EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  John Franklin
          212.484.7693

                                       
                 COLOR SPOT NURSERIES 4Q FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
                           WILL NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

        MARION ANTONINI TO JOIN BOARD AS CHAIRMAN OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PLEASANT HILL, California, July 8, 1998 -- Color Spot Nurseries today said 
that its fiscal fourth quarter results would not meet expectations.  The 
earnings shortfall is attributable to the Company's Western Division, which 
encompasses California, the Pacific Northwest, and parts of Utah, Arizona and 
Nevada.  This division continued to incur sales shortfalls -- which resulted 
in the write-off of perishable bedding plant inventory -- largely due to the 
ongoing effects of El Nino.  In addition, the Company experienced 
higher-than-anticipated production costs, partly due to additional labor 
costs incurred in handling the disposal of excess inventory.

Michael Vukelich, Chairman and CEO of Color Spot Nurseries, Inc., said: 
"Although we are disappointed with Color Spot's year-to-date financial 
results, we are pleased with the continued strength of the Company's 
fundamentals, including its customer relationships and its sales and 
merchandising programs. On an additional positive note, Color Spot's 
southwest Division met its sales plan and continues to be a strong 
contributor to the Company.  We are optimistic that the strategies being 
developed to address the issues that affected the Company during the last 
fiscal year will help us achieve improved performance going forward.  Color 
Spot continues to be the market-share leader in its core segments and 
geographic territories as the largest wholesale nursery operation in the US."

Color Spot also announced that Marion Antonini, the former CEO of Welbilt 
Corporation and a principal of Kohlberg & Co., which owns a majority interest 
in Color Spot, has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors as 
Chairman of the Executive Committee.  Mr. Antonini is a veteran operations 
executive during whose seven-year tenure Welbilt attained the foremost 
position in the commercial food-service equipment industry.  Prior to that, 
Mr. Antonini served as a member of the senior management team at Xerox as 
well as the Jeep Corporation.  Mr. Antonini currently serves on the Boards of 
four other companies:  Engelhard Corporation, Vulcan Materials Inc., 
Scientific Atlanta Inc., and TurboChef Inc.

Separately, the Company said that, because of health-related reasons, Jerry 
Halamuda, who has been serving as President and COO of Color Spot, is 
resigning those positions to become Vice-Chairman of the Board.  Mr. 
Halamuda's duties will be assumed on an interim basis by Mr. Vukelich.



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Color Spot is the largest wholesale nursery in the United States, based on 
revenue and greenhouse square footage.  The Company provides a wide 
assortment of high-quality plants as well as extensive merchandising services 
primarily to leading home centers and mass merchants, such as Home Depot, 
Home Base, Wal-Mart and Kmart.  The Company distributes products to over 850 
retail and commercial customers, representing over 8,000 locations, primarily 
in the western and southwestern regions of the United States.



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