Members
At the moment, NLG Holland has nine members. We are all growers of sustainable flower bulbs from North Holland. Growing bulbs both in sandy and in clay soils. Some of us have dedicated greenhouses for bulb forcing. We specialise in the growth of sustainable and organic bulbs. Our members are:
- Blokker Bloembollen
- Huiberts Biologische Bloembollen
- Bloembollenkwekerij Gebroeders Hulsebosch
- Koburg B.V.
- Pieter Pronk Bloembollen
- Garden of Egmond
- Vriend Flowerbulbs B.V.
- Warmerdam “De Toekomst”
- Bloembollenkwekerij M.C. Zonneveld
- Ruijter Bloembollen
We will introduce ourselves individually.
Blokker Bloembollen
Blokker Bloembollen from Sint Maartensvlotbrug was founded in 1928. The present owner is Nico Blokker. We have been growing flower bulbs in a sustainable manner since 2013. Blokker Bloembollen grows:
- tulips
- daffodils
- crocuses, and
- hyacinths under contract
Nico: ‘We want to grow healthy bulbs. And reduce the use of chemical products. We spend a lot of time and money on researching the optimal soil quality. And we are introducing numerous measures to promote sustainable growth. Such as the use of better compost, good green manure, and growth promoters. In addition, we have planted flowering field margins. All in line with the NLG Holland principles. To help us stand out from the competition. That is why we joined the cooperative. We founded the cooperative to share our knowledge and the expenses. And to sell sustainable bulbs at a fair price.’
Huiberts Biologische Bloembollen
Huiberts Biologische Bloembollen in Sint Maartensbrug is a family business and has been for some thirty years. The owners are John and Johanna Huiberts. ‘We have been growing organic bulbs since 2013. We do it to enhance the quality of the soil and that of the flower bulbs.’ Huiberts Biologische Bloembollen is officially Skal certified (externe link naar Skal). They produce:
- tulips
- daffodils
- crocuses
- hyacinths
- muscari
- and specialties, such as Chionodoxa Forbesii and Erythronium Pagoda
Bloembollenkwekerij Gebroeders Hulsebosch
Bloembollenkwekerij Gebroeders Hulsebosch is situated in Schagerbrug. It is a real family business. Cock Hulsebosch, one of the members of the board: ‘We are a real family business. We have been around since 1956.’ The Hulsebosch brothers grow various flowers, such as:
- tulips
- daffodils
- crocuses
- camassia
‘In addition, we grow lilies. We have been growing sustainable bulbs and plants for a couple of years now.’
Garden of Egmond
Garden of Egmond in Egmond Binnen is managed by Carlo van Schagen. ‘Our company has been around since the nineteen fifties. Since 2010, we have been growing the sustainable flower bulbs. Garden of Egmond supplies exclusive tulips in many variaties and colours – wonderful peony tulips in particular. In addition, you can order naturalising bulbs from our bulb farm. We work hard to optimise soil life. It is our goal to go organic in the future. We are trying to achieve this with our own research and the research conducted by the cooperative. We are also involved in forcing peony tulips abroad.’
Koburg B.V.
Koburg B.V. is managed by two brothers, Johan and Robert Koeman. Johan: ‘This has always been a family business. It was founded in Zwaagdijk-Oost, and was extended with the Hoogkarspel branch in 2002. Our company grows a specific range of forced bulbs in the Netherlands. We specialise in advancing the growth of these bulbs. We use recyclable plastic foil in the process. This allows us to advance the date for putting our flowers on the market by several weeks.’
In addition to their 60 hectares of land for the growth of flower bulbs, Koburg has a modern greenhouse for forcing tulips. ‘Annually, we bring 20 million tulips to bloom in this greenhouse. This happens between the end of November and the end of March. We target the upper end of the market. That is to say: florists, rather than supermarkets. The Couleur Cardinaal family is the showpiece of our collection. We supply Pretty Princess, Red Princess, and Rococo, among others. Koburg B.V. is dedicated to making the growth of flower bulbs more sustainable. And that is why we have joined the NLG Holland cooperative. We were inspired to grow sustainably by the founder and director of Ecotulips, Jeroen Koeman.’
Pieter Pronk Bloembollen
Pieter Pronk Bloembollenkwekerij is a West Frisian family firm in Nibbixwoud. The family have been growing bulbs outdoors for three generations. Pieter: ‘In the past few years, we have added growing peonies. We work our land in a sustainable way, soil and environment-friendly. The results speak for themselves. Strong plants yielding a high-quality end product. And the use of crop protection products has dropped. We have joined forces in the cooperative. By collaborating like this, we will achieve even more sustainable results.’
Vriend Flower Bulbs B.V.
Vriend Flower Bulbs B.V. is run by two brothers, Jack and Arie Vriend. Jack: ‘Our family firm is situated in Sijbekarspel. We specialise in the growth of tulip bulbs and peonies. Our company recently introduced a wonderful new yellow tulip. Its name? Novisun. This tulip is virus resistant. This means that we do not have to spray aphids anymore. A positive development, in our book. We want to grow sustainably. And do research in how to go about it. That is why we have joined the cooperative. To grow an honest product at a fair price.’
Warmerdam “De Toekomst”
Piet and Jeannette Warmerdam are the joint owners of Warmerdam “De Toekomst” in Den Helder. ‘At our bulb farm, we grow various types of flower bulbs. Such as tulips, daffodils, irises, and lilies in many varieties. We work towards developing a sustainable company at several levels. We make responsible use of soil and crop protection products in doing so. In addition, we pay attention to our social corporate responsibility. We have adopted a sustainable energy policy and a social employment policy. We offer traineeships with our company, for instance. And we have hired a young employee with a disability within the context of the Dutch Wajong scheme. Our company is managed with due respect for nature and the environment. A good relationship with other parties in our immediate vicinity is very important to us. Our connection with NLG Holland has given us new energy and enthusiasm for the future.’
Bloembollenkwekerij M.C. Zonneveld
Bloembollenkwekerij M.C. Zonneveld is owned by two brothers: Peter and Kees Zonneveld. In Julianadorp, they run the company that was founded in 1980. They supply the following cultivars to export companies and greenhouse growers:
- tulips
- daffodils
- crocuses
- hyacinths
- lilies
Peter: ‘We have joined the cooperative because we want to supply sustainable bulbs from conscious growth. The traditional growing methods do not meet today’s standards. We are committed to high-quality, healthy, good results. With regard to our products and the environment. We aim for a good balance in the soil we grow them in. A healthy soil will yield healthy products. That is the cooperative’s vision. And it’s a vision we share.’
Ruijter Bloembollen
Ruijter Bloembollen grows and forces flower bulbs. The firm is located in Slootdorp. It was set up as a mixed farm in 1942 by the grandfather of the current owner, Sam Ruijter. In 1971, they decided to focus on the growth of bulbs. These days, Ruijter Bloembollen grows over 50 hectares of tulip bulbs and 10 hectares of gladioli bulbs. The bulb fields can be found in the Wieringermeer polder and in the Anna Paulowna polder.
Sustainable
The bulbs are grown in a sustainable manner. The same goes for the operational management of the firm. In the greenhouses, for instance, smart technology is used to collect latent heat. And to reuse it for heating the greenhouses. The resulting dry climate in the greenhouses benefits the tulips, too. During the winter months, Ruijter Bloembollen forces 8 million tulips in its own dedicated greenhouses. These tulips are mainly sold at auction.
Tulpen van Sam
Earlier this year, Ruijter Bloembollen launched its own flower brand: ‘Tulpen van Sam’ (Sam’s Tulips). Sam Ruijter, managing director of the firm, says: “The brand illustrates that we are an environment-friendly company. And it allows us to tell the stories behind our tulips. For the last 15 years, we have been working on improving the sustainability of our growing methods. While enhancing the working environment for our employees along the way. Consumers nowadays are more (environmentally) conscious, so this appeals to them.”
