WWW.FLORACULTUREINTERNATIONAL.COM APRIL
BROOKDALE TREELAND NURSERIES
‘Winning IGOTY23 validates our hard work’
ENERGY REVOLUTION
The key to heating Westland's greenhouses lies deep underground
IRANIAN HORTICULTURE Growers celebrate Nowruz inspite of sanctions
WUR investigation of the critical factors required to improve the quality of sea freighted flowers
FloraCulture International encourages the pursuit of joint activities in areas of mutual interest with national, and international societies, and organisations. Agreements have been reached between FCI and leading growers and trade associations worldwide. FCI is proud to work in collaboration with:
Wageningen University and Research, in association with the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), will host the VII International Conference Post-Harvest Unlimited & XII International Symposium on Post-Harvest Quality of Ornamental Plants in Wageningen, Netherlands, between 14-17 May 2023.
Wageningen University and Research is active in many postharvest research projects. An ongoing one is ‘Towards Sustainable flower distribution from Kenya’, investigating how to enable Kenyan rose growers to export their roses more effectively to the Netherlands by sea freight through academic and practice-based research.
We interviewed Ms Fatima Pereira da Silva for our cover story to learn more about the project and its overall goals and progress so far. From a per-unit perspective, sea-freighted flowers are a sustainable transport mode.
Focusing on sustainability, page 16 features a story on the Greenhouse Capital of the Netherlands, which is taking bold steps to minimise its impact on the environment by connecting geothermal wells into one network and hooking it to an underground pipeline carrying waste heat from industries based at the Dutch port of Rotterdam.
Cultivating tropical foliage plants… and hope in trying times are Abolfazl Iranshahi and Seyed Mohammad Mosavinia from Middle East Flower Engineers in Pakdasht, Iran. In celebration of the Persian New Year, aka Nowruz, the pair looked back on their happy gains and lost opportunities in 2022 while also commenting on the future of ornamental horticulture in Iran, providing valued updated statistics.
Held between 13-15 March 2023, AIPH’s Spring Meeting in Lisbon was the destination for content on ornamental horticulture in Portugal. A conference and farm tours near Lisbon provided fresh perspectives on the country’s ‘horti-economics’, EU regulation, foreign investment opportunities, consumer preferences and climate issues. To watch the conference on-demand, please visit the AIPH Website.
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) organised the event in collaboration with the Portuguese Association of Natural Plants and Flowers (APPP-FN). The latter is FCI’s 60th business partner. Established in 1982, APPP-FN is the most potent voice in Portugal’s ornamental horticulture industry. It has 400 members that span across the production chain. This list includes producers of nursery stock, garden plants, houseplants, cut flowers and cut foliage, in total representing more than 80 per cent of Portugal’s ornamentals production. Since 1987 APPP-FN has organised its trade show Lusoflora which is known for being Portugal’s most significant trade exhibition for ornamental horticulture. Mark your calendar because the next edition of Lusoflora in Santarém is set to take place between 22-23 February 2024.
12 POSTHARVEST TREATMENT AND HANDLING
Wageningen University & Research investigates the critical factors required to improve the quality of sea-freighted flowers
16 GREENHOUSE CAPITAL OF THE NETHERLANDS Residual and geothermal heat warms up
18 IRAN’S ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE
Middle East Flower Engineers cultivate houseplants and hope, even in trying times
22 EXPLORING EUROPE’S GARDEN CENTRES
Interview with German VDG President Martina Meckelburg
26 BEM-VINDO PORTUGAL!
AIPH conference and farm tours offer insight into Portugal’s horticulture industry
FloraCulture International (FCI) is an independent trade magazine with the largest circulation for a world publication of its kind. FCI is published for the ornamental horticulture industry by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). It is published 11 times per year worldwide. Editorial Team: Eliot Barden, Ruth Goudy, Spence Gunn, Maurizio Lapponi, Hannah Pinnells, Marta Pizano, Ron van der Ploeg, Audrey Timm, and Rachel Wakefield. Contact: info@ floracultureinternational.com. Address: FloraCulture International, Horticulture House, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RN, United Kingdom. Editor: Ron van der Ploeg, ron@floracultureinternational.com Worldwide Advertising Office: Angie Duffree, angie@floracultureinternational.com T. +31 6 403 277 35. Magazine designer: Rachel Wakefield. Cover image: Wageningen University & Research. AIPH ©2023 FloraCulture International magazine. All rights reserved. Publisher is not liable for the content of the advertisements. Photographs by permission of copyright owners.
We proudly welcome our 60 th FloraCulture
FloraCulture International (FCI) is pleased to announce its business partnership with the Portuguese Association for Ornamental Plant and Cut Flower Producers, in Portuguese known as the Associação Portuguesa de Produtores de Plantas e Flores Naturais (APPP-FN).
Established in 1982, APPP-FN is the most potent voice in Portugal’s ornamental horticulture industry. It has 400 members that span across the production chain. This list includes producers of nursery stock, garden plants, houseplants, cut flowers and cut foliage, in total representing more than 80 per cent of Portugal’s ornamentals production.
The association’s primary purpose is to raise the profile of Portugal’s ornamentals
sector, to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment where growers operate and defending its members’ interests.
Since 1987 APPP-FN has organised its annual trade show Lusoflora which is known for being Portugal’s most significant trade exhibition for ornamental horticulture. It serves as the ultimate showcase for new products and services and as a platform to share knowledge, friendships and research
findings.
The 35th Lusoflora show in Santarém’s CNEMA convention centre will be held in February 2024.
APPP-FN members and relations will receive the monthly online format of FloraCulture International free of charge as a courtesy to their membership. APPP-FN vicepresident Ricardo Silvestre underlines the importance of the newly established business partnership as the FCI trade publication contains articles and stories relevant to the field of activity of APPP-FN members and will help them to gain a competitive advantage. FloraCulture International’s editor Ron van der Ploeg, is
delighted to have APPP-FN on board. “Back in 2021, I looked forward to preparing a country profile on ornamental horticulture in Portugal, and it was all thanks to working with APPP-FN. Their valued input and quick feedback made the project go smoothly, and their cheerfulness made it fun. I would also like to thank APPP-FN for the effort in co-organising a highly successful AIPH Spring Meeting in Lisbon last month.”
NETHERLANDS
Plant breeder and propagator Syngenta Flowers uses a 54-second video to explain what it touts as the ‘ultimate highlight of 2023’, the new Viola x wittrockiana F1 Delta® Pro series.
Syngenta’s Delta series has undergone a complete overhaul, with the newly launched largeflowered Delta® Pro series being the fastest growing, most programmable and large-flowered pansy series for both spring and autumn production.
Delta Pro can be an interesting option for growers looking for a series with a short production cycle that fills the pot easily without stretching and does not need many PGRs.
The Delta Pro plant structure has been designed with a vigorous root system, particularly important during summer production, which allows for reliable autumn sales.
The plants also boast the most robust basal branching of any series, quickly covering containers
before putting on colour. The powerful plant body, paired with durable peduncles, easily supports the large, 3-inch-wide blooms through transportation to the retail bench.
Delta® Pro offers a higher level of uniformity across all core colours plus the most important novelties in one super uniform series. The Delta Pro pansy line debuted at the Spring Trials in Apeldoorn, Netherlands (picture), held between 2 - 3 March 2023. There are currently 16 individual colours in the Delta Pro assortment, including seven solids, eight blotches, and a novel Lavender Blue Shades.
For more information, visit www.syngentaflowers.com/ deltapro
Dutch agriculture minister Piet Adema has presented the 2023 Dutch Horticultural Entrepreneur Award to Van der Avoird Trayplant. The raspberry grower from Bavel won the award on Wednesday, 29 March, at the fossil-free greenhouse of cresses and microgreens supplier Koppert Cress in Monster.
The jury voted unanimously for Van der Avoird to win the 36th edition of the coveted award. Because of the winner’s efforts to maximise greenhouse space by using a multi-tier growing system, find sustainable growing solutions for a carbon-neutral production of their raspberry starting plants.
Van der Avoird Trayplant battled it out against three other competitors: Chrysanthemum grower Beyond Chrysant from Hoek van Holland, perennial nursery Griffioen from Boskoop, and ‘Red Naomi’ and ‘White Naomi’ rose grower Porta Nova from Waddinxveen, all shining examples of outstanding horticultural entrepreneurship.
Eliot Barden, Aftercare, Apprenticeship and Training Manager for Majestic Trees, UK, was crowned AIPH Young International Grower of the Year 2023 at IPM Essen, Germany, in January. Here he talks about his determination to make a career in horticulture.
“My biggest inspiration for trees probably arose from spending time at my neighbour’s when I was growing up. He had quite a substantial plot of land, and after he retired, he planted an arboretum. I would spend time there, see the young trees develop and even at the age of eight, I was fascinated by this, although I’m not sure if I was a help or hindrance at that point!
I have always wanted to make a career in horticulture, never considering anything else really. I began my education in the subject via a Royal Horticultural Society evening class at 15. However, some of my school teachers were deeply against my plans to pursue a career in horticulture. They thought I should go to university. It was quite a common theme in my generation – the implication was that you couldn’t make anything of your life unless you went to university. Despite this negativity, I followed my passion.
Fast forward ten years, and I could not see myself doing anything different. I have had the opportunity to learn and work at the world’s foremost botanic garden, Kew, travel around the globe learning about plants and have been able to specialise in semi-mature specimen tree production at Majestic Trees.
Having started out on the nursery at Majestic, I took on managing Aftercare, Apprenticeships and company training, I’m now a member of the senior management team, and together we are continually looking for ways to drive the company forward through innovation. My next ambition is to learn the purchasing side of the business which is very important – we literally hand select almost every tree we buy to ensure that we only grow trees of the highest quality.
My genuine passion though is getting young people involved in the industry. I am determined to fight to raise the profile for horticulture proving that it can be a highly skilled, highly paid, well-thought-of profession that school leavers seriously consider, just as I did. We set up an Apprenticeship at Majestic Trees, where I built the course content linking it to our Apprentice’s RHS qualification, which they study at college one day per week. Only by nurturing and developing people, do I see it possible to achieve the very best quality product in the future, something at Majestic Trees, we pride ourselves on.
I do feel that Horticulture is in an era of large-scale change socially, politically, and environmentally. Some countries are at the forefront of change for the better, and others are way behind. I see several severe threats to global ornamental horticulture such as the peat debate, which, while not insurmountable must be addressed with a logical, joined-up approach. Government, businesses, trade organisations and all relevant stakeholders must be consulted and willing to cooperate. The knowledge is out there, and viable solutions exist, but piecing the puzzle together will take much work, and will only be possible if all voices are not only heard, but listened to."
Brookdale Treeland Nurseries swept the board at AIPH International Grower of the Year 2023 at IPM Essen. The Canadian team won the overall IGOTY Gold Rose, Gold for Finished Trees and Plants and Bronze for Sustainability. FCI caught up with CEO Jeff Olsen, to find out the secret to his company's success.
The Jury members for AIPH International Grower of the Year were unaniomous in summing up their decision to choose Canadian entry Brookdale Treeland Nurseries as the IGOTY 2023 winner. They said: “BTN stands out as a business focused on the future; with a wide assortment and a flow of new varieties, it brings something new to the industry all the time. Its dynamic approach has enabled it to develop new products and markets and is well-founded to lead the industry in the years ahead.”
Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Limited was established in 1977 and today is one of the largest and most respected growers of trees, shrubs, and garden plants in Canada. It has four farms in Ontario and one in British Columbia, collectively making up a land base of more than 800 acres. As everyone knows behind every successful business is a good leader, FCI went straight to the top to talk to the CEO, Jeff Olsen.
FloraCulture International: You are crowned with AIPH International Grower of the Year 2023; what does this mean for you personally and the Brookdale Treeland Nurseries team?
Jeff Olsen: “Personally, this is a highlight of my career and makes me so proud to be named IGOTY 2023 among such a prestigious group of companies. For BTN, this award validates the hard work that our team has been doing and motivates them to push further.”
What ignited the spark to enter the IGOTY Awards – and would you recommend others to go through the gruelling jury process?
“We set a goal to win this award as a part of our Strategic Planning Process, as we knew how the recognition would be great for our business. I sit on many industry boards and always recommend applying to my peers.”
What do you feel is the biggest strength of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries right now?
“Our goal is to recruit and retain the best talent in the industry, and we believe that we are accomplishing this. We focus on Innovation, Partnership, Professionalism and Responsibility.”
‘Making life beautiful’ is your motto. Can you provide product volumes per year, for your programmes, in the following categories: Flowering Shrubs, Evergreens, Broadleaf Evergreens, Holiday Greens, Vines, Perennials, Trees, Small Fruits and Tropicals?
“Per Year, we sell 250,000 flowering shrubs, 225,000 evergreens, 150,000 broadleaf evergreens, 1,100,000 holiday greens, 75,000 climbing vines, 2,000,000 perennials, 50,000 trees, 75,000 small fruits, and 250,000 tropicals.”
Brookdale Treeland Nurseries won Gold at IGOTY23 for Finished Plants & Trees – can you tell us what product from your portfolio is the most in-demand for (gardens) retailers in Canada and USA?
“Our private label perennials, holiday greenery and some of our newest and most innovative creations are all in high demand from garden retailers.”
Does your marketing team create the trends? What has been the biggest success to date?
“Yes – our marketing team and product development group bring trends to the marketplace. Sometimes, we invent the idea or other times; we search the globe for cool and unique items that we think will work in the North American marketplace. Currently, our biggest success is a product called “Braided Willow”, which we hold the North American rights to and was developed by our partners in Denmark.”
Who are your main retail brands in Canada and the United States?
“Proven Winners, Knock Out Rose & Raymond Evison Clematis.”
I am keen to know about the logistics of this operation –you produce from five farms with a combined area of 800 acres – what’s the journey look like before the products hit the stores?
“We try to build programs and ship direct from our farms to stores so the product is the freshest possible upon arrival. For smaller shipments, we use a crossdock facility at our main location to consolidate and reship.”
You also supply contractors landscaping the nation’s public spaces and golf courses –how is the production ratio split between supplying to landscapers versus retail?
“Ninety per cent of our business is sold to retailers while 10 per cent is sold to these customer groups. That has been a tremendous shift over the past 20 years when landscape accounted for 90 per cent of our business. We do not supply internationally.”
What has been the secret to your thriving supplier base – do your values, portfolio, or competitive prices attract them?
“We believe that our suppliers want to do business with us because we are tough but fair and can provide significant purchase volumes for them.”
What is your view of today's global ornamental horticulture trade compared to when the company began?
“There is a tremendous opportunity for growers in today’s global market, while at the same time, we face challenges that are more difficult than ever. The world needs and demands more plants and trees, and our industry is here to grow and supply them. We have never seen this amount of demand for our products –the recent pandemic accelerated this demand, and we believe that business will stay strong for years to come. At the same time, growers are faced with the need to be more sophisticated than ever. Global issues that are beyond our control can break us if we’re not managing properly – energy prices, labour shortages, pests are all major issues that need to be managed today better than ever before.”
Can planting a trillion trees save the world?
“Planting a trillion trees can definitely help to save the world from the perils of climate change. We believe that any plan to fight climate change must include green infrastructure and reforestation as key pillars, carbon reduction, and fossil fuel’s eventual elimination.”
How significant is the social pressure on your business to produce more sustainably?
“We put that pressure on ourselves as we understand that what is good for the planet is good for business. Canada is behind Europe in legislating our industry into sustainable farming practices. We do have environmental farm plans for each of our locations which deals mostly with water usage and runoff. Internally, we have made the commitment to eliminate the use of all black plastic by 2025.”
BTN’s beautiful farms in Niagara-onthe-Lake, Ontario. These locations include one of North America’s largest perennial growers serving Canada, the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic regions.
BTN produces over 1,500 perennial varieties at its Niagara Farms.
In your opinion, does focusing on sustainability undermine or improve the financial results of a plant grower?
“In the short term, focusing on sustainability will cost more than it benefits us financially – this will turn around quickly as we work to be first to market on many initiatives that will turn from cost to benefit.”
Tell us about your global view on the challenges and opportunities for ornamental horticulture and Canada’s role in the international arena. What is the value of international collaboration?
“Canada continues to take a leading role in international horticulture, and we are proud of the work that we have done. Our national association (CNLA) is fully engaged and prepared to help lead the charge forward in letting the world know the benefits of our products. Our leaders understand how important it is to be at the table and a part of the global solution that our products provide for the world we live in.”
In which way does politics or global events influence the business – is Trudeau’s politics supportive, do the ripples of Covid still linger, or is Putin’s aggression in Ukraine affecting operations?
“We operate locally but are certainly not immune to the impact that global geopolitical events have on us. Everything that happens in the world affects us in one way or another – and we need to understand how to manage through these. The global pandemic was the biggest imminent challenge that we have faced in 100 years, and our industry managed well through this time. Governments responded in strong ways to ensure people stayed safe while at the same time having some extra money in their pockets. Today we deal with some of the long-lasting consequences of those decisions and need to manage through that.”
What do you do to prevent yourself from overreacting to external factors that you cannot control but affect the business?
“This is really difficult, but luckily, I am now over 50
and am able to put some perspective around things that are happening at the moment. I have tried to put life into perspective and take a long-term view on everything that happens in the business, even when we have to deal with the crisis of the day.”
Tell me about your background in horticulture. Your father began the business in 1977; where did you start in warehousing or production? Was it a natural succession? What was the path you took to get to where you are today?
“After graduating from the University of Guelph in Horticulture, I worked in Germany and Holland for a year. When I returned to Canada, I began as a grower in our production department, learning all about the plants we grow. After a couple of years, I moved into sales as a territory representative, ultimately becoming the Vice President of Sales by the time I was 30. From there, I was named President in 2004 at the age of 33 and bought the company in 2009. The succession was natural, and I pushed hard (maybe too hard) to do as much as I could as quickly as possible. This led to making some major mistakes that could have cost the business – especially during the great recession of 2008-2012. I guess I learned my lessons and found out that my best path forward was to build an amazing, professional team around me, and I feel that decision is what brought us to where we are today.”
(Jokingly) Would you hire yourself for your job knowing what you know now?
“Probably not!”
(Seriously) In a few words, can you characterise your life as the CEO of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries?
“My life as CEO is (next to my family) the most important thing in my life. I take pride in what I do every day and our little business’s impact on the lives of our staff, customers and the world.”
What would your staff say are your management style and the company tone?
“I think that our staff would say that we live our core values – Professionalism and Performance, Innovation, Partnership and Responsibility. We care about people, want them to succeed, and try to provide an atmosphere that allows them to do so. I am very collaborative in my approach and work hard to ensure that every person in our organisation feels that their contribution matters and makes a difference.”
Aside from winning IGOTY23, what for you has been the most satisfying moment in your organisation’s history?
“I would have to say that the day that I knew my team was complete and that I had built the group that I wanted to move forward with was my second most satisfying moment.”
Wageningen University & Research’s ‘Towards Sustainable flower distribution from Kenya’ project investigates how to more effectively enable Kenyan rose growers exporting their roses to the Netherlands by sea freight instead of by aeroplane.
Strong interest in exporting flowers by sea freight to cut transportation costs, reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and overall enhance the sustainability and efficiency of the industry are the basis for the project entitled ‘Towards sustainable flower distribution from Kenya – making the transition from air to sea freight’ currently being developed by Dutch-based Wageningen University&Research. Various partners collaborate with the project, including flower food manufacturer Chrysal International, Kuehne+Nagel, FlowerWatch, Royal Flora Holland, X-Pol, Verdel, retailer COOP CH, Kenyan growers/exporters like Sian Group, Mzurrie Flowers and a Dutch rose grower. The Kenya Flower Council is also involved.
To learn more about the project, its overall goals and progress so far, FloraCulture International interviewed Ms Fatima Pereira da Silva, experienced research and innovation project manager at the Postharvest quality of Wageningen Food&Biobased Research who leads
the team conducting this study. Commenting on the start of the project and its aim, she says, “Wageningen has been working on protocols for sea transport of cut flowers for some time now, and these have provided useful information and support for exporters from Kenya. However, several hurdles persist, the most notable of which is inconsistent quality. Why does this happen, what are the factors influencing the success of sea freight, and how can they be properly addressed? The need for clear answers that can lead to minimising losses associated with quality variations convinced partners to collaborate and conduct research in this respect.
The Dutch government funds the project through the Top Consortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI).
The project includes three main sections, each aimed at determining more clearly the role played by:
1. The production process –cultural practices, crop protection, fertilisation and watering, etc..
2. Postharvest handling and management – harvesting, rehydration, cooling, packaging
3. A support model was developed to guide users in choosing the correct transport modality in terms of cost, carbon footprint (CO2 emissions), and vase life and flower quality. The three sections interrelate with each other and are strongly influenced by additional factors such as the time of year, the destination and variety.
Flower production and export involve many variables. How is Pereira da Silva dealing with them?
“This is a very important issue. In order to better evaluate factors influencing the quality and propose solutions to overcome negative impacts, we decided to minimise variables and focus on very concrete questions at this stage. Otherwise, the project was going to become a challenge in itself! So we are working exclusively on Kenyangrown cut roses exported to the Netherlands in containers subjected to controlled atmosphere conditions, where we carefully monitor relative
humidity, CO2 concentration and temperature. We are looking very closely at the entire cold chain. We expect that later, it will be possible to extrapolate some results to other flowers. And very possibly other product/destination market combinations, thus increasing the usefulness of our research. But at this stage, it is important to reduce variables.”
Colombia and Ecuador have acquired much experience with sea-freighted cut flowers for years. South American flowers shipped to Miami are at sea for a much shorter period of time and less frequently use a controlled atmosphere. Exporters from Colombia and Ecuador sustain that a wellmanaged cold chain is sufficient to keep flowers fresh during their voyage.
Pereira Da Silva comments, “Flowers shipping from Kenya have a long way to go, longer than from South American countries, with an overhaul/trans-shipment at Salala or Jeda. This plays a role in the outcome. Once again, to reduce variables, we have chosen to always go with a controlled atmosphere (CA). That said, I cannot vouch for CA being absolutely essential, and that could well be looked at in the future.”
Asked about the preliminary findings which emerged from the research project, she says, “For one, the length of the shipping process. Flowers leaving Kenya can take between 28 and 35 days to reach the Netherlands (usually the port of Rotterdam), and this variation is simply too wide. It mainly has to do with logistics and needs work, as it really hampers flower marketing by making it impossible to cater to specific delivery dates requested by customers or getting flowers to the market in time for special occasions or peak consumption periods.”
The quantity of flowers a container can hold is another challenge. “Few companies are large enough to fill an entire container, and although consolidating shipments comes
quickly to mind as a feasible solution, it's more complicated than it seems. We have monitored the cold chain around the consolidation process, which is not ideal. This is influenced by factors that can be fixed – albeit with some investment – for example, ensuring temperature regulation in trucks is in top condition, but also others which are more difficult such as roads in poor condition that make transit lengthy and difficult. There are many things that can improve the cold chain, for example, using standard-size boxes that allow for optimum stacking and better cold air circulation within the container. The project is looking at these factors as well.”
Generally speaking, there’s room for improvement. “Some port facilities are not fully adapted for handling flowers - this includes training staff, logistics, enhancing infrastructure and others.” Regarding the production and postharvest processes, how does Pereira da Silva identify trends, challenges and areas needing further work? “Together with my team, the partners, growers and others involved in the project, we are working directly with their farms. We analyse and monitor production practices and how these may influence the end result focusing on flower quality. These findings may give input to the post-harvest protocols now being put forward by commercial parties. At this stage, we are not yet focusing on specific areas, such as packaging, but we are confirming some trends and identifying new ones. Clearly,
rose cultivars behave differently –sometimes widely to the point where some seem unsuited for sea freight – so we have opted for selecting only a few for this stage of the study, once again to reduce variables.” These are very commonly grown varieties. It is safe to assume that Pereira Da Silva’s hands are full; the research will lead to interesting outcomes and useful solutions but will also raise new questions. In that respect, three years (one already up) seems like a short time to find all answers. No doubt the project partners are on the correct path towards “developing more robust (reliable and predictable), cost-effective and sustainable (carbon footprint) technologies for flower transport from Kenya.
Wageningen University & Research, in association with the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), announce the VII International Conference Post-Harvest Unlimited & XII International Symposium on Post-Harvest Quality of Ornamental Plants taking place at the Omnia Dialogue Centre of WUR in Wageningen between 14-17 May 2023.
Keynote speakers include Sjoukje Heimovaara, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands; Thijs Defraeye, EMPA, Switzerland; Leo Lukasse, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; Fisun Celikel, Ondokuz Mayis University, Türkiye; Dimitrios Fanourakis, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Greece; Bart Nicolai, KU Leuven, Belgium; Paul Arens, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; Rick van de Zedde, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; Brian Farneti, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy; Romina Pedreschi, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile; Ernst Woltering, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands; Julian Verdonk, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands; Puneet Mishra, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands; and Arnaud Bovy, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands.
"Strolling through a leafy park, woods, or a green countryside can ease brain fatigue, and the serenity of nature makes us feel empowered and carefree.
Our daily life can be hectic, stressful and uncertain, so there’s something reassuring in the life cycle of a plant. After pollination, flowers become fruiting bodies, protecting the seeds inside. Seeds mature, and flowers fade and drop. Dried seeds are ready to sprout again, repeating a flowering plant’s life cycle over and over. The cycle of plants will never disappoint us.
At this year's MyPlant&Garden show in Milan, the Associazione Nazionale Imprese di Difesa e Tutela Ambientale (AssoImpredia) , Italy’s environmental protection agency comprised of green space contractors, greenkeepers, parks and green spaces folks, and not-for-profit organisations, hailed 2023 as the year of inclusiveness. Their ‘Nature and Fun: health for all, no one excluded’ conference, held at MyPlant, drew awareness to the inclusivity issue, demonstrating ways of creating inclusive and innovative green spaces.
Speaking at the conference, Assoimpredia President Luca Bartolini referenced how the increased focus on inclusiveness in today’s workplace prompted his organisation to make city parks and urban green spaces more inclusive. “Our collaboration with the Polish company Terma,
a Gdansk-based designer and manufacturer of inclusive, quality playground equipment for parks, helped to take our work to the next level.”
Izabela Adamska from Terma explained how the company differentiates itself in a crowded marketplace. “Our mission and vision are innovative, revolutionary, and person-centred, looking first at the individual needs of children with disabilities. We believe children of all ages and abilities have the right to play. Our design principles help to create certified playground equipment that is accessible, rehabilitating, and safe and allows children of all abilities to interact and play together."
Cinzia Bau of the Fior di Loto Social Cooperative of Mantua showed great enthusiasm for Terma and Assoimpredia’s joint work, which, she thinks, transforms spaces into genuine meeting places that celebrate inclusiveness and will make children with disabilities better aware of what they are capable of.
Elena Grandi, Milan’s councillor of Environment and Green Areas, concluded the debate, by showing a good understanding of the issues at stake and presenting a solutiondriven approach.
She said: “ Large cities will be increasingly faced with challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and pollution, and more and improved urban green spaces are part of the solution. The big cities of the future must be welcoming, healthy, and safe for everyone. Cities with lush green spaces accessible to everyone, where no one is left behind. Cities in which parks, playgrounds and sports facilities are accessible for all.”
The AssoImpredia conference also provided an eye-opener as it invited attendees to reflect on the term inclusiveness that goes beyond disability inclusion. People from all walks of life, for various reasons, can feel excluded from society. Ideally, inclusive green spaces provide many social benefits, including a sense of community, connectivity and belonging."
The Greenhouse Capital of the Netherlands is taking bold steps to minimise its impact on the environment by connecting geothermal wells into one network and hooking it to an underground pipeline carrying waste heat from industries based at the Dutch port of Rotterdam.
The Dutch government’s decision in 2017 to phase out gas use altogether in the Netherlands by 2050 presented the country’s greenhouse growers with an ambitious challenge, to say the least.
The discovery of the Groningen gas field in the northeast of the country propelled the success of Dutch horticulture over the last 50 years. Today, mounting concerns over climate change, earthquakes in the Dutch province of Groningen, and the pressing need to cut carbon emissions are driving interest in geothermal heating and link-ups with other businesses generating residual heat that they need to dispose of but that growers can make use of. Such is the confidence the greenhouse industry has in the steps being made that it is working towards a target of becoming climate-neutral by 2040.
Five clusters of geothermal wells serving about 90 growers in all are already in operation in the Westland, the major centre for greenhouse crop production in South Holland, with more in development. Construction is now underway to connect these together into one network with plans, in future, to hook the network to an underground pipeline carrying heat generated as a byproduct of manufacturing by various industries based at the Dutch port of Rotterdam, south of Westland. Linking all the geothermal clusters into one Westland geothermal heat network will have several advantages, says Evelien Brederode, the networks’ director and of Capturam, which develops and operates local grid networks for geothermal heat. She says the biggest benefit, at least in the short term, is better security of supply. “Geothermal is still a relatively new technology,
and supply from any particular well can sometimes go down for a period of time, even for a few months,” she says. “Once the wells are interconnected, if one goes out of production, then supply is maintained, at least partially, from the others.”
It will also allow heat trading between growers. Geothermal sources can meet a nursery’s base-load demand for heat yearround. “We don’t aim to meet peak demand as that would be too expensive,” she says. “So it’s helpful if a network can link to growers of different kinds of crops, including ornamentals, which may have a lower overall heat demand but need more at different times of the year.
“Along with the network itself, we will set up a trading platform enabling growers with an unused capacity to sell to those who need more.”
At the same time, the installation of a pipeline, the WarmtelinQ, which was started by gas distribution company Gasunie last year, will see hot water conveyed from industrial plants at Rotterdam to heat homes and offices in Vlaardingen/Schiedam, MiddenDelfland, Delft, Rijswijk, The Hague and Leiden, and then returned to the port to be heated up again. A series of branches are also planned, including one to Westland, where it will link into the geothermal heat network, making the heat available to greenhouses too.
“That will also give us more security, as well as potentially increase the total amount of energy available to our network,” says Evelien Brederode.
She says 10 per cent of Westland horticulture’s total heat requirement is currently being met by geothermal sources, but the ambition is to reach 50 per cent, which equates to about 300MW of base-load heat. “The underlying geology suggests about 250 to 300MW total could be available,” she says.
Ideally, though, Westland would like access to 500MW through the heat network, so is anticipating being able to draw 200MW from the WarmtelinQ, which will feed in at several points around the circuit.
While currently, the potential
heat supply from the industries at Rotterdam is plentiful, which could all change in future depending on the direction of government policy and industrial energy economics. Even if, for example, some existing oil refineries were wound up, they might be replaced by the production of hydrogen [to replace gas as a source of energy] generated using electricity from offshore wind, which creates heat as a byproduct. “There could be less waste heat available in future, but we are confident there will still be plenty,” she says.
“We hope to be able to link up with the pipeline in 2028. At present, the capital cost of connecting would be way too high in relation to the
benefits achieved for growers, but this is likely to change in future if, for instance, policy measures that encourage the industry to deliver residual heat are implemented.”
Much of the work on the transition from gas to more sustainable energy sources has attracted significant sums of financial support from the Dutch government because of the projects’ high capital costs. Undoubtedly those in authority will now be just as keen to cut the ties to gas in order to prevent such situations as the spiralling cost of gas caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine. Whatever the reason, the outcome will keep the Netherlands at the forefront of world horticulture.
Monday, 20 March 2023, marked the beginning of the Persian New Year, aka Nowruz. The roughly two-week festival coincides with the spring equinox and typically fuels a boom in freshcut flower and potted plant sales in Iran. Abolfazl Iranshahi, co-owner of Middle East Flower Engineers Company in Iran’s horticultural heartland Pakdahst, near Tehran, cultivates a wide range of ornamental plants…and hope, even in trying times
Although it started as an ancient Zoroastrian festival more than 3,000 years ago, most people are more familiar with the form of Nowruz in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and the Kurdish parts of Iraq, Syria, and Türkiye widely practised today. Traditionally celebrated as a time of rebirth and renewal, Nowruz has bloomed into a major commercial enterprise in Iran and beyond, with citizens of all ages splashing out on travelling, picnicking, traditional food, and colourful and flowery decorations for the traditional Haft-Seen (see box text). It’s also the perfect time to experience a range of festivals and community events.
NOWRUZ ESSENTIALS
“Nowruz is one of the most important festivals on the Iranian festival calendar. As early as one month before the Persian New Year, people start to come together and clean their houses, and this is a perfect time for selling flowers and plants, which have carved out a place as a Nowruz essential. To have them ready for market, growers schedule their Nowruz crops several months in advance,” explains 50-year-old houseplant grower Abolfazl Iranshahi. He was born in Khomeyn city as the son of a farmer and is a graduate of Tehran’s Tarbiat Modares University.
Nowruz is a moment of reflection in Farsi, meaning New Day and since 2019, is officially registered on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Asked about his happy gains and lost opportunities in the year passed, Iranshahi says, “Despite a new round of sanctions amid mass protests and political unrest, we have had a good year. Though the country’s economy is in dire straits, we were lucky to expand our customer base for houseplants. In young plant production, we delivered high-quality plants and added several new products to our portfolio, including Philodendron, Alocasia, Dieffenbachia, Syngonium, Veronica, Eucalyptus, and Monstera.”
Iranshahi and his friend and business partner, Seyed Mohammad Mosavinia, founded Middle East Flower Engineers in 2005. Iranshahi recalls, “Back then, we
came to the rescue of a grower who had imported Gerbera young plants from the Netherlands but had little experience and knowledge of growing them hydroponically. Mosavinia and I hold Masters’s Degrees in horticulture and could add valued insights and know-how. The result made it worthwhile because the grower was so happy, and via word-of-mouth, we quickly saw an increase in demand for our consulting services. However, sanctions and restrictive measures impeded Iranian growers from importing starting material, so we began growing young plants for local growers. Today, growing houseplants, from cutting to saleable plant, is our core business.”
Middle East Flower Engineers has 8ha of land, of which 3ha is greenhouse growing space. A reasonably good demand for houseplants has enabled the company to expand, with the construction of a new 1ha greenhouse currently underway.
Around 70 employees nurture approximately six million young plants and a half million houseplants annually. In young plant production (for other growers), the plant nursery specialises in Monstera, Philodendron, Eucalyptus, Zamioculcas, Ficus, Alocasia, Syngonium, Hibiscus, Poinsettia, Pelargonium, Dahlia, and miniature and garden roses. In the production of finished Ficus, Monstera, Philodendron, Alocasia, and Zamioculcas, a large portion of the business is wholesale, with the majority of farm shops, flower markets and garden centre customers within a onehour drive. There’s also a more direct florist clientele.
Working directly with a florist gives the company better insights into the floral preferences of the end consumer. “Most Iranians prefer large-headed flowers be it rose or orchid. Colour preferences depend on the occasion flowers are used for. In cut flowers, demure white is very common. Naturally, this doesn’t apply to roses, where 50 per cent of the blooms are red. In plants, demand tends to be higher for flowering potted plants than for tropical foliage plants, but this also depends on the time of the year.”
Rising urbanisation, better education, Covid-19
lockdowns, and climate anxiety have all done their bit in the surge of demand for flowers and plants, and Iran is no different. “Florists take inspiration from the trendy products they see in lifestyle and floristry magazines. They ask for excitingly new colours, shapes and textures and less-common varieties. Most young Iranians are highly educated and want to live a modern life. Many women take to social media to learn more about flowers and plants. You would be surprised to see how crowded local flower exhibitions and festivals are. Iran is a nation of flower lovers. In Tehran alone, there are more than 2,500 florists.”
‘Awaken, the morning Nowruz breeze is showering the garden with flowers.’ This strophe, written by Iran’s famous poet Saadi (1210-1291), is another proof that Iranian society has deep roots in floral tradition. Iranshahi notes, “Iranians were decorating with flowers as early as ancient Persia. The last century boosted commercial floriculture, which has grown steadily since the past 20 years.”
Meanwhile, keeping pace with innovation can be challenging. Iranshahi thinks it is sad that sanctions block access to the advanced plant breeding and new genetics Iran’s ornamentals sector needs. This situation is frustrating because virtually no single link exists between horticulture and nuclear programmes. Iranshahi says, “At the national research level, there have been some breeding breakthroughs, but it is vital to collaborate with the leading countries in the field. Despite all the sanctions, millions of young plants and seeds are still coming into the country, albeit via indirect trade routes. As a result, planting material is much more expensive, negatively impacting the growers’ profits.”
According to Iranshahi, ornamental plant breeding in Iran predominantly concentrates in agriculture research centres and some universities. “Iran has a massive pool of PhD graduated young people. These dedicated people can be hired for relatively cheap monthly wages ranging between 150-250 USD. So, there are plenty of future investment opportunities for international breeding companies in Iran. People should not forget Iran is the cradle of many bulb and plant species commercially grown worldwide today.”
In the longer term, setting up a biocontrols company could be a good business idea and investment opportunity for foreigners, thinks Iranshahi. He says, “With a group of industry peers, we began importing biological materials, but due to western sanctions, volumes decreased significantly because of the high price. Some local experts are testing the waters with locally produced products, but this is all in its infancy. Foreign investors can use the cheap PhD students once sanctions are removed.”
As a non-chemical input, biological control is one of the solutions for more sustainable ornamental horticulture, an issue, Iranshahi thinks, involves ‘all talk and no action’. “Sustainability is a challenge, and there’s still a long way to go. Sky high prices have automatically led
to a decrease in the use of pesticides. Alternatively, you can find some organic crop protection products in Iran to control pests and diseases. Our growers are also trying to use IPM methods to decrease the use of chemicals. Is there such a thing as a peat-free debate in Iranian horticulture? In cut flowers, growers shifted to perlite and soil cultures. Pot plant growers are trying many locally sourced cellulosic media. However, we are still forced to buy expensive cocopeat from India and Sri Lanka for producing young plants.”
Iran is in the arid zone; some 65 per cent of its territory has an arid or hyper-arid climate. Iranshahi elaborates, “Unfortunately, Iran has been suffering from unprecedented and widespread drought since the last decade. Water must come from very deep wells. However, the government doesn’t permit digging deeper, which puts the harvest under strain. In comparison with other crops, growers of ornamentals prefer to omit field crops. Our company has a water management programme in place to reuse drain water in a closed-loop hydroponic system. We also collect rainwater and snow melt.”
Roughly 12 per cent of Iran’s land is cultivable, with the western and north-western portions of the country having the most fertile soil and the highest potential for the production of ornamentals.
Open-field ornamental crop-growing is practised mainly in Mazandaran, Markazi, Tehran, Khuzestan, Alborz, and Fars Provinces. Recently, commercial flower growing has expanded to some of the nation’s other 31 provinces. The provinces of Tehran, Markazi, Khuzestan, Mazandaran, Alborz, and Isfahan host the largest concentration of greenhouses in Iran.
Currently, there are an estimated 20,000 flower and plant nurseries in Iran, with approximately 200 hectares in outdoor production and 3,400 hectares under protection (95 per cent plastic tunnels and 5 per cent glasshouses). In Iran’s ornamental horticulture, greenhouses produce three main product groups: fresh-cut flowers (2,150ha), potted plants (900ha) and young plants (100ha).
Middle East Flower Engineers company sits in the county of Pakdasht in the province of Tehran. The capital’s
buoyant capital, with 14 million inhabitants, is only 25km away. The megacity has defined the growth of Pakdahst’s ornamental horticulture sector, which today ranks among the country’s flower and plant production epicentres. Pakdahst alone has around 600 growers who operate from 700ha of greenhouse space.
Adapting to the range of temperatures in Pakdahst - one of the colder regions in Iran - brings with it its own set of challenges. Iranshahi elaborates, “Pakdasht is hot in summer but has a close to moderate winter climate. Luckily, we have a big source of natural gas in Iran, which is mostly available around the corner. With 0.03 USD/m3, natural gas in Iran is cheap. Electricity is not expensive either as it is partially subsided to support greenhouse growers.”
Regarding the availability of labour, Iranshahi sustains that there are ample domestic workers to meet employers’ labour needs. “The problem is we must invest time and energy in training them as they are usually not skilled. There’s also the risk that once they have completed the training, they quit for better-paid jobs in industrial sectors of the economy. The average salary of a worker in Iranian horticulture is between €100-€150 per month.”
When asked about the future of ornamental horticulture in Iran, Iranshahi is moderately optimistic. “The most significant challenge right now is inflation and the depreciation of the IRRial against foreign currencies. Its value decreases more and more, impacting purchasing power and limiting the local market for flowers and plants. On a positive note, our depreciating currency makes our products more and more attractive for exports. We can see an influx of buyers from neighbouring countries. So, one of the solutions is export; otherwise, we must scale down production or even shift to fresh produce,” concludes Iranshahi, who is a member and co-founder of the Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP). “I am proud to have been one of the founding board members of ISOP, and we are so happy and lucky to have Dr Pejman Azadi as an active leader in the Iranian and global flower industry.”
Occupying pride of place amid the many festive celebrations is the Haft-Seen, a table decked with seven (haft in Farsi language) talismans beginning with the letter S- (seen in Farsi). Primary items include somaq (sumac berries), samanu (a pudding made of wheat germ), seeb (apple) and sombol (hyacinth) and several other flowers and plants. Also frequently spotted at the Haft Seen is a coin, candles, and a bowl with goldfish, each symbolising different things such as health, tolerance, nature, greenery, wealth, and light.
The global health crisis fuelled a boom in home gardening and grow-your-own, leading to good times for German garden centres. Then, Russia began its war against Ukraine. What followed was a pre-Christmas period characterised by ‘German Angst’. Is the demand in the German garden centre industry in recent years sustainable? Martina Meckelburg, President of the German garden centre association Vorstand & Geschaftstelle – Verband Deutscher Garten-Center e.V (VDG), has the details.
Within the VDG association are 130 members with a combined ownership of 230 garden centres and 180 members from the garden supplies industry. According to Martina, “Nearly all the relevant, leading, and independent garden centres in Germany are VDG members. There are always more garden centres joining looking for advice and support to develop their business.” Martina works for the family-run Gartencenter Meckelburg (founded by Peter and Rolf Meckelburg in 1978), including nine garden centres with 200 employees.
Regarding overall spending habits, Germany's national spending on flowers and plants per capita was €107 in 2022, down from €108 in the pre-corona year 2019. Narrowing these figures down to garden retail, Martina needs help to provide stats as there is not a clear definition of what must be considered a garden centre in Germany. The pertinent question is whether the small-owner-operated nurseries and plant shops must be included. However, one indicator is the stats of industry body Industrieverband Garten (IVG),
stating that the average German household spends approximately €1,000 per year in garden centres and DIY stores, that is, including ALL categories such as home improvement, building materials, BBQs, swimming pools and living plants.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, garden centres did well. As time passed, turnover remained stable until February 2022, but the war in Ukraine changed everything. Also impacting the downturn in sales has been the drought in the summer of 2022 and container prices from China.
The global health crisis brought new consumers to gardening. Many were younger families keen on ‘Grow-Your-Own’ gardening, even if they only had a balcony. Sales of big trugs and planters were high, and since then, they are repeatedly returning for their young vegetable plants and seeds.
Both older and younger people recognise that, rather than just working in the garden, they want to spend more quality time there to relax and recuperate. Robots to cut grass are becoming more popular. Socialising in that space is also essential, so BBQ and
garden furniture sold well during Coronavirus. Now garden centres in Germany are concerned that once customers have a new BBQ or outdoor furniture, they are unlikely to buy again for a few years. German garden centre customers are very aware of the environment, so bee-friendly plants, seeds and flowers are particularly popular. If a person is looking for a yellow flower, they will choose one that attracts bees rather than one that does not. Water usage is something gardeners are more conscious of, especially after the drought and hosepipe ban in 2022. Customers are interested in watering systems, including timers and drip systems. This is especially the case now that gardeners are using peatfree compost, which does not hold moisture like peat used to.
The Autumn of 2022 leading up to Christmas was a “German Angst” time. People were concerned about heating their houses, while within the industry, plant wholesalers and retailers were worried about being able to afford to heat their greenhouses and run their businesses. Recent studies by insurance company R+V and FORSA, the German Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis
found that 67 per cent of Germans report feeling worried about the rising cost of living. Other issues affecting people include the statement that ‘living in Germany is no longer affordable (58 per cent) and an economic situation spiralling out of control (57 per cent). Germans also tend to worry about things they can’t control, including natural disasters/adverse weather conditions/ climate change (49 per cent) and, the global rise of authoritarianism (47 per cent), inflation rates eating away savings (55 per cent).
This was generally a medialed fear, but fortunately, sales at Christmas were better than expected. A particular product that suffered was outside lighting. Outside Christmas lights were usually frowned upon by neighbours, given the worry about
Russia’s war against Ukraine and the risk of energy shortage. While people are cautious with spending their money, they are simultaneously becoming very concerned about the environment. They are waking up to “greenwashing”, and in this area, they are more inclined to pay more for something that is sustainable. Consumers tend to research prices on the internet, and so hardware such as BBQs, tools and watering systems. This is an area that garden centres find hard to price match with online businesses and DIY chains.
Customers prefer still to shop in-store rather than online. Meckelburg said, “You can do many things on the internet, but
you cannot feel and smell a lemon tree. More importantly, you don’t always get what you see when you order online.” Among other things, coffee shops are a big draw in German garden centres. Catering outlets are booming and are fully booked during the week and at weekends. Alongside plants and hardware, garden centres offer giftware and clothing all under one roof with free parking. Many big retailers in towns are closing, so this provides an alternative. The DIY stores with garden centres attached are significant competitors, such as OBI, Hornbach and Bauhaus. The quality of their plants is good, but DIY stores may have the top five of any given plant, but a garden centre might have over twenty varieties of tomatoes to choose from.
Other competitors are the supermarkets ALDI and LIDL, with their seasonal plant promotions. This convenient ‘one-stop shopping’ leaves garden
Join thé global horticulture technology exhibition at Amsterdam from 13 - 15 June 2023. Experience horticulture solutions, find the latest innovations and get inspired.
Meet new and interesting leads from all over the world
Thousands of horticulture professionals, including market leaders and innovators, are present
Matchmaking: Prepare your visit and make appointments in the virtual platform
More than 100 knowledge sessions
Innovation & Concept Awards
Spotlight on Vertical Farming, Plant Compounds, AI & Robotics and Renewable Energy
GreenTech Amsterdam is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with the focus on the early stages of the horticultural chain and the current issues growers face.
Your chance to meet the horticulture world in 3 days!
Organisation: Partner:
centre owners concerned that this is potentially one less visit per customer at a time when customers might be tempted to buy more.
Peat-free is a hot topic in Germany. Most stores sell peat-reduced and peat-free compost. With that comes the need to inform customers about how to use peat free and to make sure that store staff are educated so that they can help with this.
Retailers are very conscious that this is important so that people do not give up gardening under the misapprehension that they have done something wrong. Martina believes there is potential to use QR codes with links to information about plants and, particularly, how to look after them.
Houseplants are one of the biggest imports, mainly from the Netherlands. This is a massive boom in the market and has continued with many younger consumers still buying regularly. Many garden centres buy from Landgard or local suppliers for general plants.
Following the pandemic and the cost of containers, hence shipping and
imports from China, there is greater awareness of how important it is to bring back some skills and industry to Europe. With protest rallies about the environment and issues with CO� and carbon footprint, it gives the consumer a good feeling to do their ‘bit’ for the environment and support European neighbours even if that means paying a little bit more.
Martina believes that trade shows are fundamentally important. She mentioned IPM Essen for new plants, Frankfurt’s Christmas World, and the country’s ‘premier garden and outdoor living trade show, spoga+gafa in Koln. Firstly, they inspire retailers, and secondly, you do business with people, so meeting them gives confidence in your supplier. “We like to look someone in the eyes when discussing price.”
Staffing is an issue. To attract and keep younger employees, vocational training is used. This is the connecting link between theory and practical application. Students study one day a week and apply the skills learned or acquired in the garden centre for the rest of the week.
Since the pandemic, recruiting people
has been more challenging whether or not they have participated in vocational training. Horticulture is an industry that expects employees to work Saturdays and longer in the springtime, and one where working from home is impossible - these are important factors for employees now. Some garden centres offer incentives such as an electric bicycle or gym membership as an enticement.
Martina is convinced that garden centres put people in a good mood. “We have everything to make people happy – I smell, I see, I touch the flowers. I bring home happiness.”
Gardens are places that promote health, good nutrition and creativity, and people are becoming aware of the positive effects on their mental health. Within their lives, they see lots of change. The digital age is not only destroying manual jobs, but AI is also threatening mental work, and they feel afraid. Gardening keeps them in touch with the natural world. As Martina says, “You cannot swipe right on a salad to make it grow faster.”
In the face of rising energy costs, Portugal’s climate is inspiring growers to consider production opportunities here. AIPH’s Spring Meeting held in Lisbon for three days (from March 13 to 15) addressed this topic. A total of 50 professionals and AIPH members gathered in the Iberostar Selection Lisboa hotel to listen to speakers discussing horticultural opportunities.
Set against the backdrop of sunny Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, the Ornamental Horticulture in Portugal Conference welcomed academic experts and industry professionals to speak about the opportunities the country offers and the challenges it faces.
The conference, which took place on 14th March, was organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Portuguese Association of Producers of Natural Plants and Flowers (APPP-FN) and sponsored by GLOBALG.A.P.
It was a part of the AIPH Spring Meeting where members come together from around the world.
Ricardo Silvestre, Vice-President of APPP-FN, opened the conference with an overview of the association’s work.
He said: “One of the major aims of APPP-FN is to promote dialogue among professionals, institutions, and society, in order to make Portuguese ornamental production more competitive.”
Portugal has a long history with flowers, with Montijo – a region close to Lisbon – being the heart of flower production in the country.
Ricardo highlighted that changes in EU legislation regarding plant health is a big issue for Portuguese growers
as it is difficult to keep up-to-date.
Miguel Costa, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Lisbon, gave a comprehensive overview of the ornamental horticultural industry in Portugal.
Miguel commented: “We are a small country, but we are the 8th top producer of ornamentals in Europe.”
With his research focusing on sustainability and climate issues in viticulture and horticulture, Miguel has a vast knowledge of the benefits and challenges of Portugal’s environment for growers.
He said: “We have two types of climate. In the north, there are cooler temperatures and wet, rainy winters, and in the south there is less precipitation. It’s a small country but with a lot of variation.” Ornamentals are produced close to consumer centres, such as Lisbon, and along the Atlantic coast where there are more moderate temperatures. The most produced cut flower in the country is the protea.
Rick van Woudenberg, Co-Owner of Van Woudenberg Tuinplanten, offered a different perspective on growing in Portugal. As a Dutch native who expanded his family business to a new country, Rick sees Portugal as a prime investment for the horticultural industry.
“Twelve years ago, in the Netherlands, we grew early spring perennials in greenhouses,” Rick said. “The greenhouses give very soft-flowering plants, and I thought ‘we have to do this differently, we have to give the customers the choice of a hardy plant.’
From then on, we learned how to produce our perennials in Portugal.”
The Portuguese climate allows companies like Van Woudenberg Tuinplanten to produce all year round, therefore meeting seasonal demands with greater ease.
Sarah von Fintel, Key Account Manager for Floriculture Sales and Stakeholder Relations for GLOBALG.A.P., also joined the conference to inform guests about the organisation’s certification schemes and how they benefit growers. Around 2,500 ornamentals producers around the world are GLOBALG.A.P. certified, including growers in Portugal.
Commenting on the event, AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe said: “This conference and the nursery tours near Lisbon gave us a valuable insight into the Portuguese industry. There are most definitely opportunities for growth here as production becomes much less financially viable in other higher cost regions of Europe.”
Watch recordings on this link.
Our mission is clearer than ever: to reignite and uphold an appreciation of plants that we believe is a basic human instinct.
As an organisation, we strive for a world in which humanity, technology, and nature exist in a healthy and stable equilibrium. By achieving this we will build a balanced and prosperous future for all, sustaining the planet for this generation and the next.
We aim to put flower, plant and landscaping services on a global agenda, with a vision to:
• Stimulate increased demand for ornamental trees, plants, and flowers worldwide
• Protect and promote the interests of the industry
• Be an international hub for industry information and knowledge exchange
• Lead best practice in ornamentals production
• To strengthen national grower associations
AIPH remains committed to its purpose of being ‘the world’s champion for the power of plants’, and everything we do has this at its heart.
AIPH members represent national grower associations for plants and flowers from all regions worldwide. We know that a thriving horticultural production industry is essential for delivering this, and we do all we can to make that a reality.
At our heart, AIPH remains a grower membership organisation, and nothing beats harder than the network of members coming together for the good of the ornamental horticultural industry.
You can read about the many different activities in AIPH Annual Review 2022 or join us at AIPH 75th Annual Congress that will take place from the 18-22 September 2023 in Suncheon, Republic of Korea.
Winning the Living Green for Water category in the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022, the phytotechnology stations in the Montréal Botanical Gardens demonstrate how specific qualities of plants can be used to manage water quality through a process known as bioremediation.
Bioremediation is the use of living organisms, such as plants, to remove contaminants from soil or water. Plants remove pollutants from the environment through a variety of mechanisms, including absorption, uptake, and degradation. It is both the physical structure of plants and their physiological mechanisms that contribute to bioremediation capabilities.
The mechanism of bioremediation in constructed wetlands is a complex process that involves the interaction between plants, microorganisms, and the environment. Plants provide habitat and nutrients for microorganisms, which break down pollutants and remove nutrients from the wastewater. Plants absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater through their roots. This reduces the number of nutrients available in the water for algae and other aquatic plants to grow, which helps to prevent eutrophication. Plant roots deliver oxygen to the wetland soil, which is essential for the growth of aerobic bacteria. These bacteria use oxygen to break down organic matter and other pollutants in the wastewater. Organic compounds are exuded from plant roots, providing a food source for microorganisms. These microorganisms help to break down pollutants and improve soil quality. Roots act as a physical filter, trapping sediment and other pollutants as the water flows through the soil. This helps to improve water quality by removing suspended solids and other contaminants. Some plant species are able to take up heavy metals and other toxic pollutants from the soil and store them in their tissues. This reduces the bioavailability of these pollutants in the soil, making them less harmful to the environment. The phytotechnology stations making up the
constructed wetlands at the Montréal Botanical Garden were designed to treat wastewater from the garden's restrooms and dining areas. The plants used in these wetlands are specifically selected for their ability to filter pollutants and absorb nutrients from the wastewater. These are some of the plant species used in the constructed wetlands at the Montreal Botanical Garden: Cattails (Typha spp.): Cattails are a common plant species used in constructed wetlands for their ability to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. They also help to filter pollutants and provide habitat for wildlife.
Bulrushes (Scirpus spp.): The fibrous root system of bulrushes helps to stabilise the soil and provide a habitat for microorganisms that break down pollutants in the water.
Water lilies (Nymphaea spp.): Water lilies are aquatic plants with large floating leaves that shade the water and contribute to reducing algae growth. They absorb nutrients and provide a habitat for aquatic insects and fish.
Duckweed (Lemna spp.): Duckweed is a small floating plant often used in ponds and wetlands. In constructed wetlands, duckweed helps to reduce algae growth because of its high rate of nutrient uptake.
Sedges (Carex spp.): Sedges are a group of grass-like plants with a fibrous root system that helps to stabilise wetland soil and provide a habitat for microorganisms. Plant-based solutions are relatively inexpensive to implement but offer multiple benefits to citizens. Increased vegetation cover generates ecosystem services, provides habitat for wildlife, reduces heat islands, captures stormwater runoffs, and captures atmospheric carbon. For more details on the phytotechnology stations of the Montreal Botanical Gardens, read the AIPH Case Study.
The solutions to Montréal’s problems demonstrated in this case study can be implemented by other cities, companies, and citizens. For example, the team of the Montréal Botanical Garden has developed a partnership with the Shanghai Botanical Garden to co-create solutions adapted to China. The initiative was also the subject of a presentation which was given in 2018 in the Basque Country. This became a source of inspiration for the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz, which relies on similar approaches for the development of certain neighbourhoods.
Overall, the plants used in constructed wetlands at the Montréal Botanical Garden play an important role in filtering pollutants and absorbing nutrients from the wastewater while also providing habitat for wildlife and contributing to the overall aesthetics of the wetland ecosystem.
Martin Deasy is a tutor on the RHS Mhort. He also runs his own landscape design business.
“Urban microclimates tend toward extremes, particularly heat and drought. Plants that are tough enough to survive heat and water stress without resorting to dormancy (and loss of ornamental value) are highly prized by urban specifiers.
Hailing from the American Midwest, the striking sub-shrub Amorpha canescens is so well-suited to harsh city life that it seems inexplicable that it is not more widely encountered.
Performing as a herbaceous perennial where winters are colder, it grows to approximately 90cm, with pinnate foliage and individual purple flowers with orange anthers. What makes it distinctive and attractive is the way the late-summer flowers are held advantageously in groups of spikelets at the top of plants like the fingers of upturned hands. The foliage colours are attractive in autumn.
The attractive grey tinge to its stems and pinnate leaves comes from the covering of fine hair that limits water loss by slowing transpiration and reflecting sunlight. Just as important, its tough roots penetrate deeply into the soil, gaining the nickname ‘devil’s shoestrings’ from American pioneers, who cursed as they attempted to plough native prairie into arable condition.
By contrast, modern horticulturists are more likely to view these long roots as a blessing since they help the plant to survive—and even thrive—in schemes designed for minimal irrigation.
Though it performs best in fertile soils, as a legume, its roots offer the additional advantage that (like almost all pea relatives) they possess nodules containing symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen from the air, lessening the plant’s need for additional fertiliser input.
As an additional bonus, Amorpha canescens is highly tolerant of road salt. All of this adds up to a genuinely distinctive plant—even distinguished—in appearance, but which offers a great deal more in addition to its ornamental qualities.”
THE SOLUTIONS TO MONTRÉAL’S PROBLEMS
DEMONSTRATED IN THIS CASE STUDY CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY OTHER CITIES, COMPANIES, AND CITIZENSThe Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden - Space for Life - Ville de Montréal, Canada.
Atami substrates have been developed as a base for every cultivator, so you can grow any crop in every way. Most of the Atami substrates have the RHP certification, which guarantees the substrates‘ quality and ensures the reliability of properties.
Looking for the highest quality coco substrates on the market? Look no further; Atami’s range of coco substrates is designed to give your plants the perfect medium on which they will thrive.
The raw material we use for our coco substrates undergoes rigorous processing and testing before it reaches you, so you get your hands on only the best substrates. This includes ageing, washing and buffering of the coco fibres. Buffering is the most important process for a good quality coco substrate. A poorly buffered substrate will capture the nutrients you give your plants; hence, choosing a properly buffered substrate is essential.
We understand that different crops have different growth medium requirements, which is why we've developed a variety of substrates with diverse properties… Discover which is the best for you.
First up is the Cocos Substrate, which offers 100% natural coco coir of the highest quality; the coconut fibres have been washed, matured, and buffered. Due to the properties of coco coir, Cocos Substrate has excellent water retention. It is also light and airy, which allows oxygen to reach the roots and leads to a healthy and well-developed root system — all this with the added benefit of being lightly fertilised.
Want a substrate with even more aeration? High Porosity Cocos could be the perfect option for you. This substrate offers all the benefits of growing with Atami's high-quality coco coir, with the added benefit of the aeration provided by perlite. This aerated substrate allows for the production of more root hairs, so your plants can absorb even more nutrients. Note that it may be necessary to water more often to keep up with High Porosity Cocos' increased drainage.
Bi-Growmix is a substrate composed of peat and 20% coco fibres and chips, so you get the best of both worlds. Peat is an excellent base for growing plants, and the added coco coir promotes better air circulation and water drainage while improving the water-holding capacity of the substrate. Therefore, the addition of coco coir upgrades the physical properties of a peat-only substrate, which makes Bi-Growmix an excellent choice for those who do not want to give up peat substrates but want the benefits of coco coir.
For hydroponic growing, consider the Hydro Rokz Cocos 60-40 substrate. This substrate features a balanced blend of clay pebbles and coco fibre, offering many benefits for hydroponic growing. The addition of clay pebbles ensures excellent drainage, as they retain almost no water, while the coconut bark increases the water retention of the substrate. Thus, the moisture in the root zone is kept at stable levels between waterings.
As you know, a good substrate is the first step to a good harvest, and Atami's coco substrates offer the perfect starting point for all your plants. Why not try them out for yourself and observe the difference? Your plants will thank you for it.
Want
Italy’s most influential commercial ornamental horticulture event occurred in Milan between 22-24 February 2023, featuring 655 exhibitors on a show floor spanning 45,000m2. More than 23,000 unique attendees experienced a state-of-the-art showcase of flowers, houseplants, annuals, trees, shrubs, agtech, machinery, and everything in between. Organiser V Srl Group has hailed the 2023 edition of MyPlant&Garden as one of the best in its brief history, reporting record attendance numbers.
MyPlant&Garden was established in 2015 by a consortium of ‘hortipreneurs’, including Floricoltura Pisapia, Florpagano, Florsistemi, Nicoli, Organizzazione Orlandelli, Vigo Gerolamo and Vivai d’Adda Gianpietro, who were tired and disappointed with Padua’s iconic Flormart show which at that time was losing its lustre. The idea was to celebrate and showcase the best of Italian ornamental horticulture. The gargantuan 5.5ha exhibition centre Fiera Milano Rho continues to be the venue of choice for this show that has gone from strength to strength. Milan and horticultural trade exhibitions are familiar; between 1988 and 1999, the international horticultural trade exhibition Miflor was held annually in Italy’s second-largest city.
When people think about Italian plants, they usually imagine their food and beverage products, such as wine, olive oil, and pesto. They may need to realise that an incredibly extensive range of ornamentals is also a big part of Italian agriculture.
The most recent statistics, provided by farmer’s research centre ISMEA, Italian statistics office ISTAT, TDM, AIPH, Flormart and ANVE, show 29,000 agricultural holdings in the country dedicate themselves to the production of freshly-cut flowers, houseplants, bedding plants, patio plants and nursery stock products. That same data reveals that there is 19,486ha dedicated to commercial ornamental horticulture with a farmgate value totalling €2.8 billion (1.3 billion for cut flowers and potted plants and 1.5 billion for nursery stock products).
Ornamental horticulture in Italy comprises many small to medium-sized family-run businesses, so there’s a risk of underestimating its size. Considering that the global production value of ornamentals is approximately $90 billion, Italy’s flower and plant sector is considerably more significant than most people think.
Key facts regarding export values and export destinations, provided by Italy’s national association of nursery stock exporters ANVE, indicate that last year the nation’s export value of ornamentals was €1.1 billion (Italy’s agriculture exports amounted to a total of €7.8 billion, ornamentals make up 14 per cent of that figure), making Italy the
world’s third largest exporter of flowers and plants after the Netherlands and Colombia. The main markets are the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Italy’s production stretches 1,500 km, from the Alps in the North to the Hyblaean Mountains in the extreme south. Toscana (30 per cent), Liguria (14 per cent), Sicily (9.6 per cent), Lombardy (8.9 per cent), Lazio (6 per cent), Puglia (5.7 per cent), Emilia-Romagna (4.7 per cent), Veneto (4 per cent) and Piedmont (2.8 per cent) rank among the epicentres of ornamentals production. The country’s northern and western regions (39 per cent) and its southern regions are the cut flower, cut foliage and potted plant heartlands. At the same time, nursery stock production concentrates in the central regions, with Tuscany (Pistoia) occupying pride of place. The country has a variety of climates and soils that allow cut flowers, potted foliage and flowering plants, alpine plants, acidophil plants, conifers and broad-leaved trees, potted herbs, cut foliage, evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, bedding plants, bulbs, orchids, and indoor/outdoor tropics to grow.
ANVE President Luigi Pagliani, a Cupressus and Quercus grower from Perugia, is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the year ahead. There have been some positives for all the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pagliani cites the massive boom in home gardening when the world entered a lockdown, eco-conscious consumerism, and the mega tree
planting efforts worldwide to mitigate climate change. He says, “During the pandemic, demand was up 30-36 per cent compared to the pre-Covid year of 2019. The only problem was that the demand exceeded the offer in some product categories, such as avenue trees and hedge plants. Growers had to drain their stocks. As a result, some growers lost ten per cent in 2022 compared with 2021. This shortage will be solved quickly for hedges, especially Photinia and Prunus laurocerasus. It will take longer for avenue trees.”
Pagliani admits that the economic outlook for ornamental horticulture in Italy varies from segment to segment. Rising commodity prices, Russia’s war against Ukraine, inflation and declining consumer confidence are weighing on the sector as a whole. Still, cut flower and houseplant growers are clearly under more strain as they need to heat their greenhouses.
When asked about the biggest challenges the sector faces right now, he mentions labour shortage, the difficulties in acquiring new land, and plant health.
Today exports represent between 15-20 per cent per year of all Italian flower,
plant, and nursery stock sales. Billions of plants move annually within the borderless internal market of the EU and third markets. The sites of their production and destination are countless. New devastating pests, however, do not stop at the customs border, which is why plant health is under threat globally, and regulations, statutory controls, and plant health regimes are becoming stricter and stricter.
At MyPlant, ANVE, in association with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), launched a new plant health portal, www.phytoweb.it. This ambitious project helps users understand and stay updated on constantly changing and complex export and import requirements for plants within the EU and third countries.
It was launched at MyPlant on Wednesday, 22 February, with ANVE’s Phytoweb project manager, Edoardo Sciutti, demonstrating the portal’s functionalities. ANVE’s initiative was greeted with enthusiasm, especially from the following, including Roberto Luongo (Director General of ICE), Gianluca Buemi (councillor at the Italian association for agronomists CONAF), and Federico Simone (representing CNPAPAL, Italy’s home for agricultural knowledge).
Phytoweb.it is for the seasoned plant exporter, importer and grower venturing abroad for the first time. The portal offers the possibility to consult all the phytosanitary regulations quickly and easily for every destination and origin.
The system is user-friendly and swift and offers a search engine that generates fact sheets on the following topics: Species, Plant Material, Destination, and Harmful Organisms. In an absolute first, the portal offers industry professionals a tool to create a pest management plan online to mitigate the risks of infestation by quarantine and non-quarantine pests. This portal section also allows users to create digital plant passports, which can be mailed to customers abroad.
Gruppo Padana in northern Italy addresses the growing concern over the effects of plant protection products on the environment and human health. The nursery grows
approximately 100 million young plants per year with ‘respect for the planet’. Its environmentally friendly approach means that an optimum blend of beneficial moulds, bacteria, vitamins, and biocontrol agents replaces chemicals to the extent of what is possible.
Giorgio and Paolo Gazzola founded Gruppo Padana in 1988 when they took over their father Albino’s 8,500m2 nursery. Since then, the business has grown by leaps and bounds, operating from different sites in Paese and Gaiarine, both near Treviso. Their combined greenhouse space spans 350,000m2, and they produce a wide range of plug plants - raised by seed or cuttings - for professional bedding plant growers in Italy and abroad. Exports make up 50 per cent of their business.
At MyPlant, surrounded by massive displays of plant material, the company’s German-speaking sales rep Mario Rigatti recalls how last year’s hot temperatures and drought (which still continues) began as early as May – usually the busiest time of the year for the gardening industry and when around 75 per cent of the plants are sold. The weather forced growers to scrap their perishable crops. Furthermore, in the Spring of 2022, the ending of Covid-19 restrictions signalled the movement of people picking up travelling and holidaying instead of turning massively to horticulture as they did in the first two years of the global health crisis. “Our customers have become more cautious and choosier,” says Rigatti, who has recently seen more split orders from
growers who want to take an option on additional plant batches later in the season.
The news of the moment is ‘Top Tunia’, the blooming result of the company’s first steps into the world of plant breeding. Gruppo Padana launched this new line of early and abundantly flowering Petunias five years ago, and it now includes more than 20 varieties. Tapping into the worldwide local-forlocal trend, Gruppo Padana joined forces with Italy’s national garden centre association, the Associazione Italiana Centri Giardinaggio (AICG) – which hosted its 11th national conference at MyPlant&Garden – to launch a new brand campaign centred on local. Together they offered Italian customers a line of 12 ‘Top Tunias’ in a rainbow of colours, highlighting them as a prime example of locally grown and sourced plants and a token of appreciation to local businesses and their workers. More breeding work from Gruppo Padana, notably in early flowering, compact Lantana Lantastic for highdensity planting and large-flowered Portulaca Kokorita, is in the pipeline.
Vito Giambò, owner and general manager of Sicily-based Giambò Piante, was happy to encounter the same ‘bel movimento’ (good traffic) at MyPlant as he had at IPM Essen. Giambò explains the business essentials, “On a combined poly-roofed greenhouse area of 22 ha, we grow around 1.5 million ornamental citrus and 100,000 ornamental olives per year in pot sizes 12cm to 75 and everything in between. We sell up to 90 per cent of our plants to garden centres,
supermarkets, discounters and DIY stores.”
He adds that the period between January and May marks the company’s peak season, where nearly every day, a long line of trucks park on the roadsides of Furnari, an otherwise sleepy town with 4,000 inhabitants, 40kms west of Messina. The truck drivers wait their turn to load the ‘fruity cargo’ before returning to Germany and Scandinavia.
Giambò Piante’s broad assortment includes many different types of ornamental citrus. “In lemon alone, we boast 20 varieties, in oranges 17, while there’s also an exciting collection of lime trees.”
Giambò Piante is an environmentally conscious company using biocontrol agents for crop protection and pots of recycled plastic, and it’s looking into ways to reduce the use of peat. It has earned MPS FruitandVegetables and GlobalG.A.P.GRASP certification for its efforts.
Growing ornamental citrus is not a job for the faint-hearted or, as Giambò puts it, ‘the success in growing starts with the right rootstock (Citrus macrophylla, Citrus volkameriana, Citrange troyer) and it also starts with the 60 people within our team – they are our biggest success.”
For the production of healthy rootstock, the company has banded together
with a group of growers who, on the western part of the island (Marsala), raise the different rootstocks from seed. After one year, the scions are joined to the rootstock via grafting. Two months later, the protection paper bag can be removed, and the plants move into the greenhouse to finish them. The entire process from seed to fruit-bearing indoor citrus tree ready for sale takes three years. Asked about the biggest achievements since the company’s foundation in 2000, Giambò references his success in further miniaturising ornamental citrus. In 2006, the company announced the arrival of a mini citrus tree in a 14cm pot. Seventeen years later, the company succeeded in taming citrus in a 12cm pot, ideal for retail sales with quick turnarounds.
Antonio Pisapia of Floricoltura Pisapia, one of the seven co-founders of MyPlant&Garden, told FCI that they were happy with the quality of the show’s visitors.
Floricoltura Pisapia is a family-run plant business founded by the now 76-year-old Lucio Pisapia, known for his flat cap but, above all, for being a self-made horticultural entrepreneur. In the 1960s, Pisapia senior started small as an ambulant plant vendor, visiting his clients in the province of Salerno driving in his quintessentially Italian three-wheeler, Ape. In 1973, he founded his company and grew it into what it is today: a 6.5-ha indoor plant grower operating from
two sites in Eboli and Sant’Antonio di Pontecagnano. The company specialises in predominantly green foliage plants such as Philodendron, Scindapsus, Dracaena, Nephrolepis and other trailing houseplants, and Hydrangeas. The most significant chunk of their plant sales is in the domestic market, particularly in the northern part of the country.
Export sales make up around eight per cent of the turnover. Clients abroad include French garden centres and Dutch growers.
In determining the current market needs, Pisapia believes it is essential to avoid what the Dutch are good at: mass production of a more standardised plant assortment in smaller pot sizes. “We would like to differentiate ourselves with bigger pot sizes from 19cm to 40/ and 50cm. Moreover, we always look for something less mainstream regarding plant shape, foliage patterns and colours.”
To combat the rising energy prices, Floricoltura Pisapia switched from methane to LPG to heat their greenhouses. Adjusting their heating system proved relatively easy, while the cost savings are significant as LPG is three times less expensive. They also heat part of the greenhouses using (not so sustainable) biomass. Meanwhile, Pisapia is confident that the demand for houseplants in Italy will continue to be resilient for the foreseeable future. He says, “Product availability continues to be an issue in some categories. Facing sky-high commodity prices, smaller producers of houseplants have reduced their crop numbers or stopped production altogether, which makes our room on the market even bigger. Nevertheless, we don’t want to sit on our laurels, and we will continue to follow the path of innovation.”
As one of MyPlant’s co-founders, we asked Pisapia about the absence at the show of the big names from Pistoia. Citing as one of the reasons, he mentioned the fantastic IPM Essen show, which wrapped up in Germany only a few weeks ago and in which participated the leading Pistoian plant nurseries. Also, there is an issue with timing as the retail-focused plant nurseries from Pistoia sustain that the end of February is too late for their type of business.
Rising to international stardom is FlorExport, a hundred-strong member cut flower and cut foliage cooperative from Viareggio. Their work recently ‘bloomed on the silver screen’, serving as the backdrop for a new crime movie Klem, by Dutch film director Frank Ketelaar. Flor-Export’s Ilaria Bertolucci explained that filming happened on a flower farm amid Tuscany’s rolling hills and at the cooperative’s rotunda-shaped headquarters in Viareggio. The latter served as a setting for a brutal fight scene, with actors kicking over dozens of trolleys laden with flowers. Naturally, the filmmakers compensated for the flowers destroyed during the actors’ battle.
Fifteen cut flowers and cut foliage growers founded the cooperative in 1966 as an alternative to the local flower wholesale market in Viareggio, one of the major cities in Versilia, the area right along the Tuscan coast on the north-western edge of the province of Lucca.
Back in the 1960s, floriculture was once one of the pillars of Viareggio’s industry. A series of booms and busts followed, albeit less important economically, it is still alive and
Carles Jubany Fontanillas, recipient of Italy’s prestigious Silver Carnation Award.
kicking. Flor-Export, for example, is expanding its footprint by adapting to a new market and user expectations, partly helped by the gardening and home decorating boom during the pandemic.
In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, it reported €4.5 million in sales, the coop’s most significant annual revenue ever.
Export sales account for 15 per cent of the cooperative’s turnover, with GlobalG.A.P.-certified cut foliage such as Ruscus, Eucalyptus and Myrtus among the top-selling products abroad. Sauro Angeli joined Flor-Export as a managing director in 2016 and says that the run-up to All Saint’s Day (I morti) is one of the busiest times of the year, with nearly a million disbudded and spray Chrysanthemums changing hands. Lisianthus and Statice are also among the flagship products, which are typically given more time to grow than counter crops in the industrial, highly automated Dutch greenhouses.
In Lisianthus, for example, growers have two crop cycles per year, whereas the Dutch peers have up to five flushes. The less intensive and more organically flower farming - the members of Flor-Export sustain - result in quality flowers with sturdy stems, long shelf life and bold, non-fading colours. These quality criteria are much appreciated by the cooperative’s customer base, which at home is mainly made up of floral wholesalers in northern Italy. Cut foliage predominantly finds its way to Dutch and UK-based flower factories, which use them as fillers in bouquets destined for UK supermarkets. In commenting on the cooperative’s
participation in MyPlant, Bertolucci says, “I think that Myplant is increasingly becoming important year after year as it allows us to meet international customers and breeders face to face. What’s more, MyPlant serves as a unique bridge between florists and growers to exchange ideas and information about trends, new colours, flower shapes and more. “This meeting between wedding planners, florists and growers is crucial for us as a cooperative. MyPlant helps the European industry acquaint with flowers and cut foliage made in Italy which are readily available in the right season.”
Among MyPlant’s top attractions is the Flower District in Hall 16, the best place to find the full range of freshly cut flowers. Growers, wholesalers, florists, and floristry suppliers brought out their best, most exciting new flowers during the many floral design shows by a host of the ‘floral and famous in floristry’. Creating the right amount of buzz was FLOOS, touted as the world’s first 100 per cent online and monthly updated library of professional floral recipes, with floral designers explaining how to create technically advanced floral compositions, step-by-step, with videos and photos.
Third-generation florist, Carles Jubany Fontanillas from San Celoni (Greater Barcelona) was named best Spanish flower arranger in 2018. He founded Floos in 2015 as an online instruction tutorial platform, collaborating with more than 30 of the world’s top florists. Floos-associated florists include big
names such as Per Benjamin (Sweden), Nicolaus Peters (Germany), Alex Choi (South Korea). Joseph Massie (UK), Mark Pampling (Australia), Rudy Casati (Italy), Soren van Laer (Belgium), Daniel Santamaria (Spain), and naturally, Jubany Fontanillas himself.
At MyPlant, Rosario Alfino, president of the Italian Florist Association Federfiori and owner of Aliflora, a flower shop at Catania’s high-end street Via Trieste, presented Jubany Fontanillas with Italy’s coveted Silver Carnation Award in recognition of his digital entrepreneurship and for increasing global access to high-quality flower arranging.
Now in its 49th year, the Silver Carnation Awards is an initiative of the Cultural Association of Flowers of Giarre and Mount Etna with the support of Catania’s Chamber of Commerce. Its statutory rules stipulate that the glitzy award ceremony must always occur in its homeland of Sicily. The accolade recognises excellence and innovation in business management, floriculture, floral design, journalism, medicine, public governance, art, entertainment, and charity. Jubany Fontanillas was awarded in the floral design category. He is one of only five people to receive a Silver Carnation honour outside Sicily, with the late Ester Boschetti (Italian Rose Society), Carlo Scarchilli (Fiera di Roma), Egon Gallinis (Messe Essen) and Pope Francis preceding him.
Over the past decades, more than 400 Garofano d’Argento awards have been presented to people who have significantly contributed to the Italian and international flower industry. The list of award winners includes Robert F. Zurel, Wim van Meeuwen, Jan Petiet, Pierre Barandou, Nancy Laws, Egon Galinnis, Jochen Henneke, Jaap Kras, Ron van der Ploeg, Nobel Prize winner Francesco Bruno Gnisci, Ester Nunziata, Charles Lansdorp, Arturo Croci, Marta Pizano, Alicia Namesny.
Federfiori’s Alfino stresses that the award’s founder, the late Dr Carlo Calì, and the organising team genuinely deserve credit for helping Sicilian businesses to grow and promote the beauty of the island of Sicily. He quickly adds that Cali’s daughter Carmelita continues to play an essential role in the event.
Another highlight at MyPlant’s Flower
district was the ‘wedding flowers’ themed Dutch pavilion built by Charles Lansdorp and his team with the support of the Dutch Embassy in Rome and the Consulate General in Milan. Visitors marvelled at the sumptuous display of Corelli, the brand name for Takii’s spectacular series of Lisianthus with double, fringed petals.
Dini Holtrop, named best Dutch flower arranger in 2014, had designed and arranged a table display for a wedding party incorporating small and giant spherical spray rose bouquets placed in ornate cut glass vases and shallow bowls. The spray roses sponsored by the World of Spray Roses, a conglomerate of globally operating spray rose growers with a combined production area spanning 1,500ha in the Netherlands, Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, Ecuador, and China, provided an explosion of colour. This blossoming alliance grows more than one billion spray roses in many colours mirrored in more than 200 varieties.
The Dutch pavilion hosted a series of wedding-themed floral design shows by Holtrop, who also made her way to the Flower District’s main stage on Thursday, 23 February, with a floral
(Below) Dini Holtrop had designed and arranged a table display for a wedding party. She incorporated small and giant spherical spray rose bouquets in ornate cut glass vases and shallow bowls.
design show focused on sustainable floral design. On this occasion, the floral design Holtrop’s assistant, Bert Kuiper, arrived on a cargo bike decked with flowers and a message encouraging arrangers to be environmentally friendly and work to reduce their carbon footprint.
Decorum member and Lisianthus grower Big Sun had his moment of fame with their newest line of Big Sun Lisianthus being placed in the limelight. Hofland Freesia, also a member of the grower’s alliance Decorum, showcased its cut Kalanchoe as a strikingly unique feature flower in wedding bouquets. Italy is a trendy choice for destination weddings, with castles, villas, abbeys, and picturesque villages being well-loved venues. In October 2021, FCI magazine, supported by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), Bloom’s Accademy and Flower Academy Italy, brought together an impressive lineup of expert international industry speakers on the wedding flowers market.
Taking part was Simona Polli, the chief editor of two of Italy’s leading wedding magazines, The Real Wedding and Sposa
White, where she explained that weddings and flowers in Italy are big spending affairs with couples easily spending from 3,000 euros up to 500,000 on flowers, including bridal bouquets, boutonnières, table pieces, archways, and venue installations. The sumptuous floral displays in the Dutch stand at MyPlant were also for the benefit of a fashion shoot for Polli’s magazines.
It is safe to say that AG San Remo’s stand was the most photographed at MyPlant.
Resembling the lower part of a water wheel in appearance, the giant display was a nod to the dynamic and booming cacti and succulent market, deriving mainly from a continuing pent-up demand and a continuous search for ‘something new and something different’.
AG is the acronym for Asseretto and Garibaldi, a husband and wife team from San Remo who bred and grew carnations. That is, until 1976 when they sowed their first batch of 4,000 cacti and realised the crop’s economic potential.
Fast forward to 2023, the MPS-certified company has 3ha of greenhouses and 1ha of field production at Via Armea in San Remo, the same street on which the city’s iconic flower market is located. The fourth-generation plant nursery is owned and run by Anna Maria Asseretto and offers an extensive selection of small, medium-sized and large cacti
and succulent plants, including a range of specimen cacti and gift planters. They grow the largest chunk of plants themselves but also work exclusively with a group of nearby growers who supply plants to complete the offer. The business attributes almost 70 per cent of its turnover to income from exports, with its customer base predominantly concentrated in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark. At the turn of the millennium, AG significantly expanded its business by adding a landscape contracting and garden maintenance service.
At the Myplant stand, Elena Falone gushes in fluent English. “We've been swamped here, so lots of new leads and hopefully new customers."
Falone works for the herb and patio plant nursery Lorenzetto from Albenga, one of the horticultural heartlands of Italy.
The Albenga Plain is formed by a vast delta and is the Italian Riviera’s only natural flat area on the ‘Ponente’ (eastern) side. Over the past few years, the production of flowers and plants has dramatically increased here. At the same time, in other areas nearby, such as Sanremo, ornamental horticulture faces important challenges due to logistical problems and higher land prices.
The Albenga plain is blessed with a benign microclimate as mountains surround it to the north, protecting it from cold winds. The Ligurian sea moderates winter temperatures, and days of frost are rare. “All this results in strong, sturdy herbs with a full, heady aroma,” says Falone crushing a branch of Rosmarinus officinalis between her fingers to prove her point. The third-generation plant nursery Lorenzetto has deep roots in
floriculture, producing cut flowers and tropical houseplants, and later, by the end of the 1980s, swopping these for potted herbs, a wide range of Lavandula, Daisies (in pot, hanging basket or as a mini tree), seasonal flowering pot plants such as Cyclamen, Poinsettia, Dianthus, Dipladenia and Calla, plus a collection of Mediterranean plants including ornamental Citrus, Nerium oleander and Passiflora.
Asked about the company’s core products, Falone mentions Rosmarinus, Lavender, adding that there is no business case for the quintessential Italian basil. “The plant is too easy to grow, plus it does not withstand longhaul transport very well. And everyone can sow basil.“
Lorenzetto sells a sizeable amount of its plants to the Danish cooperative GASA from Odense, with GASA’s purchasing staff visiting the company at least three times during the selling season. The newest product is Eat-Bio herbs in 100 per cent biodegradable rice hull (reinforced with starch) pots in which plants are repotted before shipping. Falone says it is biodegradable in six to 12 months, and demand for Eat-Bio comes mainly from Scandinavia and the Czech Republic.
The company currently ships around 40 per cent of its herbs in bio pots.
According to the news agency ADN Kronos, the production of pot plants in Albenga represents 20 per cent of the Italian market, with 120 million plants per year. Besides the Italian market, the plants are reaching the consumers of Central and Northern Europe, and recently also those of Eastern Europe. The essential products are daisies (12 million plants), Cyclamen (5 million), rosemary (30 million), lavender (20 million) and sage (5 million). However, the assortment is now wider, especially for flowering pot plants.
APRIL 2023
3-4. NETHERLANDS
Groen-Direkt Spring Days. www.groen-direkt.nl
01.04-22.10. SOUTH KOREA
Suncheonman International Horticultural Garden Expo 2023 in South Korea. www.scbay.suncheon.go.kr
MAY 2023
1-2. NETHERLANDS
Groen-Direkt High Season Days www.groen-direkt.nl
10-11. CHINA
China International Floriculture and Horticulture Trade Fair/ Flower Expo Asia at the Guangzhou International Sourcing Centre Complex. www.flowerexpochina.com
14-17. NETHERLANDS
VII International Conference
Postharvest Unlimited & XII International Symposium on Postharvest Quality of Ornamental Plants taking place at the Omnia Dialogue Centre of Wageningen University & Research. www.wur.nl
22-23. NETHERLANDS
Groen-Direkt Mid Season Days www.groen-direkt.nl
24-28. UNITED KINGDOM RHS Chelsea Flower Show.. www.rhs.org.uk
JUNE 2023
2-4. ITALY
Leverano in Fiore, a three-day flower festival in Leverano (Puglia) with the support of the Mercato dei Fiori Leverano. www.leveranoinfiore.it
6-7. BELGIUM
Biopesticides Europe in Brussels, bringing together key industry stakeholders, researchers and representatives from regulatory bodies to discuss current challenges and future opportunities within the industry. www.wplgroup. com/aci/event/biopesticideseurope/
The International Association of Horticultural Producers - AIPH-approved Suncheon for a second time as a host for the International Garden Expo for 2023. The first-ever exhibition of this kind in Korea was held in 2013 in Suncheon Bay and was a huge success and attracted over 4.4 million visitors.
Suncheon is one of Korea’s horticultural heartlands, and with the Suncheonman International Garden Expo 2023, the city plans to promote this status to a new level.
The ‘Life Inside Gardens’-themed expo will be held between 1 April – 31 October 2023. Building on the success story of the International Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013, the 2023 event will celebrate the 10th anniversary of this success and aims to attract as many as 8 million visitors over seven months.
The 2023 Suncheonman International Garden
6-8. KENYA Iftex at Nairobi’s Oshwal Centre. www.hppexhibitions.com
6-9. NETHERLANDS
Dutch Lily Days www.dutchlilydays.nl
7-16. NETHERLANDS
Dutch Orchid Inspiration Days. www.orchidinspirationdays. com
13-15. NETHERLANDS GreenTech at RAI Amsterdam. www.greentech.nl
13-16. NETHERLANDS
Flowertrials, open house event for the pot and bedding plant industry. www.flowertrials.com
Expo wants to make gardening a part of the city’s future development. Citizens are being an active part of the preparations for the Expo and shall be an important part of a balanced, eco-friendly regional development. The goal is to create ecological gardens using the characteristics of nature.
During the Expo, activities will focus on the wellness of body and mind. Visitors will get the chance to experience an “overnight garden stay” and enjoy the sunset from grassy hills when they go to the “Sunset Garden”. For more information, visit https://scbay. suncheon.go.kr/expo/
18-20. GERMANY
Spoga+gafa 2023 at Messe Cologne. www.spogagafa.com
20-21. UNITED KINGDOM HTA National Plant Show. www.nationalplantshow.co.uk
JULY 2023
2-5. ITALY
XXVII International Eucarpia Symposium Section ornamentals with the theme: From Nature to Culture: Breeding Ornamentals for Sustainability. www.gbh.eucarpia27.unige.it
12-13. NETHERLANDS
Groen-Direkt Summer Days. www.groen-direkt.nl
SEPTEMBER 2023
7-8. UNITED STATES
World Floral Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. www.worldfloralexpo.com
7-9. UNITED KINGDOM
Interflora World Cup at the Manchester Central. www.interflora.co.uk
8-10. NETHERLANDS
Holland Dahlia Event, held in the region between Haarlem and Leiden. www.hollanddahliaevent.com
13-15. RUSSIA
Flowers Expo at the Crocus Convention Centre in Moscow. www.flowers-expo.ru
From October 2nd 2023 to March 28th 2024
