Showcase your innovative strength at the trade fair and stand a chance of winning the Zunderts Groen Imago Prijs
Are you an entrepreneur actively working on sustainability, innovation and collaboration? And will you be showing at GrootGroenPlus how your company contributes to a strong, green tree nursery region? Then you could be in the running for the Zunderts Groen Imago Prijs.
Rick Zagers: alderman with an eye for greenery and entrepreneurship
Rick Zagers has been an alderman in Zundert since May 2026. He is an alderman on behalf of the Zundert VVD. In addition to traffic, sports, education and facilities, his portfolio also includes economic affairs. This means that he will also have a great deal to do with the tree nursery sector in our municipality.
BCT Treehub Cold Store offers significant added value
Business Centre Treeport, located near the Belgian border at Hazeldonk along the A16 motorway, offers the tree nursery industry a wide range of facilities. One of these is a cold store. Centrally located between the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, this is an ideal location for producers, traders, importers and exporters, growers and nurseries to safely store and cool their products. BCT Treehub Cold Store has been operational since February 2022. GGP.News spoke with director Chantal van Kuyck.
Jury for the Jan van Dongen Prize and Jac. Lodders Prize ready for GrootGroenPlus 2026
Today, the jury for the Jan van Dongen Prize and the Jac. Lodders Prize met to prepare for the 36th edition of the GrootGroenPlus trade fair. This year, the trade fair will take place from 30 September to 2 October. On Wednesday, the jury members will visit the stands to select the best entries in two categories: the Jan van Dongen Prize for the best supplier and the Jac. Lodders Prize for the best green participant.
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.’
Sustainability and collaboration take centre stage at GrootGroenPlus 2026
From 30 September to 2 October 2026, the 36th edition of GrootGroenPlus will take place at the BCT site near the Hazeldonk border crossing in the municipality of Zundert. This year, the international trade fair for the tree nursery industry is entirely dedicated to the theme Growing Together. With this theme, the trade fair emphasises the importance of collaboration, innovation and a sustainable future for the tree nursery industry and the wider green industry.
KVBC inspects new varieties at GrootGroenPlus
Introducing a new cultivar is an important moment for a grower or breeder. It is often preceded by years of crossing, selecting and growing. An independent assessment shows the qualities of such a new plant and what it adds to the existing assortment. This year, the Koninklijke Vereniging van Boskoopse Culturen (KVBC) will once again be present at GrootGroenPlus to independently assess new plants.