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Forcing is, as the name suggests, forcing a flower bulb to bloom; treating the flower bulb in such a way that it blooms earlier than its normal flowering time.

'Is that a holiday' you may ask. Yes and no, it is the day we pack all the Hyacinths for our American customers and for the Fluwel webshop.

Last week the Narcissus was called a workhorse, so now it's time for the show horses to take the spotlight. Of course, we're talking about the Tulip, the standard-bearer of the flower bulb legion.

Of course I can't talk about anything else than Daffodils because for the past month I have literally seen nothing else but Daffodils.

For the real old geezers that still look good, you should go to the Daffodils, the workhorses of the arsenal of flower bulbs.

You probably all know a few, those people who don't seem to age. Indestructible, always fit and completely amazed when you hear their age.

It seems to be a quiet time for the flower bulb growers, the only work that needs to be done is irrigating the fields when it threatens to become too dry.

Today it is exactly 401 years ago that she was introduced to the market. And, she is the only surviving Tulip that experienced the Tulip Wind Trade in the 1630s.

It's really not difficult. All you need is 2 different Daffodils and... patience.

Recently Eric Breed and I paid our first visit to an Amaryllis grower.

The lilies are available again in the Fluwel webshop. This year no less than 50 different types of which 17 are new in our assortment.

For me, this is a really hard question to answer. When I honestly say that I really don't know, I get an 'ah man, you know what you like.'

And then suddenly it is quiet around us. The growers have finished planting and have covered the bulb fields with a golden blanket of straw.

I think it would be fun to tell you where Fluwel is located. I have so many newsletter readers now that I suspect most of you have no idea where we come from.

The Amaryllises have grown well during the beautiful summer and the quality this year is truly excellent.

Not only the cheerful flower that is one of the first to bloom each spring cheers me up. No, that same Narcissus has also brought me many heartwarming contacts and friendships.

The hustle and bustle is pretty much behind us. Time to think about what I'm going to plant in my garden.

There are plenty of them, and for all sorts of different reasons. It could be a historical event, a declaration of love, a naming, a gift for an anniversary ... a flower bulb is always appropriate,...