CTAHR played tour guide for the Hawai‘i Floriculture and Nursery Association’s first-ever “Wedding Celebrations: Floral Design Workshop and Nursery Tour.”
Attendees, some from as far away as Canada and Pennsylvania, attended Wedding Floral Design Workshops on four Hawaiian Islands, led by famed floral designer Hitomi Gilliam (center, in black) and funded by the USDA and Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture.
The O‘ahu tour, which visited Lois Hiranaga of Flora Dec, David Orr in Waimea Valley, and Chad Matsushima of Alluvion Farms, finished at Magoon, where Tessie Amore and Orville Baldos (both TPSS) gave presentations on recent research in cut flowers, such as anthurium and using native species for cut-flower production.
“The purpose is to introduce CTAHR stakeholders (floral designers, lei makers, florists, wedding coordinators, cut-flower producers and growers) to novel products and hot new design practices in floral design for weddings and other occasions,” said floriculture Extension agent Russell Galanti.
“We also want to connect the attendees with growers, to strengthen business connections between florists, wedding industry businesses, and local floriculture and nursery growers,” he added. “This includes connecting Mainland and international stakeholders to Hawaiʻi businesses.”
“When we look at our industry holistically, we see CTAHR as an integral part of that whole,” said Eric Tanouye of Green Point Nurseries. “Having new products developed in Hawaiʻi is key to sustaining our position in a competitive market. So investing in research, Extension, and education and staying engaged is of mutual benefit.”