Yang Chinese Rose Gardening Co.

A thriving research and education farm dedicated to the development of new varieties and technology.

Located in Kunming, China… Kunming Yang Chinese Rose Gardening Co. is situated in the east-central part of the Yunnan Province in a fertile lake basin area surrounded by mountains to the north, west, and east. The farm was established in 1998 and works closely with the National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, which oversees the research, development and promotion of the Chinese Rose, Hydrangea and ‘featured woody flowers’ like Proteas.

Resting on a hillside with a breathtaking view, this farm’s major crops include Hydrangea, Roses, Protea, Leucadendron, Leucospermum, waxflower and a variety of other unique flowers, foliage and branches. The eye-catching fields of over 100 varieties of colorful hydrangea create a unique environment, especially when you realize there are more than 1,800 varieties of roses that frame the 70 hectare property. And it’s even more enchanting when you appreciate that there’s another 200 varieties of Mediterranean flora, like many of those grown here in Rainbow. Throughout the farm, lush pathways, vibrant arbors and picnic areas offers ample room for visitors to rest and explore.

As with many passionate flower farmers, Mr. Young, owner of Yang Chinese Rose Gardening developed the farm from his love for the unique and unusual, as well as his desire to preserve rare and nearly extinct flora. He has not only managed to preserve many of China’s botanical treasures, he has created a paradise for his family and staff and continues to keep pace with the times.

Our thanks to Mr. Young and the staff of the Yang Chinese Rose Gardening Co. for the wonderful tour and gracious hospitality

China Visit: Promoting American Grown Flowers

One of our favorite parts of being in the floral industry is having the opportunity to travel and experience this amazing industry in other parts of the world. From South Africa to Australia, South America to China, there are an abundance of flower farmers, wholesalers, florists and designers to learn from - which has translated into many inspirational trips for us!

On June 23, Mel and I were part of an American delegation that was formed to travel to China and host seminars on American Grown Flowers in both Beijing and Shanghai. This trip was developed out of a USDA Foreign Ag Services grant program. Certified American Grown received a Market Access Program (MAP) grant and a Quality Samples Program (QSP) grant to go to China and develop market opportunities on behalf of their farms.

The China delegation included:

• Jim Omoto, Kendall Farms 
• Robert Kitayama, Kitayama Brothers 
• Mel Resendiz, Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers 
• FJ Trzuskowski, Continental Floral Greens 
• Lane DeVries, Sun Valley Floral Group 
• Kasey Cronquist, Certified American Grown 
• Diana Roy, Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers 
• Christy Hulsey, Colonial House of Flowers 
• Cathy McClintock, Kendall Farms

Also pictured:

• Fiona and Sylvain from PR Consultants, our Guides & Interpreters 
• Teng shu qing, General Manager of the Yunnan United Floral Transport & Marketing Co. (next to Lane)

The seminars in Beijing and Shanghai were attended by wholesalers, importers, retailers and floral designers. Over 40 people attended each of the seminars, providing the opportunity for each farm to showcase their flowers and discuss business opportunities within China's floral industry. Christy Hulsey, from the Colonial House of Flowers, dazzled attendees during her design presentations that served as the finale to both seminars. In addition, we had the opportunity to visit wholesale flower markets in both cities.

Beijing:

Shanghai:

Our last stop was Kunming, where we went to learn more about China’s growing regions. China boasts over 1.3 million hectares of fresh cut flowers and foliage, growing over 12 billion stems per year and generating over $22 billion. More than 180,000 farms grow for the floral industry, with the average farm being less than half a hectare and the larger farms over 20 hectares. In Kunming, we met with the general manager of the Yunnan United Floral Transport & Marketing Co. The company was established in 2002 and represents approximately 80 percent of the production sold within the industry. They manage the floral auction, which operates similar to the Holland auction of the past. We also visited two farms while in Kunming (more on that in our next blog).

Our thanks to the USDA Foreign Ag Services grant program for making this trip possible.

Hortiflorexpo Shanghai: The Banksia

The brighter the better in some cases, and that’s what we’re loving these days when it comes to banksia.

The banksia is a bold and textural bloom that’s displayed in many of our favorite designs. For any season, there’s always a way to make them work no matter what the occasion is. I think the uniqueness of a banksia is what makes it loved by so many of us. When it comes to designing with banksia, the options are seemingly endless. Such an exceptional flower can be transformed by the designer, projecting a different look depending on what else it is paired with it. You can go with natural burgundy, orange or green hues, or add more color to the stems and create a virtual rainbow. I attended the Hortiflorexpo in Shanghai this month, and while in the Lynch Group exhibit, banksias were all the rage.

Here are some of the ways they were displayed throughout the booth.

What color combination do you like best?