Mar 12, 2014
GCA Announces San Fran Summer Tour LineupSource: Clint Albin, IGC Show Media Relations Manager

From urban chic to suburban cool, the garden centers featured on this year's GCA Summer Tour, June 22-25, are set to give tour-goers key insights and inspiration found only in the diverse San Francisco Bay Area market.

From urban chic to suburban cool, the garden centers featured on this year’s GCA Summer Tour, June 22-25, are set to give tour-goers key insights and inspiration found only in the diverse San Francisco Bay Area market. The three-day event, which takes participants to San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose, will feature five or more stops each day, from large destination garden centers to small, niche-oriented stores.

This summer’s tour gives attendees plenty of time to network with peers, including opportunities to compare notes over dinner each night. On-board discussions led by tour guides on the buses will examine the relevance of each stop to the industry. In addition, wine tastings during the tour will incorporate a sampling of Northern California’s Wine Country, and there will be free time available to explore the breathtaking City by the Bay.

The GCA Summer Tour’s authentic California experience will include a special presentation and reception honoring industry legend, San Francisco’s own Ernest Wertheim, who will be recognized for his myriad contributions to garden retailing. Wertheim is a principal of Wertheim, Van Der Ploeg, & Klemeyer, a firm internationally known for its garden center design, with clients in 40 states and nine countries.

For more information and to register for the GCA Summer Tour, visit www.GardenCentersofAmerica.com. GCA members registering before May 31 qualify for a special early-bird rate.

This year’s tour will have 16 diverse destinations: Alden Lane Nursery, Almaden Valley Nursery, Annie’s Annuals & Perennials, Armstrong Garden Centers, Bushnell Gardens Nursery, Flora Grubb Gardens, Green Acres Nursery & Supply, High Hand Nursery, Navlet’s Garden Centers, Orchard Nursery & Florist, Sloat Garden Center, SummerWinds Nursery, Wegman’s Nursery, Yamagami’s Nursery, Apple Headquarters and the Computer History Museum.