Horticulture couple get presidential seal of approval

A couple of lucky gardeners from New Zealand are to take their gardening and greenhouse skills to the next level after sealing a deal that will see them supply flowers for one of the most important world events in 2009.

Barney and Kathleen Coils will provide a mixture of pink, red and orange Disa orchids for the inauguration of newly-elected US president Barack Obama, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The husband and wife own and run Riverton Horticulture – one of just two growers in the world to produce Disa orchids for supply.

Mrs Coils told Taranaki Daily News how big a step it was for the business.

"I thought, Oh wow, this is what weve been working towards for the past six years," she said.

"It is the step that we have been trying to find for years," added her husband, who hopes to retire from his current job to work on the horticulture business full-time.

Disa orchids come from South Africa and require temperatures of between seven and 20 degrees Celsius to flourish, according to easyorchids.co.uk.

This means they can be easily grown in a greenhouse and even possibly outside in the UK.