Generations of carnations

As a fourth-generation flower grower, Sue Ellen Hendricks grew up knowing she was destined for the family's greenhouse. Both of her paternal grandparents were raised on carnation farms in two neighboring towns outside of Philadelphia. In 1937, they purchased a carnation growing facility in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and expanded throughout the 1950s by adding more greenhouses and a small retail shop.

"The greenhouse started out at the edge of town, and as development happened, the town absorbed us," Sue Ellen explains. The "cutesy little agricultural community" of Lititz looks like the setting of a Hallmark movie, she says — and in fact, it has been featured in films before.

Although the times have changed since her grandparents started growing at this location, Sue Ellen works hard to keep the charm of fresh, local flowers alive.

"We've been able to push through and survive because of the quality product that we're supplying customers," Sue Ellen says, explaining that the business is now 90% retail. "We're really unique in the fact that we … are growing a lot of our own cut flowers for our shop."

Today, Hendricks' Flowers spans six greenhouses with a total production space of 33,000 square feet. By blending proven practices with a diversity of new varieties, the Hendricks family keeps adapting to continue growing fresh cut flowers.

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Source: Greenhouse Management