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Botanical nursery

Quality plants with care for the environment

We provide you manually propagated quality plants to ensure the original species characteristics. Our plants are produced outdoor according to ecologically sound methods in our production field and in containers with our own compost and organic fertilizers to make them hardy and healthy for direct use in the garden.

Many bamboo plants that are available in garden centers, are derived from tissue culture (in vitro). With this method of cultivation, plants are artificially propagated in a laboratory. The bamboos from this origin often show growth failures and loss of vitality. For this reason we only work with traditional, manually propagated plants by dividing our own mother plants or making root cuttings from the original plants. In this way we are assured of the original species characteristics.

Our bamboos are produced manually

Working method

At our botanical nursery we continuously collect and observe new species and selections. By exchanging knowledge and experiences with fellow pioneering plantsman Hans Prins and Jos van der Palen we frequently evaluate the qualities of new species. From this pioneering spirit, we are always looking for improvements and additions to our collection. Once a plant has proven itself in the show garden, showing additional value, we include the species in our cultivation plan. Of course, there are often small numbers of new plants available for the adventurer which are still partly under observation. Criteria besides shape, color, texture and weather resistance of a plant are also disease resistance, cultivation and maintenance.

Closed production cycle

At the nursery, all crop residues, pruned stems and twigs, leaves, grass clippings etc are shredded and composted with aeration, moisture control and microorganisms and converted into the main raw material for the nursery: humus compost. To this compost we add volcanic powder, clay, peat and organic fertilizers to create the ideal basis for a healthy ecological cultivation.

By shredding and composting our own organic material we create a new production topsoil

Local production

Although our bamboos, grasses and exotic plants are collected in different continents, the plants we grow and sell at our plant store are propagated locally at our nursery. After collection of the appropriate starting material in the form of seeds or rhizomes (roots) on site we observe the plants and bring the best into cultivation. So we don’t import our sale stock that may or may not lawfully be collected in the wild!

Environment

Beside beautiful plants we also produce tons of clean oxygen and en passant our plants also fixate tons of greenhouse gases. Plants contribute to a cleaner and more pleasant environment. Especially bamboo has a high environmental activity. Rapid growth means faster absorption of greenhouse gases which are converted into fresh oxygen and biomass. Evergreen bamboo groves also contribute to cleaner air (capturing fine dust particulates), noise reduction and water retention in urban areas. If you have a project in which environmental issues are important, please enquire to advise you on this topic from our knowledge and experience.

Bigger plant sizes

The bamboos and ornamental grasses are grown in a variety of sizes. We focus on larger plants that are grown for several years at the nursery, to provide you the best quality. Year-round strong, vital plants come with a sturdy, bound root ball, harvested and delivered fresh on your order. The rootballs in the field are stabbed around yearly so the compact rootball has a lot of hair-roots when they are packed in burlap to promote good regrowth. We work mostly manually with Bamboo Slammers (theslammertool.com) and pneumatic spades to provide the best quality rootballs. There is always a large assortment of clumping (non-invasive) Fargesia-bamboos available as well as various ornamental grasses, often with a fine leaf texture, upright habit or particular flowering spikes, like Miscanthus and Panicum.

When you purchase larger plants you need less plants for your garden, they are also stronger than the delicate traditional small pots that are often presented with a high planting density per m2. The vigor of an older plant is also better. In addition, the price per square meter planting area is comparable to or sometimes even lower.

We also have bigger size gingers bananas palms ornamental grasses and bamboos in stock

Our people

Our nursery is a labor-intensive business. For cultivation, showgarden maintenance, customer advice, orders, deliveries and organization of projects, we work with a strong and flexible team.

Johan van der Perk, Wageningen (WUR) skilled nursery man and landscaping designer is involved in the search for new species, set up the cultivation, customer contact, landscaping designs and organizes the realization of projects. Together with partner Claudia Pot and our permanent staff and seasonal employees, we work year round on a qualitative assortment of plants of our own production on an ecological basis. Claudia regulates the administrative side but also likes to work in cultivation and garden. Willem van der Perk does the layout of planting schemes and landscaping maintenance work at client gardens.

Together with our team of co-workers we take care of the nursery, show garden and make orders ready for shipment. Depending on the season several people join in.

We also have a varying number of people who want to learn the tricks of the bamboo nursery in the context of work experience, education or as an international volunteer and contribute to production, maintenance and management. We have the accreditation as a training company for middle lever, higher level and university level education practical research, internships and traineeships. We also serve as a host for the international Wwoofing program.

With an external team of landscapers and specialists on project basis, we ensure that small and large assignments and projects are carried with an eye on details and client satisfaction.