Event category over the upcoming holiday season for entry in the 2007 contest.

CalScape Expo 2007 will be held at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV, September 26-28, 2007. For more information, contact PIA at 707-462-2276 or pia@piagrows.org.

AFE Unveils New & Improved Web Site
Edwardsville, Illinois, December 7, 2006 – Horticulture and floriculture professionals who want to learn about the latest developments in cutting-edge research and education now have a new and invaluable tool available with the recent launch of The American Floral Endowment’s (AFE) redesigned web site – www.endowment.org.

AFE is the leading non-profit funding source for floricultural research and educational programs in the United States, and its web site is another indicator for the organization’s leadership role in the industry. Particularly valuable is the Scientific Research section, as it contains not only information on currently and previously funded research, but also detailed research reports that industry professionals can use to further educate themselves. The research reports can help the industry produce better crops, which ultimately will result in providing today’s consumers with a more positive experience relating to our industry’s products.

AFE’s web site upgrades have been two years in the making. The major overhaul has given the site a completely new layout. The site is now extremely user-friendly and allows visitors to more easily navigate from page to page. One of the site’s additions is a page dedicated to links to floriculture research – www.flora-links.org. This page is designed to help fellow industry members quickly locate scientific floriculture/horticulture research information.

AFE’s web site still contains all of the important research reports and funding information industry members have come to rely on from AFE. All of the applications for scholarship and funding programs are also available for download. Check out the AFE web site for the latest information that impacts your business, production, and education.

Smithers-Oasis Acquires Floralife
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithers-Oasis Company, a privately held company headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of floral foam and related products, has purchased Floralife®, Inc., a recognized leader of post-harvest floral products, from AgroFresh, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Rohm and Haas Company (NYSE: ROH - News), for an undisclosed amount. Rohm and Haas is a publicly- traded specialty materials company based in Philadelphia. Smithers-Oasis manufactures and markets floral foams, accessories and floral mechanics to the retail floral market worldwide. Floralife manufactures and markets a complete line of post-harvest flower care products for the floral industry. Both companies also manufacture and market products for the grower/greenhouse industry.

The product lines of both Smithers-Oasis and Floralife are highly complementary, according to Smithers-Oasis Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles F. Walton. “This acquisition offers perfect synergy of product lines, distribution channels and customers,” he said. “We believe Floralife’s exceptional brand recognition, combined with Smithers-Oasis’ established relationships with floral and grower markets worldwide, will ensure the immediate success of this new relationship. In addition to our customer base, we also share similar core values with Floralife to produce high quality products and focus on customer satisfaction,” said Walton.

Smithers-Oasis is best known worldwide for its OASIS® Brand Floral Foam, the world’s first water-absorbing foam invented by V.L. Smithers in 1954. The product revolutionized the floral industry by offering florists a way to hydrate flowers while securing them in the desired arrangement. Today, OASIS® Floral Foam is used by florists around the world. “The objective of this acquisition is to maintain our present position in the worldwide floral foam market while expanding our post-harvest offerings,” according to Smithers-Oasis President and Chief Operating Officer Robin M. Kilbride. “Our goal is to leverage our existing worldwide distribution to significantly expand market penetration of Floralife® products in global markets,” she said. Kilbride noted that Smithers-Oasis plans to continue operating Floralife as a wholly owned subsidiary, consistent with the approach the company has used for more than 50 years to build an international organization.

“With its vast distribution network, Smithers-Oasis is positioned to accelerate Floralife’s growth globally and we look forward to exploring an ongoing relationship with Smithers-Oasis and its Floralife subsidiary,” said General Manager for Floriculture Erin Doherty of AgroFresh. “Meanwhile, AgroFresh will continue to leverage its expertise in ethylene management and focus on its core competency in related quality management systems for the fruit, vegetable and floral industries.” “While we explore future opportunities with Smithers-Oasis, customers can be reassured that they will continue to receive EthylBloc(TM) products through Floralife and it will be business as usual,” Doherty noted.

Smithers-Oasis Company is headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with research, manufacturing and marketing offices located in Kent, Ohio and throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America. Floralife, which was founded in 1938, is headquartered in Walterboro, S.C., where it maintains its manufacturing facility. Smithers-Oasis, established in 1954 in Kent, Ohio, is the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of floral foam products for fresh, silk and dried flowers; bouquet holders, bouquet collars and wedding accessory items; adhesives, tapes, glues, decorative wires and other specialty products to florists worldwide. Smithers-Oasis is also a leading supplier of growing media (rooting systems) to the greenhouse and grower industry worldwide.

Teleflora Names Shawn Weidmann as President
Los Angeles, December 18, 2006 – Teleflora, the world’s largest floral services and products company with over 70 years experience in growing the businesses of local retail florists, announced today that Shawn Weidmann has been promoted to the position of President. Prior to this, he was Vice President of Strategy for Roll International’s consulting group, a sister company to Teleflora. Mr. Weidmann’s promotion is effective immediately. Commenting on this announcement, Tom Butler, Chairman, Teleflora said, “We are delighted to have found a new President for Teleflora from within our Roll family of companies. This puts us in a strong position since Shawn is intimately familiar with our business. Shawn has proven operations and leadership skills demonstrated during his tenure with Roll International and during his prior career. This experience is highly valued at Teleflora.”

Over the past 70 plus years, the Teleflora brand has become synonymous with its ability to help traditional retail florists build successful businesses. A key element of this strategy has been Teleflora’s dedication to driving consumer demand for flowers as evidenced by its extensive consumer advertising campaigns. This effort is unique in the industry and drives significant demand and business to Teleflora’s network of florists as consumers seek out the products that they have seen advertised.

About TELEFLORA
Founded in 1934, Teleflora is the world’s leading provider of floral services and products. Serving approximately 25,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, Teleflora also connects approximately 20,000 additional florists through affiliations worldwide. Additional information about Teleflora is available at its web sites, www.teleflora.com and www.myteleflora.com.