Meet the grower

“Consumers get real value for money with a Magical”

Alongside Medinillas and Poinsettias, Tim also grows the Magical Amethyst in blue and pink. “We grow the indoor hydrangea variant here, in large pot sizes. These are top quality big plants that we supply to the exclusive market. To hotels, for example, but also to churches, restaurants and exhibitions. And to consumers of course, in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. That happens through high-end garden centres and florists.”

From cut flowers to pot plants

“I started as a grower in 2007. My family were originally in the cut flower business. I took over the nursery, but I thought that pot plants and particularly hydrangeas were more interesting.” Why? Tim explains: “You are responsible for a lot when growing potted hydrangeas. It’s a two year process from young cutting to flowering end-product. So if I do my best better, I get a better end-product. I like that. In 2011 I made the permanent switch to pot plants. In 2018 I set up a new nursery, and in 2019 I started selling the Magical Amethyst.”

Magicals are popular with consumers

Tim says: “The Magical is incredibly strong; that’s why I was so keen to have it in our range. The flower colour, the colour change, the lifespan: you can enjoy it for a very long time, year after year. I also hear that from a lot of people. Our nursery is close to Royal FloraHolland. A lot of exporters and owners of garden centres come here to take a look. They tell me how popular Magical Hydrangeas are with their customers. Consumers get real value for money.”

As sustainably as possible

What does Tim’s nursery look like? “We try to grow as sustainably as possible. So we have environmental certificates, a green label greenhouse, we recirculate all our water, we heat our greenhouses with geothermal heat, and we are increasingly replacing chemicals with biological pest control. In 2021 we created an outdoor field for hardening off the hydrangeas. And in 2022 we bought the neighbour’s greenhouse as well. Now we have some 5.5 hectares.”

You’re young and full of beans

It’s a busy life. Tim says: “On average we have ten people working here, and my wife Marjolein and I are in charge. It’s pretty busy, but you’re young and full of beans. We enjoy it. We live with our three young children on the same site where we have the nursery, so we can combine everything very successfully!”