flowers Archives - Aptos Community News

Smack dab in the heart of the Aptos Center you’ll find Ace’s Flowers, who serves you with over 30 years of award winning floral design. They have a perfect Five Stars on Yelp after dozens of ratings, and were a Santa Cruz Sentinel’s Reader’s Choice in 2014 as well as being named Runner Up in the Good Times Best of Santa Cruz in both 2015 and 2016.

If you’re looking for flowers for any special occasion, this is the place to go. They do have a number of arrangements ready to go in their display case if you need to run in and grab something, but their forte is custom bouquets, vases, and arrangements. Their work is stunning, and the service impeccable! Go in and tell them what you need flowers for, and they’ll make great suggestions and create something perfect for the occasion right on the spot. You’d expect to pay a huge premium over what they charge at Safeway down the street, but their prices are really reasonable considering the quality and value they provide.

You can order flowers via their web site, and they even deliver locally (zip codes 95003, 95010, 95073, 95062, and some of 95076)! They’re open 10-5 Monday through Saturday, but they’re closed on Sunday.

If you’re looking for a truly exceptional florist right in your own back yard, look no further than Ace’s Flowers.

The Sumner Garden of Rhododendrons is located within the Monte Toyon Camp and Conference Center, up Cathedral Drive in Aptos, adjacent to the Forest of Nisene Marks. The garden is only open a couple of times per year to the general public, usually in the spring, or with an appointment. It is truly an Aptos Gem.

The garden was developed by Maurie and Fran Sumner over a period of almost forty years. The Sumners purchased three acres on the border of Monte Toyon Camp in 1959. The garden was surrounded by the camp, and is now a part of it.

Maurie and Fran cut down trees, strung deer fence, and built an observation platform. They planted all of the plants themselves. The garden contains a wide variety of Rhododendrons which Fran and Maurie hybridized or collected. The Rhododendrons come from all over the world, including China, Japan, England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea.
Eight of the hybrids are registered in the World Registry in London.