In 1928, Hans Gubler was born. The second of two sons, Hans traveled extensively throughout Europe, visiting nurseries in Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Belgium, and England. Through his travels, he had met Mr. Fred K. Sander, whom developed the Sanders List of Orchid Hybrids. (The same reference most all orchid hybridizers still use today). As Hans traveled through England, he was given the pleasure of meeting the Queen, and also had earned a scholarship to Shaw School of Botany at Washington University in Missouri. Hans arrived in Missouri in 1949. He worked at the Missouri Botanical Gardens during his free time.

He began experimenting with Colchicine on Cattleyas, in an effort to double the chromosome count and produce larger flowers. His studies included chromosome counting of Cattleya and Cymbidium Orchids. His efforts paid off and he moved to Los Angeles in 1952 to set up a laboratory program for Armercost and Royston Nursery. Two years later Hans was contacted by famous movie producer, Arthur Freed, to set up an orchid nursery in Malibu, California. He became close friends with Hugo Freed (Arthur's brother), who was one of the best phalaenopsis hybridizers in the world. This nursery later became Zuma Canyon Orchids.

Hans met Esther in 1954 and were married later that year. Two years later, they had saved up $300 and started Gubler Orchids (USA) in Altadena, California, selling orchids from the back of their station wagon. Business was booming and they were able to move to Pasadena, California in 1958 and lease a 1,200 sq. ft. Greenhouse.

With business growing, their family was too, and in 1959 H. Christopher Gubler was born (Lc. Christopher Gubler). The Gubler's purchase a 5,000 sq. ft. nursery in Temple City, California from Norris Powell in 1961. (The Powell’s own The Orchid House). In December of the same year, their first daughter was born, Karin-Ann (C. Karin Ann Gubler). The business kept expanding at healthy rate as well as their family and in 1964 Heidi was born (Pot. Heidi Gubler).

In 1965, Hans developed the concept of a packaged orchid seedling. Complete with full growing instructions, Hans revolutionized the merchandising of plants in the horticulture industry. In ten years Gubler Orchids sales quintupled. The need for a larger nursery was more than evident. In 1975, Hans and Esther found a wonderful location in the high desert community of Landers, California. Clean air, one of the sunniest locations in the US, great water quality, and four seasons provided the best locations for growing orchids. This location was over 10 times the size of the Temple City site. Gublers was selling orchids all over the world, and to major retailers in the United States. Chris Gubler joined the family business in 1981 with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture, and a minor in Botany and Marketing. Fresh with new ideas, the business still was growing at a steady pace.

Once again, the Gubler family needed more growing space and purchased another nursery in Lucerne Valley, California, about 30 miles from Landers in 1986. The nursery is about two and a half times the size of the Landers operation and was larger than the original operation in Switzerland.

In November of 1988, Hans passed away. He was able, however, to see the beginning of his last project, a solar prototype greenhouse. A revolutionary concept developed and built by Optimum Greenhouses, with architect Robert Phillips.

Chris then took the helm of the company. Esther was still very active in the business and was vital to its future success. In the early hours of June 28th 1992 disaster struck. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred within one mile of the Landers nursery. The nursery suffered extensive damages. Faced with huge repair costs and inventory losses, Chris sought the experience of his mother, Esther, as to what they should do. She wanted to rebuild. Although the repairs took over 3 years, it was an opportunity to modernize the facility. During that time there were no new orchids in production, and the Gublers were selling inventory from their Lucerne Valley location.

In September of 1995, the nursery was formally reopened. The remaining inventory in Lucerne Valley was moved to Landers, and the Lucerne nursery was closed. Gubler Orchids cofounder, Esther Gubler, passed away in January 1999. She was the matriarch of the family and will always be missed. In July of 2000, Gubler Orchids reopened the Lucerne Valley location and began to modernize that facility which has increased the amount of growing space and efficiency. 

That same year, Heidi Brodeur joined the company. She had received her degree in Small Business Management is working on product development, corporate sales, and training.

Today Gubler Orchids has over 130,000 square feet of greenhouses in production. By January 2008 another 20,000 sq. ft. is scheduled to be fully operational. Orchids are now shipped primarily in the United States and Canada. A complete line of orchids products has been developed that is consistent with the materials used to produce Gubler Quality Orchids. Their tissue culture laboratory only produces new hybrids.

The carnivorous plant section is another rapidly growing segment, with 90% of our carnivorous plants propagated tissue cultured. As with the continued growth of Gubler Orchids, the quality and selection of orchids continues to grow, greatly exceeding anything in the company's history.

Gubler Orchids has developed a reputation as one of the top quality orchid growers in the world.

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