Trade.Information

Mountain Flowers is a blooming business in Dominica

After featuring Green Mountain Flowers during their Mothers Day, Love You Mom successful promotion on the Roseau Bay Front last May, The Chronicle decided to follow Green Mountain Flowers and its production for the Christmas season, the company's next major crop for the year.
On our visit to the farm, beautifully painted signs were recognized, pointing their way to Green Mountain Flowers. At the entrance to the farm, our reporter was amazed at the wonderful array of colorful flowers and plants as viewed from the road outside when looking into the greenhouses.
On approaching the main area, The Chronicle met with Manager and owner of Green Mountain Flowers, Daryl Phillip, who then displayed the many variety of flowers that were in their final stages of development.
Phillip claims that although sales have already started for the Christmas potted plants, the plants would only be fully ready in the third week of November when the poinsettias should be in full bloom.
He also pointed out that there are outlets at the Roseau New Market on Saturdays and also at Portsmouth.
Phillip proceeded to take our reporter around to view the hanging baskets where the wonderful yellow chrysanthemums and a variety of trailing vincas bloomed.
The petunias, a wonderful bright pink color, were just as inviting. One of the striking things about Green Mountain Flowers is the quality and texture of their plants. The vibrant colors of the flowers, their large green leaves, and their softness demonstrate a real contrast compared to plastic flowers.
When Phillip was questioned about the treatment of his plants, he claimed that his company tries its best to use all natural products and those that are environmentally friendly. He said that it was however necessary sometimes to use chemical fertilizers.
Another greenhouse was visited where an area displayed ferns ranging from Japanese and East Indian to Blue Bell and Local Sword ferns.
Yet another greenhouse produced the gerbera that Phillip claims is the constant crop of the business. The gerbera flowers produce in bright colors throughout the year; in yellow, white, red and orange. Phillip says they are the trademark of Green Mountain Flowers.
Finally, The Chronicle visited what was considered the cream-of-the-crop for this Christmas season, the poinsettias. They were aligned in six-inch pots in reds, whites and speckled pink-reds. It was a wonderful array, but they weren't all too ready. Phillip estimated that they would be fully grown in two weeks time.
Green Mountain Flowers started on January 1, 2001. About five years prior to the setting up of the company, Phillip owned one greenhouse in which he planted vegetables as a hobby. He started with only the gerbera cut flowers, but then realized that the market demanded more that just that.
The flower industry is an ongoing thing and we cannot take agriculture as just a grandfather thing, we must look at it scientifically and that is what the company is doing. Right now, the work never stops, he said.
One of the limitations of the company is the lack of public support. Phillip recognizes and understands the harsh economic situation that Dominica is facing at present. He said, however, that the Dominican public has been known in the past to support what is local.
What they produce is another cultural crop that Dominica should boast about the production of quality cut flowers and mountain plants.