RICHVIEW, Ill. – Illinois Extension is kicking off the 2026 Southern Illinois Summer Twilight Series with a trip to Richview. Whether you’re a flower gardener, bride-to-be, or interested in learning more about growing cut flowers, you’ll want to join the upcoming tour of Flower Girls Greenhouse on Monday, May 18.
Locally owned by Callie Lueking, Flower Girls is a seasonal operation boasting three greenhouses. In the spring, patrons can shop the greenhouses for bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, and tropical plants, and in the fall, mums. Lueking also provides floral design services, specializing in wedding, funeral, special event, and holiday flower arrangements year-round.
During the May program, Lueking will share how Flower Girls grew from a family venture with her mom and two sisters in 2018 to the greenhouse operation and floral design business she manages today. The tour will begin at 6 p.m. at Flower Girls, located at 266 E. Main St. in Richview. The event is free to attend and open to the public; pre-registration is highly encouraged.
The tour is part of the Summer Twilight Series, spearheaded by Illinois Extension’s Local Food Systems and Small Farms Program. Each year, the series spotlights southern Illinois farms and agricultural operations and offers communities the chance to explore regional agriculture, learn more about local food systems, and network with business owners.
To register for the tour of Flower Girls Greenhouse or for more information about the 2026 Summer Twilight Series, visit go.illinois.edu/2026twilightseries or call 618-695-2441. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Katie Bell at klbell@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.