The hanging violet baskets are ideal for trailing violets. A unique heating arrangement at Bluebird is this example of an L shaped adapter duct over the front of one our 250,000 BTU gas furnaces. The furnace hangs overhead from the greenhouse steel roof support structure. The ductwork directs the heat output to a 150 foot long duct under the length of a bench. The disadvantage of this system is that the plants tend to dry out quicker - which can be turned into an advantage, since slightly dry is preferable to cold soggy and wet.
Violets line the benches along the dozen or so aisleways inside the greenhouse.
Overhead are hanging baskets with ferns and trailing violets Fertilizing 50,000 plants every 7 to 10 days is accomplished with this fertilizer injector which pumps a precise amount of fertilizer from the large green tank into the water lines. NC State student Mark Tumblin can be seen here working in the Bluebird Greenhouse booth at the Flower and Garden Show in the Raleigh Civic Center. Another view of the Bluebird Greenhouse booth. Bruce Guenther is standing here during a quiet moment at the 1996 Flower and Garden show in Raleigh. Along the wall can be seen Bluebirds' trademark at this show over the past 13 years - a wall of violets surrounding the Greenhouse sign.