Thursday, November 8, 2012

Flower World


 My daughter invited me to go on her daughters' 3rd grade field trip Tuesday to
"Flower world" in Maltby, Wa.
I found out this info. about their plants and facility from their home page -
They are one of the largest retail nurseries of its kind on the West Coast. Unlike other nurseries and garden centers Flower World does not buy its plants from other growers. They grow about ninety per cent of all the plant material they offer. Their plants are grown locally in Maltby in their own green houses and production fields. Because of that fact, you will get the freshest quality plant because you are buying directly from the growers.        

It was really interesting to see their retail plants in that large green house and then to tour the separate green houses where they do their own planting, and growing. We found out that they believe strongly in recycling within their facility. They even make their own soil that they compost themselves.                                                                                                     
Here is the info. from their "about us" page on the website - http://www.flowerworldusa.com
"Flower World, Inc. was started in 1968 by John and Marijke Postema on a four acre parcel of land. During the 1970's and the 1980's bedding plants, fuchsias and foliage plants were the main crops. These were sold to the local wholesale markets and shipped nation wide to the wholesale trade. In the early 1980's local shoppers started to stop by the greenhouses to inquire about specific plant products and that was the beginning of the retail business. Until 1994 the retail nursery was located on one of the original eight-acre sites. In the spring of that year the retail business was moved to the newly constructed display greenhouses at its current location on 196th Street SE in Maltby.
Flower World is enormous, so it is very easy, as a first time customer, to be overwhelmed. We have constructed the layout of the retail greenhouses and the display areas in such a way that it becomes very easy to find the specific sections you are looking for. You will find numerous information mailboxes filled with maps of the area layout. You will also find informational plant brochures for your convenience and your use. We are a "self-help, low-key, take-your-time and-explore" type of operation. You will not experience a hard sell technique from any of our employees. We encourage you to take your time to enjoy the displays, the flowers, the plants, the shrubs and the trees. Most of our signage is meant to inform as well as educate. The informational signs will help you choose the right plant for the right location and explain how to give it the right care. The pictures will help you visualize the blooming stages and the mature look of a plant.We recycle plastic pots and containers and we encourage you to use the drop-off bins for your convenience. We are also accepting yard waste and horse manure" 

If you look at the base of the farthest back tree in the photo below you can just see one of the mail boxes where they keep their information. Also you can see which holiday season they are getting ready for by all of the Poinsettia's being displayed!
(click to enlarge each of the photos)
 
one of the many growing rooms





Gladiolus drying
assembly room
We got to see where the assembly line area was. This is where their own composted soil is added to the bedding/growing pots. Then either the seeds or plants are added and an identification label stick is put into each pot.
Plant label room
Tomato plants
 I was so surprised to see how tall the Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper plants were. They were actually taller than this as they snake them side ways back and forth so the plants will keep growing to their maximum. Here's a photo with some of the volunteers and children from the field trip, as you can see the plants are taller than the adults.
Cucumber plants
Pepper plants
One part of the recycled pot area
I really like this Twisted Fig tree.

Here's a panorama (click to enlarge it) of the retail green house - so nice and cozy warm.

They did have benches here and there. It would be a wonderful place to sit and read with a cup of tea.
It was a great opportunity to get to go, so glad I was invited!









Sunday, October 28, 2012

The Snow geese are here!

 We went for our first birding trip of the fall. We noticed last week that the Swans were back in our area, so decided to drive to Skagit county to an area called Fir Island to look for the Snow Geese. Skagit Valley is a great area to view Swans and Snow Geese. It's fields are full of them throughout the winter months. Usually the Swans and Snow geese arrive about the same time. We saw them but, there were just a few of them in the fields - more to be coming soon!!
Our first sighting
(click to enlarge)
closer
 (click to enlarge)
as close as we could get
(click to enlarge)

 When they are all here for the season, the skies are full of birds looking for a nice field to feed on. They are very noisy, I love to watch them lock their wings for the landing.

Here's a picture I took last year of a group that had just been disturbed, they take off all together and then land all together a short distance away.
Snow Geese