Grower’s Pride: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Little’ (Little XS) by Van der Peijl Tuinplanten

Within the segment of compact hydrangeas, demand is steadily increasing for varieties that naturally remain small without intensive pruning. Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Little’, also known as Little XS, responds directly to this development. The plant is a proprietary breeding of Van der Peijl Tuinplanten and forms part of the company’s Little concept, which focuses on compact hydrangeas for smaller gardens. Little XS was developed to offer a recognizable hydrangea that stays compact while maintaining the classic ornamental qualities of Hydrangea macrophylla. The cultivar is available in five flower colours: white, red, blue, purple and pink, allowing growers and retailers to present a varied and attractive colour range.

Grower’s Pride: Cordyline ‘Charlie Boy’ by Van der Peijl Tuinplanten

Within the range of structural garden plants, Cordyline ‘Charlie Boy’ occupies a distinctive position. This selection combines a strong tropical appearance with surprisingly good suitability for European gardens. At Van der Peijl Tuinplanten, this cultivar is deliberately cultivated for professional markets such as garden centres, landscapers and export channels. Its compact growth, striking foliage colour and clear recognisability make ‘Charlie Boy’ a distinctive addition to the segment of architectural garden plants.

Breda, Hoogstraten and Zundert will increase cooperation on the three business parks Hazeldonk, Transportzone Meer and Business Centre Treeport

Today, the municipalities of Breda and Zundert and the City of Hoogstraten took an important step towards the future of the cross-border business park area along the A16/E19 on the Belgian-Dutch border. On 5 March, the 'Convenant Grensverbond' (border alliance convenant) was signed: a new and sustainable international collaboration that is necessary to jointly address cross-border challenges.

Tree nursery industry report: industry remains stable, but differences between companies are increasing

The autumn of 2025 was short, erratic and unpredictable for the tree nursery industry. Nevertheless, the industry generally managed to hold up well. Turnover remained on average stable and exports increased significantly. At the same time, it is becoming clear that the differences between companies are increasing and that financial pressure on some entrepreneurs is increasing considerably. This emerged from the Sectorrapport Boomkwekerij Najaar 2025 (tree nursery industry report) published by Van Oers.

Grower’s Pride: NewGen® Buxus

Boxwood has faced significant pressure in recent years. Pests such as boxwood leafminer have damaged confidence in the crop, both at nursery level and in the end market. At the same time, demand for evergreen, formable structure plants has not disappeared. NewGen® Boxwood responds directly to this tension by introducing genetically selected cultivars developed for improved tolerance to boxwood blight and strong resistance to leafminer.
Within the program, two cultivars stand out: NewGen® Independence (‘SB108’) and NewGen® Freedom (‘SB300’).

Successful spring edition of Florall with international interest and awards for innovations

On 3 March, the spring edition of Florall took place at Waregem Expo. During this trade fair, sixty producers and ten supply and export companies presented their assortment for the upcoming season. Visitors could enjoy a wide range of houseplants, garden plants, terrace plants, and fruit trees. Despite the nice weather – which usually sparks busyness in the garden centres – the fair attracted considerable interest from both national and international visitors. 

Grower’s Pride: Cornus alba ‘Nightfall’

With Cornus alba ‘Nightfall’, Boomkwekerij Verpaalen introduces a distinctly dark-leaved selection that adds new depth to the traditional Cornus alba segment. Whereas most Cornus alba cultivars are valued mainly for their winter twigs, 'Nightfall' adds intense purple-black foliage (featuring a greyish-velvety haze on the underside) during the growing season. This dual ornamental value creates year-round appeal and offers clear commercial potential for growers looking to strengthen and differentiate their shrub assortment.

Dutch urban tree tenders are becoming more demanding

Urban tree tenders in the Netherlands are becoming more demanding and performance-oriented. While size and price remain relevant, municipalities increasingly focus on long-term performance under urban stress conditions. For nursery growers supplying the Dutch market, this means that demonstrable quality and documentation are gaining importance.