Growers' Pride: Tilia mongolica 'Buda'
Anyone who associates lime trees primarily with large trees and wide crowns should take a closer look at Tilia mongolica ‘Buda’. This selection of the Mongolian lime remains relatively compact, eventually reaching around 8 to 12 metres, and has a distinctive appearance thanks to its foliage and crown shape.
Growers' Pride: Cortaderia Tiny Pampa
The large white plumes of pampas grass are hard to miss. And so, usually, is the plant itself. Cortaderia can easily develop into a substantial clump and therefore needs space. Tiny Pampa does exactly the opposite. At around 60 centimetres including its plumes, this Cortaderia remains remarkably compact while retaining the characteristic appearance that makes pampas grass so distinctive. It is precisely this combination that makes Tiny Pampa a plant Van Vliet New Plants is proud of.
‘One in 250: that’s when you know you’ve found something special’
Of the hundreds of new plants Peter Kroes sees, many are rejected almost immediately. Not because they are bad plants, but because ‘good’ is simply no longer good enough. The market is crowded, which means that the bar is being raised continuously. Every now and then, however, something comes along that immediately catches the attention of the director of Van Vliet New Plants. ‘Maybe one in 250. That’s when you think: wham, this is the one.’
Growers' Pride: Groundbreaker - The Power of Three
At first glance, the name Groundbreaker immediately makes sense. During flowering, these compact hydrangeas create an almost continuous carpet of blooms, combining exceptional flower coverage with a neat, uniform growth habit. What started as a single outstanding selection has evolved into a complete collection of three varieties: Groundbreaker Blush, Groundbreaker Ruby and Groundbreaker Greeny. Together they form The Power of Three—one collection in which each variety has its own colour and character while delivering the same consistent quality and garden performance.
Miscanthus 'Piccolo Rubino' PBR in the spotlight at Green is Life Warsaw
Miscanthus sinensis 'Piccolo Rubino' is a striking new ornamental grass, combining a compact habit with ruby-red plumes and distinctive blue-grey stems. Flowering starts in late August, while the strong, upright growth keeps the plant neat and compact. Reaching around 1.2–1.3 metres in height, 'Piccolo Rubino' is particularly well suited to smaller gardens and container planting.
Growers’ Pride: Parrotia persica ‘Bella’
A beautiful multi-stemmed tree is about more than just the species. Its structure, branching and the balance between the individual stems are equally important. For Growers’ Pride, Boomkwekerij Peter Verhoeven in Haaren presents the multi-stemmed Parrotia persica ‘Bella’: a distinctive tree that combines shape and colour throughout the seasons.
Growers' Pride: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Polar Bear’
Anyone familiar with Hydrangea paniculata ‘Polar Bear’ merely as a compact garden shrub may be surprised by the plants grown at Boomkwekerij Peter Verhoeven in Haaren. Here, this panicle hydrangea is trained as a substantial multi-stemmed specimen. Supplied at a height of 140–160 centimetres with a wire root ball, it immediately adds volume, structure and flowers to a planting scheme.
Growers’ Pride: Viburnum davidii
Some plants do not need an extravagant display of flowers to stand out. Viburnum davidii owes much of its ornamental value to its sturdy, dark-green foliage. The prominent veins give every leaf a distinctive texture, while the low and spreading habit creates a strong, compact appearance. It is a shrub that provides volume, colour and structure throughout the year.
Growers' Pride: Hakonechloa macra
Ornamental grasses are usually associated with sunshine and open borders. Hakonechloa macra proves that there is another possibility. This Japanese forest grass thrives in places where many other grasses are less successful: in partial shade, beneath trees and shrubs or beside a sheltered terrace.
Grower's Pride: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ is a plant that continues to attract attention as the season progresses. Its large, cone-shaped flower panicles emerge creamy white in summer, gradually developing a soft pink blush. As the flowers mature, their colour deepens to an intense strawberry pink and sometimes even rich reddish shades. With younger and older flowers present simultaneously, the plant displays a striking combination of colours.
Growers’ Pride: Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’
With its deep reddish-brown foliage, Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’ is a distinctive product within the forestry and hedging range of Hergo Boomkwekerij. At its nursery in Zundert, the red beech is carefully raised from seed. This allows Hergo to control the entire growing process, from young plant material to a strong and uniform final product.
“We Love Conifers” launches its first consumer campaign with a Tuscan theme
Twelve conifer growers have joined forces to reposition the conifer as the essential plant for modern, climate-resilient gardens and public spaces. The initiative offers a solution to increasing urbanisation and the growing demand for sustainable, year-round greenery.
Heat, Pests and the End of Hungary’s Thuja Era
Emerald Green arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) defined Hungarian suburban gardening. Dense, narrow, evergreen and affordable conifer became the standard choice for privacy hedges around family homes and residential developments. At its peak, climate change has formed thuja production, a major part of nursery business model for many Hungarian ornamental nurseries. For today, however the past dominance, Emerald Green arborvitae has almost disappeared from the Hungarian gardens.
Bartın Province in Turkey puts organic aronia berries in the spotlight
The Turkish province of Bartın is set to play a significant role in the organic cultivation of aronia berries. This is according to Cengiz Bostanci, an agricultural engineer working in the province of Bartın: “At a time when interest in functional foods and organic agriculture and horticulture is growing worldwide, the province of Bartın in Turkey is strengthening its position in the global aronia berry market. Thanks to a combination of government support, investment from the private sector and cooperative initiatives, Bartın is not only building a cultivation centre, but one of the purest aronia ecosystems in the world. Aronia cultivation in Bartın began in 2018 as part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Plant Production Development Project, in collaboration with the Yalova Atatürk Horticultural Central Research Institute.”
New Variety: Agapanthus Lady Series (Lady Lauren & Lady Lay)
Within the expanding range of Agapanthus selections, the Lady series holds a clear position. The series has been developed with a strong focus on three key traits: exceptionally long flowering (over 100 days per year), a high number of flower stems, and healthy, robust foliage.
This directly addresses three important market demands: extended retail shelf life, strong visual impact on the sales bench, and reliable garden performance. Within the series, Agapanthus ‘Lady Lauren’ and ‘Lady Lay’ are two key representatives, each with its own identity but based on the same genetic foundation.
The Lady series is globally propagated and commercially distributed by three specialised growers: Gootjes-AllPlant, Deroose Plants and Vitro Westland. This ensures scale, continuity and international availability.
Grower’s Pride: Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’
Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ is one of the most widely recognised cultivars within the range of Japanese maples. The variety is valued for its deep purple-red foliage and elegant growth habit, characteristics that have made it a long-standing favourite in gardens and landscape design. At Hoogenraad Handelskwekerijen the cultivar is grown with a strong focus on uniformity, plant quality and professional market supply. Its distinctive colour, manageable size and consistent performance make ‘Atropurpureum’ a reliable product for garden centres, landscapers and export markets.
New Variety: Buddleja ‘Birthday Cake’ by Van Vliet New Plants
With Buddleja ‘Birthday Cake’, a compact butterfly bush enters the market that stands out for its abundant flowering and long ornamental value. The purple flowers appear stacked above the plant, creating an effect reminiscent of a layered birthday cake. This gives the plant a full and eye-catching appearance.
A practical advantage is that the flowers turn brown much less quickly during the fading stage compared with many other varieties. As a result, the plant remains visually attractive for a longer period at the garden centre.
Young plants of ‘Birthday Cake’ are exclusively available through Florensis, which markets the variety internationally to professional growers.
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.
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’).