Our History in Photos

Maria Mellano with family as a child in Italy circa 1920. Maria is pictured bottom right wearing the white dress and a bow in her hair.

The Los Angeles Flower Market was established in 1926 by a number of Southern California growers including Giovanni Mellano. Pictured (l-r) Attny. George Catlin, Attny. CP Van Herson, Paul Ecke Sr., Frank Blankenship and Kenny Foltz

Giovanni Mellano kneels next to son Johnny, while wife Maria holds young Mike Sr. in 1938.

Brothers Mike Sr. and Johnny in 1939. Mike Sr. & Battista Castellano now head the growing, while Johnny runs the wholesale operation at Mellano & Company.

Giovanni Mellano , left, founded Mellano & Company in 1925. He's shown here with sons Johnny and Mike Sr. And three field workers cica

The Los Angeles Flower Market 1940.

Maria Mellano stands with sons Johnny (older) and Mike Sr. circa 1940. This shot was taken in the original Mellano fields.

Workers harvest white pompons in San Luis Rey in the 1980's.

An early version of the Mellano logo, used until the 1980s.

The early 1990's saw the construction of hoop houses

Liatris grows in neat rows circa 1990.

Brothers-in-law and business partners Battista Castellano and Mike Mellano Sr. in 1998.