Spring is too beautiful not to be celebrated

Yes, I can't help it, this time of year my head is busy every now and then, and especially in spring. Not all the time, mind you, this week I also saw a lot of Dahlias and I have already started with the new varieties that I am discovering now and want to put on the site for next year. But when I have some time, I am busy with the Daffodils and my head is already full of spring. One of these days, if Mother Nature keeps it a bit dry, we hope to plant all the varieties of the Fluwel Specialty Narcissus again and, when I am tired of typing, I am in my greenhouse planting pots of Daffodils to force them to bloom in the greenhouse. There are a bit too many this year, around 600 pots I estimate. That's because I want fewer species, because with the seedling numbers the number of species at the nursery is secretly creeping towards 1500, and I think a 1000 or so is more than enough. That's not so difficult, I hear you thinking, you just throw away the less beautiful ones? Quite easily solved, if you look at it that way. Easy? That word always reminds me of a good joke by a comedian; sculpting, yes sculpting, that's easy. For example, if you want to sculpt an elephant you just take a piece of granite measuring 4 by 6 by 3 meters and you chop away everything that doesn't look like an elephant. No fun, right? No, with the Daffodils I just had a bit too much bad luck with the weather the last few years. Every time most of them were blooming beautifully we were treated to either storm or hail, sometimes even both, and when the flowers are hanging in tatters here on the North Sea coast it is a bit difficult to see the elephant in the granite. Now that we are in the greenhouse, it is also nice to tell you something about the Lilies. You probably saw her standing in front of me on the photo of the potted plants, but there are more beautiful ones. It is the Batavia lily that I planted to do tests for a remedy against the annoying lily beetle. Someone advised me to spray an organic remedy on the Lilies and see if the lily beetle stayed away. I had planted Lilies in the greenhouse and outside, filled the plant sprayer, and sprayed half of the Lilies and the other half not and guess what: hardly any lily beetles. Nothing to see on the sprayed Lilies, nothing to see on the unsprayed Lilies either. They simply were not there, not even in the varieties that I know are a delicacy for both the lily beetle and the chicken. I've said it jokingly before: the beginner gardening course has a duration of 138 years, but sometimes it seems like it's still true. We'll try again next year. Bella Blush in the Poldertuin in Anna Paulowna

Quickly back to the spring bloomers, because if you haven't done so yet: it's time to start thinking about it. Without being too pushy, I'd like to whisper to you not to wait too long this year. There is again a lot of interest in flower bulbs, gardening is already becoming more popular, and the stock is a bit smaller than we had hoped this year due to a somewhat poorer harvest. Of course, flower bulbs are still for sale in November, but I also regularly see a beautiful Daffodil, Tulip or other flower bulb on 'sold out'. It's just a tip. Jamin at Grower Heemskerk in the field in Lisse

Perhaps it would be nice if I point out a few that I think are worth trying in your garden. In the pink colour I find the Tulips Jamin and Bella Blush two sensational newcomers. Both large, no-nonsense Tulips that are very suitable for garden planting. Real eye-catchers that can withstand a knock despite their size, even in less good weather they remain upright and beautiful. Dinnerplate

And of course, a few Daffodils. If you want to really pop with color, consider the Narcissus Dinnerplate. In the earlier photo of the Bella Blush, you can also see her in the background. Her bright colors in combination with her oversized flowers, which she owes her name to, know how to add color to your spring garden like no other Daffodil. Little Alfred

One more, one of my favourite Daffodils: Little Alfred. I know that few will be ordered, somehow yellow is not popular at the moment. But still, if you drive around in early spring and see all those cheerful yellow Daffodils blooming, you will enjoy them to the fullest. This is a somewhat smaller Daffodil, a bit the size of the better known February Gold, but much more graceful in flower. See it a bit like Brussels sprouts, in the summer you don't want them at all... in the winter you want to feast on them. You don't want the yellow of Little Alfred in your shopping basket around this time of year either, but in the spring... happy happy happy.

Time to stop again. Just a quick housekeeping announcement, actually the good news: the first orders are on their way! The post office has picked up the first trucks with the earliest orders. If you have just ordered bulbs from us, you can't expect them right away, because we will first process all previous orders in order of receipt. But don't worry, it won't be long before it's your turn.

Kind regards,

Carlos van der Veek