Every year we introduce a number of new types of flower bulbs at Fluwel. These are types that have been selected from a huge amount of flower bulbs that I have come across by chance, that have been recommended to me or that I have had my eye on for a few years. I choose the types with love and care: I want them to be able to bloom beautifully in everyone's garden so that I sell flower bulbs that everyone can enjoy.

Fluwel's new flower bulbs will remain in the category new for a year and then join their relatives. You can find our new varieties in the category 'New' and in the category they belong to, such as ' Tulips ' or ' Daffodils . ' I sincerely hope that there is something among our new flower bulbs that makes you as happy as I am!

Where can I find new species?

First of all, I receive tips from other growers who say to me: 'Carlos, what I have here! Beautiful for your website!' Of course, I then visit them to view their beautiful new acquisitions. What also applies to me is the saying 'a flying crow always finds something.' In the spring, I like to drive around to look at flowers and take pictures, and sometimes during one of these trips I come across a beautiful species that I immediately fall in love with.

In that case I will do my utmost to track down the grower who owns the land and ask him if I could sell some of his beautiful species in my web shop.

A final factor that has an influence is the Bulb Committee. They are an organization based in England that I am a member of and they plant beautiful bulbs in their 'trial gardens.' I enjoy visiting them several times a year to pick out my own favorites, which I would like to offer to you.

At the Bulb Committee meetings I meet new species as well as people who can help me with beautiful new species. All in all there are enough ways in which I encounter new flower splendor!

How do we select these new species?

I would like to explain it to you in more detail. All potential new varieties that we have, first stay for a year, or a number of years, in our test gardens. Of course, they have already been at a grower, but I would like to see first what the bulb and the flower are like and how it blooms, so that I can judge it myself.

In the spring I do nothing but walk between the flower bulbs: I look around myself and everyone else to pick out the most beautiful flowers. If I see something beautiful, I arrange for a few to go into my trial garden. That way I can keep an eye on them for at least a year. All the new amaryllises that Fluwel sells are also first put on trial in our greenhouse.

When all our flower bulbs in the test garden are in bloom, many people come to see them. From tourists to press to customers from America: they all come to see my new potential acquisitions. The press and customers have an eye for it: they can tell me what it is that people want in the coming years, what will be fashionable and what unfortunately will not be.

In our test gardens, photos are taken for magazines or for the internet, and sometimes even a TV program is recorded: because of this attention I know exactly what is and is not to the taste. I attach great value to the opinion of these people: it is important to listen carefully to your customers. After all, I am and remain a bulb farmer who, as my daughters say, is a complete stranger to fashion.

Curious about our test garden?

Then you are of course very welcome to come and have a look. At the Belkmerweg in Burgerbrug we have a beautiful daffodil collection in the spring at number 22: the work of my father. Thousands of varieties are here, collected and refined by him with love and pride, and still just as beautiful to look at.

In addition, next to our company at number 20A is our Show Garden: here you will find - also in the spring - flowers of all kinds that we are testing. This is where customers and press come to see what we have to offer. The varieties that are here range from hyacinth to tulip: I want to see and show everything. If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth a look!