Floral

Now retired, founder Glenn recalled stories of his early plant breeding days at a Saturday tribute at Syngenta Flowers in Gilroy. The tribute commemorated 50 years of Goldsmith Seeds and the family’s commitment to the Rotary Club of Gilroy’s Service Above Self Award. …

Brightwood, VA-based EcoTulips, the only supplier of organic tulips in the U.S., is hosting its second annual Organic Tulip Festival April 2-17, 2011 in partnership with DuCard Vineyard and Brightwood Vineyard and Farm. …

Tricyrtis ravenii was discovered in the high mountains of Taiwan and published by Ching-I Peng, published as a new species in 2006. The plant was named after the internationally renowned conservationist Dr. Peter Raven, the recently retired 39-year director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery traveled to Taiwan in 2008 where he located the plant and took cuttings of outstanding forms. The plants were subsequently tested at Plant Delights and then propagated by seed for public release. …

While April brings breeders to the west coast for the California Pack Trials, May brings performance trials to the east coast with FNGLA’s First Annual Floriculture Field Days and Performance Trials held in conjunction with the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Planting and preparation is underway as FNGLA plans to showcase how the season’s new varieties will handle Florida’s heat and humidity. …

OFA The Association of Horticulture Professionals congratulates Addie Scheibe of Wooster, Ohio, and Holly Carson of Christines Garden, Columbus, Ohio, for passing the Ohio Certified Florist (OCF) test. …