Greens Galore

Consider the awesome diversity
and imagine the possibilities.

Basketball has the three-pointer; baseball has the grand slam. These are outstanding plays that score multiple points with one shot. Florists can make these moves, too, using foliage to win points with consumers.

Once just a green accompaniment to flowers, foliage is assuming a more pivotal position in floral design. Trend-setting designers search out unusual foliages to create original arrangements. They use several types of foliage for color and texture in one piece.

"Imaginative use of cut greens is an inexpensive way to increase an arrangement's value in the consumer's eye," says Rene van Rems, AIFD, PFCI, CCFC director of promotions. "Leading shops distinguish themselves by offering their customers something the competition doesn't have."

California has a burgeoning supply of cut greens to implement this strategy. Glance at some recent introductions and you will catch a glimpse of the awesome diversity available. A new favorite is 'Moon Lagoon' eucalyptus. Its narrow, blue-gray leaves and soft stems create a graceful cascading element.

T. Larry Jones Inc., Watsonville, has mastered a technique for growing thornless sprengeri. This basket asparagus has small, plentiful needles that impart fullness to designs. In summer, tiny white flowers enhance its airy quality.

There is more on the way. A new type of myrtle from Mellano & Company, San Luis Rey, has fuller, glossy leaves and a branching habit to fill out arrangements. Mellano also has limited production of Italian variegated pittosporum which has green and white leaves with crinkled edges.

The wonderfully varied world of California foliage is exploding with more than 100 different types. Cut greens are available in a myriad of forms—fern, ornamental grass, shrubby or exotic foliage. The choices come in a kaleidoscope of green, from the spring green of new growth to the refreshing green of forests. Now is the time to update and expand your inventory.

"Feed your imagination by stocking many varieties, and display them so your customers can browse," says van Rems.

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