Cross Fertilization

From Talking to Touring

Over the years, growers in Southern California had tossed around the idea of doing something together to bring potential buyers to the region. After much tossing, a group of 10 growers finally decided to grab on to it. About a year ago, Michael Kent, co-owner of Kent’s Bromeliad Nursery in Vista, Calif., had what would be the last "when-are-we-going-get-together-and-do-something?" conversation with Eric Anderson, president of the San Diego County Flower & Plant Association. "That’s when we decided to sit down and talk together," Kister says. "And we knew we had to get everyone involved or it would never get off the ground."

But why now? Because the fish are biting, the iron is hot, the getting is good. "Business is very good for all of us now, we know our customers are in a buying mode, so now is the time to show them everything we have," she says. "We all understand that business is cyclic. But now when there’s a down-turn, we will have strengthened relationships and built new ones."

As members of the group, the growers already had the channels to get the word out and buy-in form other growers. Although "fiercely independent," the growers aren’t cut-throat, Kister says, thanks to plenty of networking and the simple fact that not everyone can sell everything. For example, if a buyer needed cactus, bromeliad and potted plants, no one California greenhouse could fulfill the order. The greenhouses knew they’d benefit from "selling" their combined selections.

"The reality is we all share customers," says Laurie Scullin, marketing director at Paul Ecke Ranch, Encinitas, Calif. "So why not share our resources to get more of them?"

Why not indeed?

- Floral Management, October 200

Amanda Temple is the managing editor of Floral Management. Email: atemple@safnow.org