Carpinteria Greenhouse & Nursery Tour

Young patrons at the Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

Young patrons at the Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

This weekend is a rare chance for the public to peek inside Carpinteria Valley greenhouses, where millions of flowers of every color stretch as far as the eye can see. The sheer volume and beauty make a trip to the Carpinteria Greenhouse & Nursery Tour a breathtaking experience.

The free tours are on Saturday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., guided by expert farmers who will share a wealth of knowledge of greenhouse growing.

Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

“The environment inside our greenhouses is tightly controlled. We monitor everything from nutrients to temperature, light and moisture at each phase of growth,” says Toine Overgaag, President of Westerlay Orchids, a Greenhouse Tour participant. “My family has been doing this for decades, and I’m still fascinated.”

Opening its doors for the 10th annual tours, Westerlay will also continue its tradition of community support over the entire week preceding the event, April 9 to April 14. Carpinteria Education Foundation, the nonprofit supporting public schools in Carpinteria, will receive 100% of proceeds from orchids sold at Westerlay’s showroom during this period. 

Carpinteria Valley, known as “America’s Flower Basket,” has long been central to domestic flower production. It contains the greatest concentration of growers in the U.S. and represents the best-of-the-best in the field. Dozens of Dutch farmers chose to relocate to the ideal climate of Carpinteria generations ago and helped to create a lasting and successful industry.

Tour attendees can start and stop at any point on their self-guided tour around Carpinteria Valley. Maps of participating growers are at http://www.carpinteriafarmtours.com/map.

Each participating greenhouse will plan its own special attractions for the day of the event, and many will offer discounts on the freshest flowers, directly from the source. In addition to Westerlay, participating farms include: 

Gallup & Stribling Orchids

MOBI’s

Myriad Flowers

Pianta Bella Nursery

Seaside Gardens

Spring blooms at the Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

Spring blooms at the Carpinteria Greenhouse and Nursery Tour, courtesy photo.

For more information, visit carpinteriafarmtours.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published on April 12, 2018 in Santa Barbara Seasons.