Stream of people come to shop, marvel at Orban’s sea of poinsettias

The line formed in Northwest Bradenton long before the gates to Orban’s Nursery opened.

It’s the once-a-year opportunity that many look forward. And for those who experience it for the first time, they stand in admiration among thousands of poinsettias in awe of their beauty.

“It’s amazing,” Barbabra Boudrot said. “It’s really amazing.”

Hundreds came out to Orban’s Nursery, 9601 Ninth Ave. N.W., on Saturday for the annual open house to look, buy and marvel at the sea of poinsettias from traditional red to a variety of other colors.

But despite living in Bradenton for 15 years, Barbara and Dick Boudrot said they had never visited Orban’s before. For others, it’s a yearly tradition on the one day a year the wholesale business opens its doors to the public.

The couple was astonished by some of the colors in addition to the traditional red poinsettias as they roamed between the many greenhouses.

“I never have seen one that wasn’t red before,” she said.

At sale central, Tyler Orban, a manager at the nursery, and his father, Marty Orban, were busy assisting customers.

“We had the gate closed until 9 a.m., and then when we opened it, there was a line down to the next neighborhood,” the younger Orban said.

This year’s crowd was larger this year, he said, estimating at least a 10 percent increase in the number of people who had come through the nursery compared to the year before.

“A lot of people just drive through,” Orban said. “That’s how it was originally set up, so if they want to just drive through and take pictures, that’s great with us.”

Many did come toting their own cameras. Some took pictures from their vehicles as they drove through the property. Others were beckoned by the beautiful sea of colors.

Diana Burns of Palmetto was all too familiar with the lines that form every year when Orban’s first opens the gates to the public.

“I got smarter this year, and I came later so I was able to find parking,” Burns said.

But even though parking was more easily available as the day wore on, there was a steady stream of customers who came in for a chance to buy the fresh, colorful poinsettias.

“They had some beautiful colors,” Burns said.

This year she opted for a traditional red and one of the new color varieties.

“It’s beautiful every year,” Burns said.

This story was originally published November 26, 2016 at 6:51 PM with the headline "Stream of people come to shop, marvel at Orban’s sea of poinsettias."