Growing without limiting yourself
Boomkwekerij Verpaalen is expanding in acreage, production and customer base. But for Hein Verpaalen, growth is not simply about producing more plants. Expansion should primarily create room to make better choices – in cultivation, in the assortment and for the customer. ‘The right plant for the right customer, that’s what it’s ultimately about.’
Treeport expands its reach through GGP.news
Treeport has joined GGP.news. This gives the cooperative association an additional platform to bring projects, knowledge and developments from the tree nursery industry to the attention of a broader group of professionals. According to manager David Bömer, the collaboration fits well with Treeport’s position within the industry. “We have a strong network of our own, but we would like to reach people beyond that network.”
Sixth season of ‘Van droom tot tuin’ on Eclips TV and PlattelandsTV starting at 27 September
From Sunday 27 September, ‘Van droom tot tuin’ will once again be broadcast on Eclips TV and PlattelandsTV. For the sixth season, presenter Gil Claes and garden expert Marc Verachtert travel through the five Flemish provinces. They visit more than twenty different garden projects and witness how professional landscape contractors turn dreams into high-quality outdoor spaces.
Rooted in the Profession, Focused on the Future
At Roelands Boomkwekerijen, craftsmanship and innovation go hand in hand. Rowy Roelands is not chasing spectacular growth. Instead, she is building a nursery that becomes stronger, smarter and more resilient—step by step.
Why do we do things this way?
A good grower and a good entrepreneur are rarely the same person. One finds satisfaction in producing the perfect crop, while the other focuses on building a future-proof business. At Hergo Nursery in Zundert, these two worlds seem to come together remarkably well.
Success is no coincidence. Not even in tree nurseries.
For years, tree nursery cultivation revolved around one central question: how do we develop better plants? Stronger genetics, richer flowering, improved disease resistance and more ornamental value. Every new cultivar had to outperform the previous one. That pursuit still forms the foundation of Living Creations. Even after fifteen years, Alex Schoemaker considers himself first and foremost a breeder.
Kees Burgmans: ‘Extreme weather requires a different way of doing business’
Snow in spring, a dry spell, followed by tropical heat. The past season once again demanded a great deal from tree nurseries. Yet Kees Burgmans of Kwekerij Burgmans in Haaren looks back on the first half of the year with satisfaction. The market remained surprisingly stable. According to him, the biggest challenge does not lie on the sales side, but in how entrepreneurs prepare their businesses for an increasingly unpredictable climate. He sees GrootGroenPlus as the perfect moment to look ahead together.
Joost Sterke: ‘The biggest challenge? Not the market, but the people’
The market for trees and hedge plants remains healthy. Joost Sterke has no doubt about that. According to him, the real challenges for the coming years lie elsewhere: in securing enough skilled workers, further mechanisation, and adapting to stricter requirements regarding water management and crop protection. He sees GrootGroenPlus as the event where the industry both reflects on the past season and looks ahead to the next.
Italian horticulture strengthens ties with the United Kingdom
The Italian ornamental horticulture sector confirms the strategic importance of the UK market with an export value of €43 million in 2025 (+1.3% compared to 2024). During the London edition of Green Agorà, organised by Greenitaly (Fiere di Parma), the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Italian Embassy, key figures from the sector came together to discuss growth, sustainability and the impact of climate change.
HTA launches autumn campaign: Make your garden a success, both this year and the next
Whilst the summer heat is still in the air, the horticultural sector is already looking ahead to autumn and even Christmas. But this period isn’t about winding down; it’s about seizing opportunities. The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is therefore launching the next phase of its ‘Your Garden Year’ campaign under the banner ‘Making the most of now and next year’.
Flower and plant market shows resilience in a challenging second quarter of 2026
Amid a period of economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and fluctuating consumer confidence, the floriculture sector is holding its own. In Q2 2026, Royal FloraHolland traded 4.8% fewer flowers and plants than last year, whilst turnover fell by 2.7%. The limited decline in turnover compared to the drop in volume shows that pricing remained stable in many product groups.
Update on the Crop Protection Covenant (Convenant Gewasbescherming)
Last week, the administrative consultation on the Crop Protection Covenant took place. Feedback from the members' webinar held on 2 July was incorporated into the process leading up to the covenant.
Boomkwekerij Maarten van Overbeek continues as Overbeek Bomen
As of 6 July, Boomkwekerij Maarten van Overbeek will continue under the name Overbeek Bomen. According to the company, the new name better reflects the development the organisation has undergone in recent years.
Garden sector continues to grow: Italian DIY market embraces greenery, wellbeing and innovation
The garden industry within Italian DIY superstores remains one of the most dynamic and forward-looking segments of the market. In the first quarter of 2026, the category achieved a turnover of €130.6 million, representing growth of 8.3% compared to the same period a year earlier. This confirms the garden industry’s role as a strategic growth driver within the DIY industry, at a time when other segments are under pressure. This is reported by the Italian trade fair Bricoday, to be held at Fiera Milano–Rho on 23–24 September 2026, based on Nielsen Q measurements.
Priorities for the horticultural industry in France
Global trade in ornamental plants is characterised by stark contrasts between dynamic exporting regions and major import markets facing economic pressures. By 2026, the European ornamental plant industry will be operating in a paradoxical context: public demand for plants remains strong, but at the same time businesses must contend with rising energy and cultivation costs, labour shortages, regulation, climate change and rapidly changing customer expectations.
Fourth Generation Have Taken Over Solgården
At the ornamental plant company Solgården in southern Sweden, a generational transition was officially completed in January. The new owners have been active within the company for many years and will continue to build on the strong brand that Solgården has become since its founding in 1958.
Jobba Grönt Has Increased Interest in the Green Industry
In 2025, the Swedish farmers' organizations LRF and Gröna Arbetsgivare celebrated the 10th anniversary of their initiative Jobba Grönt, but the project continues in order to attract more people to work in the green industries by highlighting the opportunities for meaningful jobs with sustainability in focus. Since the start, young people's attitudes have changed in a positive direction.
'The industry focuses too much on what happens above ground'
When walking through a tree nursery, people often automatically look at what is visible above ground: height growth, branching, uniformity and colour. According to Rob Tolenaars of TTS, however, this certainly doesn't say everything about the quality of a plant. “The real foundation is below ground,” he states. “That is ultimately where it is determined how strongly a plant develops.”
TTS joins GGP.news
With its practical view on rooting, tray development and young plant quality, TTS has built a clear position within the international tree nursery industry in recent years. The company, owned by Rob Tolenaars, focuses on tray systems that not only make efficient production possible, but above all contribute to a stronger root system and more uniform plant development.
Elimination of reduced VAT rate on ornamental horticultural products has major impact
The government intends to eliminate the reduced VAT rate for ornamental horticulture products as of 1 January 2028. Erik Stuurbrink, chairman of the sector group Bomen, Vaste Planten en Zomerblomeen (Trees, Perennials and Summer Flowers) of LTO Nederland, questions whether the government is aware of the long-term impact of this measure.