COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — In a vibrant post-Mother’s Day tradition, crews at the Coeur d’Alene Resort will begin planting over 30,000 bright red geraniums Tuesday.
The annual “Geranium Day” marks the unofficial start of planting season in the Lake City and has become a highly anticipated event for both residents and visitors.
“The community loves it. They love to see it,” said Amy VanSickle, Director of Marketing for the Coeur d’Alene Resort. “What day is it going to be? When is it going to come? And then they get that surprise when they drive up that day of the pop of color. Geranium day has arrived.”
The tradition began with the resort’s founder, Duane Hagadone, who chose to honor his mother with her favorite flower. The planting always begins just after Mother’s Day, creating a meaningful connection between the holiday and the colorful floral display.
Behind the scenes, the project represents a partnership between two family businesses spanning more than three decades. Lima Greenhouse, located in Spokane’s Vinegar Flats neighborhood, just below Spokane’s South Hill, has grown the Tango Dark Red geraniums for the resort for over 30 years.
“Our grandpa, who had owned it, has been selling to Hagadone and built a relationship with the Hagadone family for over 30 years now,” said Nick Lima of Lima Greenhouse.
The preparation of the flowers is a months-long process.
“It usually takes about three months,” Lima said. “Once they put down roots, it takes a couple more months to get them up to the size that we’re looking for.”
The greenhouse, established in 1947, continues to operate with family values at its core.
“The most important thing, I think, at least for Nick and I, is that our family sticks together and we stick to what our great grandparents started when they began the greenhouses in 1947,” said Nichole Lima.
For the Lima family, providing the signature flowers for such a visible and beloved community tradition is meaningful.
“For us, it’s an honor, really, to be able to do this year after year and have our stuff out there for everybody to enjoy,” Nick Lima said.
The geraniums will make their journey from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene over the next few days, bringing what locals and tourists alike have come to recognize as the official visual signal of summer’s approach to the Lake City.
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