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This year’s winner, Naturosa, submitted by Meerplant from Belgium, comprises a range of six differently coloured and subtly fragrant roses, which make great groundcover roses in landscaping.
Show organiser, Green Retail Events hosted the autumn edition of the AIPH-approved Plantarium|Groen-Direkt show, held between 21-22 August 2024 at the International Trade Centre in Hazerswoude/Boskoop, Netherlands. Boskoop’s Royal Horticultural Society judges crowned Agastache ‘Beelicious Pink’ as Best in Show at the KVBC New Plant Awards.
The two previous editions of Plantarium|Groen-Direkt have been scorching hot. Not so this year, as a moderate 22-degree outside temperature made the trade show experience inside Groen Direkt’s greenhouse structure far more enjoyable than in other years.
A new semi-open tent structure and a large, adjoining patio space for ‘al fresco networking’ made the show even more attractive.
Agastache ‘Beelicious Pink’ from Polish plant propagator Vitroflora, breeder Van Hemert & Co from Hazerswoude, and royalty management agency Plantipp won the top accolade: the KVBC Gold Innovate Medal celebrating true innovation in plant breeding. Standing right is Rob van der Voort.
Here, green professionals and members of the horticultural press gathered in the early morning of 21 August to hear the verdict of a panel of expert judges, who selected winners in two categories: KVBC Best in Show and Best Marketing Concept.
In the first category, Helma van der Louw, chairwoman of Boskoop’s Royal Horticultural Society (KVBC), spoke of a “medal flurry” in what she called “an exciting race between shrubs and perennials”. Exhibitors submitted a total of 42 plants, and the jury selected 35 nominees. Ten of the day’s accolades were bronze, four silver, and a record three were gold.
Agastache ‘Beelicious Pink’ from Polish tissue culture laboratories Vitroflora, breeder Van Hemert & Co from Hazerswoude, and royalty management agency Plantipp won the top accolade: the KVBC Gold Innovate Medal, which celebrates true innovation in plant breeding.
Rob van der Voort, who bought the wholesale seed company Van Hemert & Co. in 1996 and joined Fleuroselect ten years later, explains that he found a sterile Agastache rugosa type producing huge spikes of deep rose, lilac flowers that rise above remarkably quality foliage between July and September during Western European summers.
For three years, Van Hemert & Co has meticulously assessed the plant’s usability and performance, and it is now ready to enter the marketplace, where, Van der Voort says, reactions have been pretty overwhelming. “Plantipp has been promoting Beelicous for one and a half years, and the cultivar is gaining momentum. Its big win at Plantarium came quite unexpectedly, as there were two more gold medal winners. Still, the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show Jury shortlisted the plant as a potential winner, a sign that with Beelicious, we hold something special.”
Van der Voort agrees that the plant’s bee-friendly character perfectly fits today’s world of eco-consciousness and helped it scoop up the KVBC top accolade. The plant’s aesthetic beauty, drought-disease and pest resistance, compact growth habit (it stands 70 cm tall), and carefree and non-self-seeding character are among the added bonuses.
At the award ceremony, Vitroflora reps also made their way to the stage to accept the prize. “In 2020, Polish plant propagator Vitroflora acquired young plant supplier Gebr. Alkemade from Lisse which sells approximately 18 million rooted cuttings of more than 1,000 plant varieties annually. Gebr. Alkemade and Plantipp have collaborated for many years, which explains the Polish presence. We are now busy ramping up production of cuttings sourced from Uganda to fulfil next year’s demand.”
From rooted cutting to saleable plant, it takes between 10-12 weeks, depending, of course, on weather conditions. Van der Voort suggests plants are grown best in a three-litre pot or P9. For instant impact and a wow effect on the retail shelf, 12cm or 18 cm pots may well be a good choice.
It is not the first time Van Hemert & Co.’s Agastaches scooped up top awards. In 2012, the seed-raised Agastache ‘Astello Indigo’ scooped up a Fleuroselect Gold Medal.
The sterile Agastache rugosa Beelicious has huge spikes of deep rose and lilac flowers that rise above remarkably quality foliage between July and September.
The Green Concept Award recognises the best marketing concept. It is judged by representatives of the international garden centre chains in France, Sweden, Austria, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, all of whom are category managers of outdoor plants.
This year’s winner, Naturosa, submitted by Meerplant from Belgium, comprises a range of six differently coloured and subtly fragrant roses, which make great groundcover roses in landscaping. Naturosa roses are prolificly flowering and hardy by nature. They have a bushy growth habit, with many branches emerging from the base to evolve into a large, resilient plant.
Martin Vissers, founder and owner of rose breeding company Viva International, says the own-root, and therefore cheaper Naturosa roses are designed to fit any garden or landscape space. Vissers like to tout Naturosa roses as paniculata/panicle roses, a term primarily used in Hydrangea and Phlox, but we have never associated paniculata with roses.
He explains, “Paniculata stands for pyramid-shaped flower heads with hundreds of petite flowers opening a few at a time from the bottom of the raceme to the top or the other way round. Panicle roses can be found in climbing roses, shrub roses, patio roses, and miniature roses and must not be confounded with polyantha roses.”
According to the jury, the concept offers many great benefits as it contributes to biodiversity and a more environmentally friendly production. Rosa Mundo from Lottum has been trusted with the propagation of the plants, significantly reducing the proportion of peat in the growing media. Naturosa roses are free flowering, pretty disease and pest-resistant, and can be pruned by Easycut.
Ending in second place was the CO2-Tree submitted by Van Oploo Tuinplanten from Bavel, Netherlands. The CO2 Tree is the CO2 sequestering Paulownia elongata ‘Futuro’, ideal for biomass and timber plantation but also as a specimen tree in the garden. In third place came the non-invasive Fargesia One Boo submitted by Plant Select NV from Rijckevorsel, Belgium. “The One Boo concept focuses on the different shades of colour in the bamboo range. The developed POS material clearly and transparently explains to consumers which applications the product can be used,” said the jury. With Van Oploo’s Paulownia trees propagated by Belgium-based Plant Select, this year’s Green Concept Awards was truly a Belgian affair.
The award-winning Naturosa concept will be included in the Scandinavian retail organisation Plantagen range in 2025.
Plantarium|Groen-Direkt is also home to the Visitor Vote Awards, announced on Thursday, 22 August, the show’s final day. Catharanthus roseus ‘Soiree’, submitted by MNP/Suntory, scooped up this accolade.
Held between 21-22 August 2024, this year’s autumn edition of Plantarium|Groen-Direkt at Groen-Direkt in Hazerswoude-Dorp offered nursery professionals from home and abroad the opportunity to browse an extensive range of trees, shrubs, garden plants and annuals, with
Hydrangeas occupy pride of place across the 10,000m² show floor, of which 6000m2 is dedicated to Groen-Direkt’s nursery stock sales event and the remainder to Plantarium stands.
This year’s show attracted 229 exhibitors, of which 182 were from the Netherlands.
Best Marketing Concept award ceremony. Left to right: Linda Hoogendoorn-Veelenturf (Plantarium|
Groen-Direkt), Karel Brosens (Meerplant), Martin Vissers (Viva International), Jan Oprins (Plantentuin Merkseplas), Johanna Nordenskiöld (Plantagen), and Luc de Bruyne of Belgium-based Astima B.V.
One of the Dutch exhibitors is Star Quality, run by the energetic Jaap van Griethuizen. He celebrates 50 years as a plant grower this year and is a long-time exhibitor at Plantarium, which he touts as a garden centre-focused show. Van Griethuizen attributes 90 per cent of his sales to garden retailers at home and abroad. He grows approximately 90 per cent of his plants in two-litre pots (V2) as they cater for a bigger buffer of nutrients and water. Star Quality’s portfolio is large and includes over 700 varieties. The company’s annual output is an estimated 700,000 plants, with Cistus, Echinacea, Paonia, Salvia, and Geranium being flagship products.
Pondering over the latest trends seen in the perennial plant business, he says, “Even in a small country as the Netherlands, the interest in sustainably grown perennials varies geographically with demand for these products in the densely populated provinces of Noord and Zuid Holland and Utrecht being more significant than in the more rural provinces in the east of the country. Edibles have clearly gained momentum over the past few years. I am less sure about the trend of grasses because a portion of consumers returned to perennials which are unrivalled regarding colours and abundant flowering.”
Growing plants hand in hand with nature comes very naturally at Star Quality. “It’s a question of learning the rope, collaborating with nature instead of acting against it. We use predatory mites and hot water machines for weed control and have achieved a 50 per cent reduction in the proportion of peat in our growing media, replacing it with cow manure.”
Star Quality is run by the energetic Jaap van Griethuizen, who celebrates 50 years as a plant grower this year.
Standing out in a crowded marketplace, which is the Dutch nursery stock industry, is important. Therefore, Leo Veelenturf VOF decided to focus on a niche-type product, grafted standard trees standing 60, 80 and 120 cm tall. Second-generation Niels Veelenturf attributes 60 per cent of his business to exports via specialised plant exporting companies, which take care of the logistics and paperwork so he can entirely focus on growing his lollipop standards. Standard trees are ideal for front gardens, patios, balconies, and borders, and demand is growing year after year. Commenting on the current state of the trade, Niels says that sales were good until Easter, followed by a drop in demand due to the rainy weather, which kept gardeners inside.
Leo Veelenturf VOF decided to focus on a niche-type product, grafted standard trees standing 60, 80 and 120 cm tall. Pictured is second-generation Niels Veelenturf.
Also differentiating himself in the marketplace is Tom Kleijberg from Aalsmeer-based Mixt Creations, built on many years of expertise in houseplant combos and now also in mixed planters combining stunning perennials. “All combos contain one focal element, a 26-30 cm mini tree, and that can be a Hibiscus, Ligustrum, Buddleia, Escallonia, Weigelia, Viburnum or Picea, depending on the season. These mini standards are surrounded by perennials that add interest regarding texture, colour, and fragrance. Our Harvest Elstar Planter is planted with an Elstar apple tree, which even provides tasty fruit.”
Mixt Creations uses seasonal or traditional holiday products to market them: Picea in the run-up to Christmas, Viburnum in Autumn, Buddleia in summer and Cytisus in Spring.
Differentiating himself in the marketplace is Tom Kleijberg from Aalsmeer-based Mixt Creations, who is built on many years of expertise in houseplant combos and now in mixed planters combining stunning perennials.
Szczepan Marczyński was the first nursery in Poland to specialise in large-scale production of Clematis and other climbers. Szczepan Marczyński, a researcher and lecturer at the Horticulture Faculty of The Warsaw University of Life Sciences in the 1980s and Władysław Piotrowski founded the company in Jawczyce near Warsaw in 1988.
The production began on a leased field of 0.5 ha with about 1,000 pcs Clematis of 20 cultivars. From the nursery beginnings, the plants were offered to customers abroad both as liners for further cultivation (bare-root cuttings or in P7 and P9 containers) and as ready-for-sale plants in C2 containers. Quality products, along with the growing interest in Clematis both in Poland and abroad, as well as continuous efforts of the nursery owners to gain new markets, allowed the increase of the supply and further development of the enterprise.
In 1992, Szczepan Marczyński D.sc. began raising and selecting his own cultivars of climbers in the nursery, especially of Clematis. The first thus obtained cultivars – ‘Barbara’, ‘Hania’, ‘Julka’ – were presented to the public and introduced in the market in the summer of 2001. All three were well received and succeeded at international exhibitions. Until 2013, Szczepan Marczyński raised and named 30 Clematis cultivars and nine cultivars of other climbers. The nursery was the first to introduce most of the varieties produced in Poland and has presented a couple of dozen new Clematis and other climbers to the European market.
Meanwhile, Szczepan’s nephew Pawel has joined the company as a co-owner, and the management is diversifying into a wide range of other ornamentals and edibles, including Hydrangea, roses, Vaccinium, Rubus, and Morus.
Today, the company covers an area of 9 ha, of which 7.5 ha is dedicated to containerised production, including 1 ha of protected production. The nursery collection includes over 600 species and varieties, 440 of which are available, including 292 Clematis.
Szczepan Marczyński.
Plantarium|Groen-Direkt 2024 was a treasure trove for plant enthusiasts. Dive into our detailed feature highlighting the editor of FCI’s top picks for the coveted KVBC Medals at this year’s show. This selection, handpicked by our editor, showcased the most distinctive novelties unveiled at the event. While not exhaustive, it captured the diverse allure of the show, hinting at the wealth of discoveries that awaited attendees.
This article was first published in the September 2024 issue of FloraCulture International.
