The Goldsmith family set to sell off the spoils in the annual
flower sale and charity event
Gilroy – Hard-core horticulturists and everyday plant-lovers should set aside April 15 on their calendars for the Gilroy Rotary Club’s annual flower sale.
The charity event will feature hundreds of traditional favorites such as geraniums, impatiens and petunias, as well as newer varieties under development by Goldsmith Seed Company, the host of the event.
Joel Goldsmith, president of his family company, said visitors should keep an eye out for new breeds such as vinca, a round flower with a short bushy plant.
“It ends up being totally covered in blooms,” he said. “It’s like a sun-loving impatiens, which like the shade.”
For the last 16 years, the Goldsmith family has sold off the spoils from their spring flower trials to benefit charity. During the first week of April, thousands of plant and seed buyers from around the world travel to 25 locations across California to buy new plants for their companies.
When the industry buyers have cleared out, the Goldsmiths invite locals in to purchase flowers. The event goes from 8am to 1pm, though the pick of the plants often goes to those who line up outside its greenhouses before dawn.
“We used to haul a good number of plants to a local shopping center for about the first 10 years,” Goldsmith said. “For the last five years, we’ve been doing it on site, which greatly increased the attendance and the quality of products and the income that was generated from it.”
Each year, the event raises between $40,000 and $50,000 for charity. Half the funds go toward area programs, while the other half supports horticultural scholarships for local students.
Goldsmith Seeds is located at 2280 Hecker Pass Highway (Highway 152 West) in Gilroy, CA. Visit www.goldsmithseeds.com for more information.
