Viveros Reina Photo

Photographer’s Note

There is definitely something very appealing about gardening in Andalucía. The drawback however is that you can spend an inordinate amount of money on plants and shrubs, only to discover that they fail miserably in this sun-drenched climate. There is no excuse. All novice gardeners have to do is study what thrives here and visit their local vivero for advice. There are some marvelous hardy plants and shrubs which grow quite happily with very little water.

Poinsettias were attached to Christmas starting in 1828. Joel Roberts Poinsett, then the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, imported the plant from Mexico. In warm climates, the poinsettia grows outdoors as a winter-flowering leggy shrub about 3 metres (10 feet) high; as a potted plant in northern areas it rarely grows beyond 1 metre. What appear to be petals are actually coloured leaflike bracts that surround a central cluster of tiny yellow flowers. A milky latex in the stems and leaves can be irritating to some people or animals, but the claim that poinsettias are deadly poisonous is greatly exaggerated.

Greenhouse operators have become quite efficient in growing poinsettias, so while the market is relatively large, profits remain small due to over-production.

A heated greenhouse structure is necessary for producing poinsettias. Poinsettias are sensitive to day length. Flowers are initiated in mid-to-late September, depending on the variety, and require less than 12 hours of daylight continuously to initiate bloom production. Lighting from artificial sources, such as street lights, can delay flowering.

Poinsettia production is a high-risk business with significant startup costs as well as demanding labor and management. Initial investments include greenhouse construction, production system costs and equipment. The cost of a production-ready greenhouse, excluding land costs, can run approximately $10 per square foot. Some growers choose to produce poinsettias in a rotation with bedding plants. This enables them keep their greenhouse in full production year round and to receive some profits during the fall.

This photo shows just a small part of Viveros Reina nursery in Motril where poinsettia is grown. The nursery grows many other plants, from roses to orchids.

cam, Tue, Kenny10pin, mumek, eleparc, wilkinsonsg, chinchini, Hanso2, nwoehnl, ChristianS, cmartos, aznegrao, apazevedo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

iskali (111) 2005-02-24 22:57

Wow, beautiful color and pattern. Love the red and its contrast against the silver-gray. Wonderful!

singuanti (15238) 2005-02-24 23:41

It must be quite the sight to see all of those rich reds in person because your pic looks most impressive. In addition to the fine colors you did a great job in showing the intricate roof structure. Good job!

ash_parikh (2266) 2005-02-25 1:28

Nice shot. I like the contrast betweent the structure and the red flowers.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2005-02-25 5:54

Amazing shot, I like the angle and the flowers in their impressive rows are wonderful, well done

Ebbe (9571) 2005-02-25 8:47

Lovely contrast between the cold bleak blue and the deep saturated red. At the same time a contrast in texture between hard industrial and soft organic. Nice diagonals in the upper part too. A good one Robert.

mumek (17462) 2005-02-25 12:25

Robert!
Super perspective of the metal structure.Very beautiful colors, especially lovely contrast between red carpet of the flowers and the background. The note is very informative as usual.
best regards
ziggy

eleparc (24059) 2005-02-25 13:28

great shot robert! i like the way the flowers echoo the metallic structure above it! nice curves and nice master of the loght! well done!
Eric

wilkinsonsg (8644) 2005-02-25 14:01

Fantastic vivid colours - makes a great graphic shot - the note is also interesting - well done :)

chinchini (27219) 2005-02-25 16:00

Bonsoir Robert,
Quel tapis de poinsettias ! Très joli effet ajouté aux arceaux et tubes de l'armature métallique de la serre.
Excellente composition. Bravo !
Pierre

Hanso2 (629) 2005-02-25 16:03

Very good photo Robert. It looks like a red carpet, I like the height of your camera standpoint. The artistic glasshouse is very well captured.

quantabeh (5203) 2005-02-25 16:08

que bueno.
what an interesting angle.
the red is a bit oversaturated, but interestingly it makes the plants look like a huge carpet. I like your perspective and originality

nwoehnl (118) 2005-02-25 16:13

Hi Robi. My father used to build greenhouses for more than three decades, so I have a certain affinity to your subject here. The maze of lines and beams in the upper area creates an interesting pattern and a good perspective effect - and it sets itself apart nicely from the deeply red layer of poinsettias at the bottom. By the way in German they are called "Weihnachtsstern" which would translate into "Christmas Star". But I'm getting distracted. Very nice and colorful photo you made here.

Tue (25608) 2005-02-25 18:17

Oh, something different than a castle, but this is a very nice shot too! I like the lines on top and the red field in the bottom! Well done and a good and original idea!

cam (8878) 2005-02-25 20:44

The hardness and regidity of steel juxtapose to the warmth and softness of the flowers.
Very attractive.

ChristianS (2997) 2005-02-26 16:05

Hi Robert, beautiful photo, superb colours and such a nice contrast between red plants and the blue roof of the greenhouse. Nice composition with a multitude of repetitive elements. Well done!

Regards, Christian

cmartos (6086) 2005-02-27 18:12

Hi Robert! A great angle and POV for this one. The dimensions are impressive indeed! Nice, very nice two colours compo, with strong lines almost from edge to edge. I like the lighting on the "carpet of flowers", well revealed here. BTW, in frencwe call them "étoiles de Noël", "Christmas stars" translated in english. Nice cold/warm contrast, very well done!

diaz_sanchez (0) 2005-02-28 4:38

hola,
great compo and colours:) beauty shot:) thx that u show our country in this way:)

saludos

Marga

manny (21378) 2005-02-28 23:49

Blue and red. Contrast well-shown in this picture. Extreme edges of teh frame well filled.

aznegrao (10230) 2005-03-04 10:12

Wow Robert!!!
Amo essas cores, a combinação e perfeita neste lindo padrão.
Rgds.
aznegrao.

apazevedo (5469) 2005-03-11 16:38

Great perspective and excellent colours, Robert! Lines, shapes, lights, shadows, beautiful contrast between those red flowers, the structure and the sky. Well done!

pamastro (7213) 2005-03-16 1:48

I don't know which I like more. The ceiling or the colors of the flowers. The contrast is really great here with the reds really standing out strongly. And it goes on and on from this point of view. Even with the end visible it seems so far away. The perspective of the ceiling enhances that. Very masterfully handled. I tried a few at a greenhouse once and they didn't turn out so well.

Ulises (1026) 2005-04-09 0:25

robert,
love the pic, amazing contrast between the red and blue,
rgrds
ulises