Variety flourishes in Floral Lab

by Mary Lisa Russell

They're not the materials of a typical university lab: creamy white roses, heavenly scented stargazer lilies, stunning tulips and handfuls of baby's breath and heather. But in her small shop on the east edge of campus, Dana Horton designed floral displays for some of Fresno's poshest homes this past holiday season.

"I have created arrangements for weddings, graduations, banquets and every holiday event you can imagine," said Horton, who is the floral technician for the university's Floral Lab. "One of my favorite jobs was decorating some really nice homes for the holiday season. Next month we are working on the 'Met in Bloom' at the Fresno Metro-politan Museum.

"I don't think that the campus community realizes our lab is so busy, with orders on and off campus for flowers each day," Horton said.

Started by Dr. Gary Koch in the early '70s, the floral program outgrew instructional facilities in Ag 111, said Dr. Carl Pherson, interim director, Agricultural Operations.

"In the '90s when the University Farm laboratory was remodeled, the Floral Lab was moved to the Ornamental Horticulture unit."

Believing she wanted to be a landscape architect, Horton came to Fresno State and graduated with a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences in 1990. With much prodding and encouragement from former employers and professors, Horton took on the floral technician position and has run the program for nine years.

"It takes a lot of ingenuity and talent to efficiently manage a crop of fresh flowers and turn them into an educational yet profitable business," said Horton. "Our operation is profitable, and in turn, contributes back financially to the University Farm."

Horton and her assistant technician are paid out of revenue from sales. "We pay utilities, phone and vehicle rental, as well as for the supplies used to create the floral compositions," she said. After all the expenses are paid, the Floral Lab shows a small profit that goes to the Ag Foundation to support the campus farm.

"We generate more than $160,000 in sales each year," said Horton.

Affiliated with the Plant Science Department, the Floral Lab is a hands-on training center for students interested in learning about ornamental horticulture and floral design. Students who train in the lab learn all aspects of the floral business - from ordering flowers

to working with customers.

Horton has had some pretty unusual requests from clients - floral leis for grand champion cows as well as floral blankets and drapes for market hogs at the fair. But according to her customers, she always manages to produce fantastic designs to dazzle the crowds.

"Dana has the artistic ability to take something so ordinary and make it extraordinary," said Rosie Gutierrez, coordinator of events

for the President's Office and one of Horton's weekly customers. "No matter what I ask of her or how quickly I need it, Dana is very accommodating."

"A few of the flowers are grown on campus, but for the most part they are purchased from wholesalers," said Pherson.

The consistently heavy workload demands daily ordering of fresh flowers, said Horton. Some flowers she uses are grown in California - gladiolas in Reedley and roses in Watsonville - while others come from more exotic places - orchids from Singapore and kangaroo paw flowers from Australia.

Horton insists she could not keep up with all the designing and arranging without her assistant,

Kara Rowlett, also a Fresno State alumna. "My assistants are invaluable to our success, since we work nights and weekends but still have to be here for normal business hours," said Horton.