As we prepare to celebrate the New Year, five horticulture industry pioneers share what they learned and accomplished over the years, as well as their hopes and advice for the future.
Larry Watson
Retired, former owner of Plants for Today and Tomorrow
His start in the industry: during 6th grade
Career & Legacy: Nursery Employee, Western Evergreens, Golden, Colo. (1952-58); CSU graduate, B.S....
Excitement is growing for the 2022 opening of the new College of Agricultural Sciences building at Colorado State University. The Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department will be using many of the rooms in the new building, providing modern, state-of-the-art learning experiences and senses of pride for students preparing for green industry careers.
“It’s going to be a first-class facility. CSU...
How did Nick’s get started?
Our father, Nick Ortega, started the business in 1987 as a small, retail garden center located at Alameda Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Denver. In 1994 we moved, purchasing the assets of J & D Garden Center at our current location. In 2000, we underwent a major expansion and acquired an additional three acres, giving...
This December, my time as your CNGA Board President comes to an end. It has been an incredible honor to be a part of the board and I will always say that what I contributed was far outweighed by what I gained from it, both personally and professionally. If you have ever been on the fence about participating in...
Did 2020 and all of its challenges highlight areas where CNGA could help you more? Did a year of limited contact make our networking opportunities even more valuable? CNGA is a member-driven organization, and as such, we ask for input from you, the members, each year. This November, we will return to focusing on member input at our Horticulture...
By James E. Klett, Ph.D.
Professor & Landscape Horticultural Specialist
Colorado State University
On Saturday July 31, 2021, the Colorado State University Annual Flower Trial Garden hosted a Consumer Day to get a feel for what the general consumer of annual flowers looks for when they are acquiring annual bedding plants for their landscapes. We had close to 400 attend that Saturday...
By Mike Schleining, CCNP
CHREF Board Member
2015-16 & 2016-17 CHREF Scholarship Recipient
The Colorado Horticulture Research and Education Foundation plays an integral role in encouraging and rewarding top-performing students at Colorado State University and Front Range Community College through scholarships, and contributes to much needed research being conducted at CSU. Not only are contributions helping to secure the future leaders of...
When did Graff’s get started and what are your products?
The farm was initially established in 1979, by Randy and Betsy Graff in Fort Morgan, Colo. The Graff’s son, James, and I bought the business in 2007. Today we grow 300 to 400 acres of sod annually depending on demand. Our main varieties include Kentucky bluegrass, tall and fine fescues...
What is the company’s history?
In 1967, five Tagawa brothers (Ken, George, Dave, Jim, and Albert) started the business as a vegetable farm. From vegetables, the company diversified into cut flowers and carnations, and today we have split into three main production facilities in Brighton and Golden, Colo., and Estancia, N.M., where we produce young plants and finished annual bedding...
With the increased interest in gardening instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing more people to growing plants from bulbs can increase sales and customer satisfaction. Most longtime gardeners are comfortable and knowledgeable about the benefits of planting bulbs, but newer gardeners tend to need some education.
At Lafayette Florist, Gift Shop and Garden Center, young customers are not as likely...
