FloraCulture_International _ March 2023

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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:

Weighing versus weighty impact

I was delighted that despite the challenging economic times, a record 23,000 people attended the MyPlant&Garden supershow, held in Milan, Italy, between 22-24 February 2023. Most of the conversations between visitors and the 655 exhibitors in MyPlant’s Flower District veered to the Italian consumer who, albeit under pressure from inflation and overall lacklustre growth in economic activity, still splurged on flowers and plants for Valentine’s Day gifts, marking the country’s strongest Valentine’s Day for flower sales in at least a decade.

Sales of flowers in Italy are buoyed by a new generation of florists who draw on their sense of beauty, creativity, and flexibility and understand better than anyone else that a multi-sensory experience is needed to lure in customers.

Italy’s nursery stock industry also continues to exhibit healthy growth, with demand exceeding the offer for some items, specifically avenue trees and hedge plants. In the segment of bedding plants, growers are cautious in ordering young plants. Many had had a ‘passable’ 2022 when hot temperatures, drought, the resurgence of travel among consumers, and oversupply caused some products to end up in landfill due to a lack of demand.

Friday 24 February, marked the first grim anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet despite the upheaval, 58-year-old Iryna Bielobrova continues to champion the power of flowers at the helm of the Association of Ukrainian Florists. Please turn to page 18 to read our cover story.

This month’s cover is a tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people. It coincides with the news of Dutch tulip and Chrysanthemum growers making the headlines in the national news for continuing to supply their Russian customers, arguing that they are not seeing anything wrong in providing’ something that makes people happy and that ‘each euro spent on flowers will not go to Putin’s warfare machine’. Flowers and houseplants are EU-sanction-free, so there’s nothing illegal in exporting them to Russia. Eventually, it’s a small or big business decision to stop trading in Russia. Some draw a clear line between Russia and Putin’s Russia, arguing that the two are entirely different things and that you cannot ignore the innocent Russian people. Others sustain that they cannot simply turn their backs on many Dutch-Russo friendships built in the flower industry over the past decades. Both are legitimate considerations. However, critics would say that ending floral shipments to Russia would not seriously harm or damage the Russians and could signify international solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Fortunately, flowers are never entirely black or white; imagine you’re a Dutch Chrysanthemum grower who has heavily invested in high-tech greenhouses and is very dependent on the Russian market. Ultimately, each business has to weigh up the ethical risks of continuing to trade in Russia, carefully balancing income and the risk of tarnishing the sector’s image and attracting public scorn.

The EU is preparing its new directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD), an x-ray of the company looking for potential liabilities and problems with the target company. It aims to ‘foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour and anchor human rights and environmental considerations in a company’s operations. Perhaps weighing companies can use it as a guideline.

FCI Editor, Ron van der Ploeg

COVER STORY

18 FLOWERS SYMBOLISE PEOPLE’S RESILIENCE

Exclusive interview with the President of the Ukrainian Florist’s Society

FEATURES

12 GARDEN RETAIL

How is the UK garden centre sector faring?

14 FERTILISERS (BRANDED CONTENT)

Rely on the potency of B'cuzz fertilisers and start getting the outcomes you seek!

16 PLANT BREEDERS’ RIGHTS

Review of AIPH webinar with guest speakers from UPOV and CIOPORA

17 PLANTARIUM|GROEN-DIREKT

Garden plant industry gears up for new selling season

23 PACKAGING

A life less throwaway in horticultural packaging

29 AIPH SPRING MEETING

Meeting in Lisbon, learn about production opportunities in Portugal and the state of the industry from AIPH Member regions

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: Rachel Anderson, Anisa Gress, Charles Lansdorp, Hannah Pinnells, Ron van der Ploeg, 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: Funerals of Ukrainian servicemen. By Bumble Dee. Adobe Stock. AIPH ©2023 FloraCulture International magazine. All rights reserved. Publisher is not liable for the content of the advertisements. Photographs by permission of copyright owners.

WORLD NEWS

A large contingent of Dutch exhibitors at the forthcoming Hortex Vietnam

Agroberichten, the newsletter of the network of Dutch agricultural counsellors worldwide, reports that the upcoming HortEx Vietnam 2023 show will bring together Dutch players in the horticultural sector to showcase their expertise.

Nova Exhibitions, supported by the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) and the Dutch Embassy in Vietnam, will host the inaugural edition of HortEx Vietnam between 1-3 March 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Dutch horticulture will be the trade show’s focus, with 32 companies flying the Dutch flag in the Dutch sustainability pavilion built by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture.

On the eve of HortEx Vietnam 2023, the Dutch Embassy will organise farm tours to Dalat. The Embassy will also host a networking reception at the end of the show’s opening day, plus an extensive

educational programme. Participating Dutch companies include Agrico, Anthura, BVB Substrates, DL Plastics, Dümmen Orange, Dutch Business Association Vietnam (DBAV), Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vietnam, Fresh Studio, Green Coco Companies, Holex Flower, ICL Specialty Fertilizers, Kenlog, Koppert, KP Holland, KUBO Greenhouse Projects, Legro, Lily Company, Limgroup, Lock Drives NL, Martin Stolze, Netherlands Vietnam Horti Business Platform (NVHBP), NPI Water Storage, Nunhems, Onings Holland Flowerbulbs, PackTTI, Priva, Ridder Group, Rijk Zwaan,

Sustainability: the breeders' point of view

‘From Nature to Culture: breeding ornamentals for sustainability’ is the theme of the 27th International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and European Association for Research on Plant Breeding (Eucarpia) symposium on ornamental horticulture, which takes place between 17-20 June 2023 at the Albergo dei Poveri building of the University of Genoa, Italy.

The scientific programme includes five sessions covering biodiversity and access to genetic resources, strategies for breeding and selection of new sustainable ornamentals, new genomic techniques and ornamental plant breeding, morphogenesis (flower development and breeding), and the contribution of the breeder to sustainability in the ornamentals sector.

So far, Rodrigo BarbaGonzalez, biologist (PhD) and senior researcher at the Plant Biotechnology Department of the Centre for Research

and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco (Mexico), Dr Edgar Krieger, Secretary-General of CIOPORA, and Flavio Sapia, nephew of the famed carnation breeder Giacomo Nobbio have been announced as keynote speakers. There are strong ties between Genoa and ornamental horticultural; the city is famed for hosting the Euroflora flower show, with its most recent edition in April last year.

During the four-day event, scientists from different countries will review current

Royal Brinkman, Van Iperen International, Weber Vacuum Group and XL Bloom.

“Sustainability and circularity are focus points for the cooperation between the Netherlands and Vietnam. There are many opportunities for Vietnamese and Dutch businesses to cooperate and contribute to the sustainable development of the Vietnamese horticulture and floriculture sector, which will lead to the upgrade of the sector,” stated Ms Ingrid Korving, the Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands Embassy in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Horticulture sector is proliferating, with production systems slowly

moving from traditional openfield production to protected cultivation.

Food safety and quality are becoming increasingly important due to local consumer demand for safe food and high standards and increased exports to various export markets, including the EU.

For 2023, the Vietnamese GDP is expected to grow by about seven per cent.

With these figures, Vietnam is the fastest-growing economy in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

For more information, visit www.hortex-vietnam.com

research trends, present discoveries, and make plans for future research and special projects.

For the preliminary programme, visit https:// gbh.eucarpia27.unige.it/ node/42

Consumer expert to reveal six areas for growth at IFPA floral conferences

ALL WAS NOT ROSY IN SAN REMO LAST MONTH

Industry veteran Charles Lansdorp is a former Area Manager for the Flower Council of Holland. He now lives and works in Italy and is an ambassador and advocate of the global flower industry.

The singer Blanco, born Riccardo Fabbriconi, ignitied fury among an Italian television audience watching the iconic San Remo Fesival recently.

Members of the floral supply chain will tap into consumer insights at The Floral Conference – Anaheim (https:// www.freshproduce.com/events/the-floral-conferenceanaheim/ ) on 7 March in Anaheim, USA. Presented by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), this conference anchors the association’s overall floral portfolio. Keynote speaker Chris Carbone, who leads the Futures Practice Americas at Kantar, will showcase six areas for innovation and growth, from broadening floral channels and occasions to harnessing new benefits and technologies. Following his talk and subsequent fireside chat with industry thought leaders, attendees will understand and anticipate the most critical shifts shaping the future of floral so they can navigate and profit from change.

This popular conference allows IFPA members to connect and learn, maximising their time – all in one place in one day. It’s a key component of IFPA’s resources for the floral community – the latest research, insights, and opportunities to connect and do business.

The conference program funnels broad trends into action items participants can take home to support their floral operations and appeal to consumers:

• Insights on floral’s future from Kantar, a data- and evidence-based company giving the audience “use-it-now” recommendations

• Analysis by IFPA floral thought leaders of the findings' relevance to the industry

• Real-world perspectives from a consumer panel

The IFPA appointment-only Breeder Showcase precedes the afternoon conference. This allows retailers to connect with breeders one-on-one to learn more about new varieties and share their insights about the wants/needs of their shoppers

The Breeder Showcase is another way IFPA brings the supply chain together to understand today’s marketplace and consumers better. Other important IFPA events for the floral community include The Floral Conference – Miami, May 23, focused on supply chain issues, and The Global Produce & Floral Show, Oct. 19-21, in Anaheim.

During his performance of L’Isola Delle Rose (The Island of Roses) on the opening evening of the festival’s 73rd edition. The bombshell moment, happened when the 20-year-old singer from Brescia kicked over the red roses that decked out the stage of the Teatro Ariston - home to the music festival since 1977. Shortly after the incident, he apologised to the 13 million viewers, explaining that he could not hear himself due to audio problems and in frustration had destroyed the floral installation.

You can shrug your shoulders, but the Festival plays a significant role in Italian society and culture. The Festival di San Remo (the forerunner of the Eurovision Song contest) and Italian floriculture are intrinsically linked. San Remo is known as The City of Flowers, and back in 1951, a score of flower professionals co-founded the event. True to many years of tradition, the Bouquet di San Remo competition is held during the festival run-up. Nearly every Italian floral designer dreams about winning it and being granted official permission to design the contest’s bouquets.

San Remo’s ‘floral flurry’ reminded me of the disrespectful way Dutch TV host Arjan Lubach, blamed the country’s entire ornamental horticulture industry for growing cut flowers laden with pesticides at the huge expense of energy and carbon dioxide emissions. It was just another sign that our industry needs to stay connected with the younger generations.

Grand Parent’s day, in Italian, aka la Festa dei Nonni, was adopted by the Italian government in 2005. Since then, an annual public holiday on 2 October aims to enhance communication between young and old, and the symbol of love is the giving of flowers or plants to the elderly by youngsters. From its beginning the Felini Foundation has played a pivotal role in developing Grandparent’s Day. However, with Grandparent’s Day rolling out across Europe, we changed its name to the Grandparent’s Day Foundation. The name change allows us to connect better with the young and help them reach out to older, lonely and isolated adults through flowers. Last year, for example, the Grandparent’s Day Foundation and child care organisation Partou hosted more than 100 flower-arranging events across the Netherlands with children and elderly working together on floral compositions.

Speaker, Chris Carbone.

Steve Dionne, executive director of the California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers (CalFlowers).

FLORAL MARKETING THE AMERICAN WAY

This year, the California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers (CalFlowers) resumes its award-winning ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ campaign.

Happily, the CalFlowers team began 2023 by floating on cloud nine after winning a bronze medal in December. Its ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ campaign won a coveted Epica Award in the luxury and premium brands category.

The Epica Awards, judged by journalists, recognise the world’s best communication campaigns.

“We were in the company of some of the globe’s most established brands, including Burberry and Louis Vuitton. We are very proud of the campaign in terms of what we’ve been able to accomplish on a reasonable budget,” says Steve Dionne, executive director of CalFlowers.

WELL-RECOGNISED BENEFITS

And a year after its colourful and light-hearted ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ campaign first burst onto the floriculture scene, CalFlowers has relaunched this popular marketing initiative.

Dionne explains that the (seemingly long) month of January was an ideal time for CalFlowers to encourage Americans to indulge in a bit of self-care – the floral kind, that is.

“This was a prime opportunity to encourage people to cheer themselves up with fresh-cut flowers. And so, here we are, with our digital delivery in January, hoping to reach ten million more consumers.”

Given the well-recognised benefits that flowers can

L-R: Joost Bongaerts, Jeanne Boes (both the co-Chairs of That Flower Feeling) and Steve Dionne. Joost Bongaerts is the President & CEO, of Florabundance, Inc. & Garden Roses Direct, and Jeanne Boes is the General Manager & COO of San Francisco Flower Mart. Jeanne is also the Vice President of CalFlowers, and Joost is a Director on the CalFlowers Board.

AUTHOR: RACHEL ANDERSON. PHOTOS: CALFLOWERS

have on people’s mental health and overall wellbeing, the ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ campaign’s specific goal is to promote flowers as being part of someone’s weekly or everyday self-care routine.

A central part of the drive is a humorous video that highlights how the simple act of buying oneself a colourful bunch of flowers is easier – and arguably more effective – than investing in the many (and arguably wacky) wellness activities that are out there.

ALL ABOUT AESTHETICS

Targeting women aged 25-39 who are interested in wellness and style, the initiative’s first run, in January 2022, continued for about three months. “Over that period, we went out on Instagram, YouTube, and on Spotify – a platform on which paid-for digital ads were featured alongside some of the world’s most listened-to podcasts.”

“These included those of former monk Jay Shetty, television personality Jonathan Ness from Queer Eye, and podcaster Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy – the second most popular podcast on Spotify,” says Dionne. He adds: “We got a lot of exposure in a lot of different ways across several digital media platforms and considered it to be a very successful first run.”

THE STATS

Data analytics indicated that consumers exposed to the paid digital media ads had an eight per cent lift in intent to purchase fresh flowers. Through the various digital platforms that were utilised, the campaign had 60m impressions, and 48 million consumers were exposed to it.

“Eight per cent of 48 million is 3.84 million consumers who told us on online surveys that after seeing our campaign, they do intend to purchase fresh flowers

in the next 30 days. That’s a massive consumer activation.”

This January’s relaunch has mainly been spread across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. “Last year was our first run, and because we have learned from that first run, we can continue to become more and more effective in that social media space.”

Dionne adds: “In 2022, we didn’t do much on TikTok, for example, and so during the past few weeks, we’ve been running on infeed on TikTok for the first time –attracting some 20 different influencers.”

THAT FLOWER FEELING – A UNIQUE FUNDING MECHANISM

The ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ initiative is part of the new That Flower Feeling brand. This was set up by the That Flower Feeling Foundation – a non-profit organisation created by CalFlowers to fund direct marketing campaigns aimed at consumers in the United States.

Companies in every facet of the varied floriculture sector – including breeders, exporters, growers, wholesalers, retailers, and transporters – have been, and are continuing to be, invited to contribute to this fund voluntarily.

Recalling how it emerged, Dionne says: “Obviously, Covid was a global tragedy, but it positively impacted the floral industry. It brought new consumers to our industry – and everyone in our sector began to feel the increase in demand – which, in turn, changed the demand profile for fresh flowers. So, CalFlowers decided that we needed to ride this wave. It was the perfect moment to get out there and start marketing the industry to consumers.”

In November (2022), CalFlowers reunited with the floral stylists Ueli Signer and Florian Seyd from Amsterdambased Wunderkammer, with whom they worked on

There’s a dedicated team behind CalFlowers’ campaign.

the ‘Flowers, Self Care Made Easy’ video. Together they created a colourful trade stand for That Flower Feeling Foundation at the International Floriculture Trade Fair in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands.

“We made connections with people all over the world,” Dionne notes – explaining that “Previously, our funding efforts had been focused on US-based companies, but we are keen to attract funding from companies that are integral to the US supply chain.”

So far, That Flower Feeling Foundation is supported by some 70 companies, including well-known brands such as Alexandra Farms, Chrysal, and Ball Horticultural Company.

“We’ve had just under two million dollars in terms of commitment from the industry, which is really good, and moving in the right direction.”

STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD

The current marketing initiative is set to run for a total of three years, and CalFlowers is busily developing That Flower Feelings’ plans for the rest of 2023.

“The last two years have been very strong and profitable for many companies in the industry, but clearly, 2023 is a more challenging business environment. Low staffing levels, increased energy prices, and difficulties in accessing the products that businesses need are all issues the sector is collectively dealing with. Demand has slowed a little, and it's feeling like [it’s going to be] a challenging year. But here we are. In the run-up to Valentine’s Day, orders were strong.”

Arguably, the US floral industry is in a good position to cope with today’s trickier market conditions. Average US sales at retail flower shops are about $679,000 – a figure that is expected to grow by five per cent in 2023 and two per cent for the next few years. *

Dionne also highlights another positive, which is the growing trend for the domestic flower farms that are popping up all over the US. “It’s exciting to see this entire culture develop – CalFlower’s membership growth has primarily been from this area. We are seeing some great business models come out of this trend, such as flower farms set up alongside wedding venues. It’s exciting to see fresh flowers being grown all over the country – and this trend is going to be very compelling for the younger generation.”

MAKING AN IMPACT

Dionne asserts that those who increase their marketing drives during times when others might be tempted to decrease their marketing spend will stand out from the crowd. To that end, he is encouraging growers, florists, and everyone else in the floral supply chain to help grow their businesses by downloading and utilising the free, high-quality marketing assets that are available on www.thatflowerfeeling.org

So far, nearly 300 floral companies have accessed these assets, which include materials such as point-of-sale posters and truck wrap graphic designs, as well as digital assets such as social media posts tailored for various formats, including this video.

Dionne concludes: “The marketing we do makes flowers relatable and fun – I think that’s really impactful.”

FLORAL SPENDING IN THE USA: THE ESSENTIALS

❁ The amount spent on floral products from 2020 to 2021 grew 21.5 per cent to $46.6 billion *

❁ Sales of US-grown floriculture crops grew 16 per cent from 2019 to 2021 – reaching $6 billion for the first time *

❁ Annual bedding plants comprise more than a third of these sales, followed by perennial plants and potted flowering plants, with about $1 billion in sales each. Cut flowers comprise $360 million in sales, and cut greens are $105 million*

❁ There’s been an eight per cent increase in the number of growers, and that number doesn’t include the significant increase in flower and plant growers doing less than $100,000 in annual sales*

❁ Imports to the U.S. also increased. Since September 2022, there has been a 28 per cent increase in dollar volume and a 15 per cent increase in product volume of imported cut flowers, totalling $1.19 billion*

* Credit: Society of American Florists, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the USDA, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis as reported in September 2022 by Produce News by the Society of American Florists.

HOW IS THE UK GARDEN CENTRE

Despite a few years of unprecedented uncertainty and change between 2020-2022, the UK garden centre industry has performed well.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, the sector was identified by the Government as an ‘essential business’, one that contributes to mental health and wellbeing, so, fortunately, garden centres could continue trading. This allowed retailers to satisfy the growing number of new customers who took up gardening or spent more time improving their outside spaces resulting in an unexpected boom in sales. As restrictions lifted, the activity naturally slowed, but in 2022 the sector was valued at an impressive £3bn.

GARDEN CENTRE CHALLENGES

Holding on to new gardeners while continuing to inspire established

customers is a challenge for the industry, but this is by no means the only one. Although parts of the border check process for importing from Europe have improved, there are still concerns. High energy prices and inflation rates are feeding the public’s disinclination to spend due to a fear of recession. Added to these is a ban on selling peat products by 2024, environmental legislation which is adding another tier of administration, the struggle to recruit hospitality staff and last but certainly not least, the unpredictability of the weather.

ITS NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM

But it’s not all doom and gloom, and many challenges go hand in hand with opportunities. David

Lydiat, Public Affairs and Policy Manager for the Horticultural Trades Association predicts garden centres will come through. He says, “Garden centres are different because they provide a happier and more family-orientated day out.” He believes they go above and beyond. “Customer service is excellent, and staff go the extra mile. You will struggle to find better,” says David, who adds that because of their older, more cash-rich customers, they will come through challenging times.

“While footfall might be slightly less, garden centres are diversifying with, for example, talks from specialists and other entertainment. They are not standing still.”

Another opportunity is the rise in demand for a simple coffee and

The Klondyke group and now Hillier Garden Centres are both number 22 centres.

AUTHOR: ANISA GRESS

SECTOR FARING?

cake or home-cooked lunch where garden centres excel. Many are expanding their retail food offer and increasing covers in cafes and restaurants, attracting local customers and those from further afield and, crucially, generating a revenue stream 12 months of the year.

BIG-TICKET ITEMS WILL BE HARDER TO SELL

At the Hillier Garden Centre group, Chris Francis, Garden Centre Director, thinks the UK’s economic situation will impact the industry for the next four to five years, and big-ticket items will be more difficult to sell. Even though it has a strong core of customers with high disposable income, it will not be immune. “We should be less affected because many are keen gardens who always want their gardens to look good. Hillier is known for the outstanding quality and value of its plants, and they will still be in demand,” he says. An increase in catering is fuelled by customers changing their ‘eating out’ habits preferring an affordable treat at a garden centre rather than an expensive evening meal. “We must remain astute, but we are good at reacting to challenges.”

BUYING PLANTS FROM EUROPE HAS GOT EASIER

Thankfully the process of buying plants from Europe has got easier, especially with supply through The Netherlands.

However, some countries are still reluctant to trade with the UK. This, along with biosecurity, a move away from high-risk plants such as lavender because of Xyllla, and border checks has created a different approach to buying, says Julian Palphramand, Plant Buyer at British Garden Centres (BGC). This challenge has, however, resulted in opportunities for garden centres

and the wider UK horticultural industry. He says BGC has a better understanding and has adapted well to the processes surrounding European imports. He adds: “The continuation of us wanting to buy more British plants is still driving us,” he adds. The upshot is positive with BGC, plus others, asking UK growers to increase the supply of home-grown plants, a development that will be interesting to follow.

ACQUISITIONS AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS

When it comes to acquisitions and new developments, the sector remains fluid with a healthy mix of independent businesses and groups. The largest is Dobbies, backed by private investors with 2021 sales of £304m, up 36 per cent. Its 75 outlets include five (soon to be six) high street stores in carefully selected towns and cities, focusing on houseplants to satisfy the continuing high demand for indoor plants.

British Garden Centres, a group run by the Stubbs family, has 62 stores with sales of £161m, while Blue Diamond, with its headquarters on the island of Jersey, has 45 and sales of £255m. At the end of 2022, it acquired the three stores run by the Van Hage family, an established known horticulture since the 1960s.

The Klondyke group and now Hillier Garden Centres both number 22 centres, Cherry Lane 20 (including those within its high street QD Stores), and there are 19 Notcutts Garden Centres.

Independent centres, including Pugh’s Garden Villages, The Old Railway Line, and The Gardens Group, continue to perform strongly and improve their quality, service, and customer offering. In January this year, the Garden Centre Association named Bents Garden and Home Destination Garden Centre of the Year.

UK GARDEN CENTRE INDUSTRY: THE ESSENTIALS

According to the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), there are an estimated 2,000 garden centres (2018) in the UK. The UK’s five largest garden centre groups are British Garden Centres, Dobbies, Blue Diamond, Notcutts and Klondyke. This line-up has changed substantially over the last year with the demise of Wyevale Garden Centres.

UK households collectively spend £7.5 billion on garden goods and £2.4 billion on the services of gardeners and landscapers (2017). The average UK garden is 14m2, with the average UK household spending £150 on their garden yearly

Houseplants have seen a huge resurgence recently, with millennials driving sales and popularising plants through social channels, especially Instagram. In turn, garden centres have invested in the space dedicated to houseplants and, as a result, are continuing to benefit through monthly increases in sales.

The lockdown in March came at a critical time for the industry, and while many garden retailers focussed on online sales, this impacted total sales volumes less than a normal year. This loss was especially concerning plants, with many bedding suppliers suffering huge losses and no market to provide.

The latest HTA figures show that garden centre sales across gardening categories throughout June indicate a strong recovery, with numbers up 34% on June 2019. Recovery has mainly been driven by exceptional gardening category sales as consumers spend more time in their gardens with growth in sales of garden plants, seeds, and gardening equipment, as well as garden leisure categories.

Consumers continue to make up for the lost time and the extra time spent in the garden by stocking up on supplies and higher-priced items such as garden furniture and barbecues. Sales growth in these bigger ticket items has also influenced higher transaction values.

Rely on the potency of B'cuzz fertilisers and start to get the outcomes you seek!

To help growers and horticulture enthusiasts get the most out of their plants and harvests, the B'cuzz line was created. Developed by Atami, these fertilisers are aimed at helping growers achieve fruits and vegetables with a delicious aroma and taste, as well as more lush and long-lasting blooms.

It is well known among gardeners and horticulturists that fertilisers play a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. B'cuzz offers a range of solutions for different growing media, ensuring that you will have the right nutrients to support their growth regardless of the type of plants or crops you are growing.

Whether you are growing herbs, fruits, vegetables, or flowers, B'cuzz has a solution to meet your needs.

Our complete range of nutrients is designed to support every stage of a plant's life cycle, from root development to flowering and fruiting. In this line, you will find root stimulators, base nutrients, bloom stimulators and other boosters that improve the health and performance of your plants.

Root stimulators will help to establish a strong and healthy root system, while the base nutrients provide essential nutrients during the growth stage. Bloom stimulators and boosters, such as Bloom Stimulator and Blossom Builder,

promote and support flowering and fruiting. Additionally, you will find other additives that improve the health and performance of your plants, such as our Uni Boosters or Silic Boost, the latter being an innovative and revolutionary product composed of silicon that plants easily assimilate.

B'cuzz fertilisers are a must-have for any gardener or farmer looking to take their crops to the next level. Not only are they highly effective, but they are also highly concentrated, meaning you can achieve great results with just a small amount of product. It is important to start with the lowest doses and monitor your plants' reaction before gradually increasing the dose. As you know, over-fertilising can negatively affect your plants, so it's always best to err on the side of caution. Trust in the potency of B'cuzz fertilisers and watch as your crops thrive like never before!

In conclusion, Atami is a company that understands the importance of providing high-quality products to support the growth of your plants and crops. With B'cuzz fertilisers, you can be confident that you are getting the best possible results from your plants. Whether you are growing for yourself or selling at the local market, B'cuzz fertilisers will help you get the most out of your plants. So why wait? Invest in B'cuzz fertilisers today and start achieving the results you want!

(Left) B'cuzz Bloom Stimulator family. (Right) B'cuzz Silic Boost family.

The importance of Plant Breeders' Rights and the concerns of protecting them

Topics of discussion in a recent AIPH webinar were the challenges for plant breeders’ rights, especially concerning ecological, social and technical developments, and what is in place to protect the variety denomination once it goes on sale to the consumer?

AIPH (the International Association of Horticultural Producers) is the world’s champion for the power of plants. We aim to stimulate the demand for ornamental trees, plants, and flowers worldwide. And we are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the industry’s interests. AIPH’s ornamental production committee does this by focusing on plant Health Protection, Novelty protection and Sustainability.; through our novelty protection group, we advocate a good working and strong plant breeders’ rights system. In a recent webinar, we invited two prominent speakers to discuss the current Novelty Protection situation from two different perspectives.

INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UPOV SYSTEM

Mr Martin Valster is a senior policy officer for seeds and propagating materials in the Netherlands’ Ministry of Agriculture Nature and Food Quality. His work focuses on National, European, and Global policies related to plant variety protection and registration and certification of plant varieties. His government responsibilities in the Netherlands are seed law, plant breeders’ law, plant variety board, and variety testing representative of the Netherlands in European Council working parties and standing committees on seats of the European Commission.

From 2019 to 2022, he was President of the Council of the International Union for the protection of new varieties of plants UPOV, and he’s the current president of the Administrative Council

of the European Community plant variety office.

The UPOV system promotes the innovation and development of new plant varieties. Mr Valstar provided a general outline of how UPOV has been helping breeders since it was established in the 1960s. He then explained how it adapts to the modern challenges of climate change, the ongoing discussion on the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems and the upcoming use of new genetic techniques.

Access to good varieties is uppermost in the minds of farmers and growers worldwide. Mr Valster spoke about a recent UPOV seminar where they surveyed the growers, asking them about their needs and expectations of new, improved plant varieties. Their overall response was, ‘they need to adapt to climate change.’

THE OBLIGED USE OF VARIETY DENOMINATION IN THE INDUSTRY

Dr Edgar Krieger made a serious request to the ornamental sector to mention variety names in the right manners of

all products. He argued the importance of variety denomination against the current trends of marketers creating trademarks or brand names in commercial production. And even though regulations protect the variety denomination, these are followed in production but arbitrarily dropped in retail.

He demonstrated that a variety type, when it comes to fruit and vegetables, is often labelled clearly on supermarket shelves. However, if you ask a florist about the variety denomination of the flowers they sell in a bouquet, they would need help to answer correctly.

The Secretary General of the breeder association CIOPORA emphasised and defended the significance of proper and consistent usage of variety names. He also stated that knowing the variety is in the customer’s interest. If a customer has a positive buying experience, for example, if the vase life were long, there would be added value for a customer to know what that same variety was to enjoy purchasing it again. So variety denomination is essential.

This webinar recording is on AIPH YouTube https://youtu.be/rn7STMDHvbc

Mr Martin Valster

Dr Edgar Krieger

AUTHOR: RACHEL WAKEFIELD

Spring edition PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt an excellent start to the garden plant season

Visitors immersed themselves in a complete range of garden plants during 7 and 8 February.

With the 5,000 sample layers and trolleys, 170 stands, novelties, a trend presentation and many new products, the professional garden plant buyers got a good impression of the readily available offer at the fair, that was attended by visitors from all over Europe and far beyond.

Visiting the fair was Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, the deputy of the province of South Holland, Jeannette Baljeu, and the Municipal Executive of the Municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn.

Trade fair director Linda Hoogendoorn - Veelenturf looks back on this spring edition with satisfaction, and said: “Besides the kick-off of the garden plant season, which is so important for the exhibitors, I thought it was very positive that politicians used the fair to get informed about the sector.”

VISITOR FAVOURITE

PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt is all about garden plants. Showcasing novelties and special products are essential at this fair. On the central square, right after the entrance to the fair, there was a presentation of the entries for the Visitors’ Favourite. Visitors could vote here for what they thought was the best new plant. Rhododendron Hybrid ‘Grifie' by Jules Block from Lochristi (B) was overwhelmingly the favourite plant. ‘Grifie’ is a Rhododendron Hybrid with beautiful large leaves, buds, and flowers. The bicoloured flower, with its red/pink serrated edge and white interior, is exceptional within the Rhododendron range. ‘Grifie’ is a natural early flowering variety (early March) with frost resistance down to -10°C. Other novelties appreciated by visitors were the ‘Cow’ s urine, liquid gold’ and Helleborus ‘Purple Joy’ .

TREND SQUARE, SOLUTIONS TO TODAY'S GARDENING PROBLEMS

To also give visitors inspiration, a trend square was set up. Romeo Sommers explained the opportunities outdoor green products can offer to solve today's garden problems. Think climate change, biodiversity, and nitrogen. He emphasised that you can do much using garden plants in a wet or hot and dry garden. Romeo made various combinations with exhibitors' (seasonal) products and other sustainable products with which garden centres can also get started.

ABOUT PLANTARIUM|GROEN-DIREKT

AIPH-approved International Horticultural Trade Show, PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt, and GROEN-Direkt's Autumn and Spring Fair are the meeting point for green professionals and suppliers. The next edition will be on 23 and 24 August 2023. For more information on the website www.plantariumgroendirekt.nl

FLOWERS SYMBOLISE THE RESILIENCE OF ITS PEOPLE

After fleeing the Russian missiles raining down on her hometown of Kharkiv with her daughterin-law, young grandson, and grandmother in March 2022, Iryna Bielobrova escaped the shadow of Putin’s aggression leaving behind her two sons and husband. For the past year, the President of the Ukrainian Florist’s Society has been living as a refugee in the Netherlands.

Friday, 24 February 2023, marked the first grim anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet despite the upheaval, 58-year-old Iryna Bielobrova continues to champion the power of flowers at the helm of the Association of Ukrainian Florists. To acknowledge her fortitude and celebrate International Women’s Day, FCI sat down with Bielobrova to learn about her experiences, the state of the Ukrainian florist industry, her thoughts on the power of flowers and plants to heal, how she is dealing with life currently in the shadow of war, and the challenges of life as a refugee, and what her hopes are for the future.

Bielobrova was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in 1965. Before Russia invaded her hometown, she owned a florist store here and in Kyiv; she taught floristry at her school and is the President of the Ukrainian Florist Society. She continues at the top but under challenging conditions; FCI asked her about her situation and familiarity with the industry she left behind.

FloraCulture International: ‘Pulsating Emotions’ was the title of your Florists Association’s floral installation at FleurAmour 2014, an annual floral design event against the historical backdrop of the Grand Commandery Alden Biesen, Belgium. May we invite you to share with our readers some of your pulsating emotions since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago?

Iryna Bielobrova:“In 2014, we participated for the first time in FleurAmour with a desire to tell the world about the impending threat. Back then, eastern Ukraine and Crimea were under military attack for the first time; tensions rose with Ukrainians feeling the threat of war as Russia annexed Crimea. Our installation at FleurAmour was all about those feelings of peril. We used 5,000 Chrysanthemums of different colours to

show that unity is our strength regardless of colour. Florists from Dnipro came up with the idea, which was brought to life with support from colleagues from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, and Lutsk. It was truly a team effort.”

Could you take us back to your life before the invasion; what did you learn in school, and how did you become involved in floristry?

“I spent my childhood in Siberia, far from my homeland. I graduated from art school with painting, composition, and art history classes. At the age of 17, we returned to my native city Kharkiv, Ukraine. I studied philology and teaching at the State University. Following the collapse of the USSR, we began building a new and free Ukraine. Meanwhile, I no longer wanted to pursue an academic career in philology and started teaching floristry. I worked at the Palace of Children’s Art and taught floral design. Flowers have been my hobby since my early childhood. I took various courses and went to exhibitions and various schools in Europe. My students from the Children’s Creativity Palace finished school and became the first florists in Kharkiv. With them, we opened the first florist salon and later the first school of floristry. Now they are the leading florists in Ukraine. They run beautiful flower shops and are active in floral design.”

Who or what inspires you in floristry?

“Nature has always been a rich source of inspiration. I was lucky to live in Siberia, where I grew up amid the taiga, forests, and swamps. Later, when living in Ukraine, I took inspiration from the seemingly endless fields, meadows, and Ukrainian forest steppes. I always loved to grow flowers and create herbaria, souvenirs, and bouquets from them.”

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG AND RACHEL WAKEFIELD. PHOTOS: RON VAN DER PLOEG.

58-year-old

You are the President of the Ukrainian Florists Association. What does this job involve?

“In 2001, Ukrainian florists joined forces to create a public organisation. The founders included flower and floristry aficionados and budding and existing florists who wanted to progress professionally. We gathered in Kyiv to prepare contests and events. The goal was to boost creative skills and take the floristry profession in Ukraine to the next level. After a short break, we again teamed up in 2014, the year that marked participation in international flower design contests and flower shows, the opening of a training and floristry community centre and the membership of Florint - the European Federation of Florist Associations.”

What can you tell us about the state of the Ukrainian floristry sector?

“We have been living with war since 2014, and many of us left our homes and spread across different

cities. Floristry developed spontaneously with ups and downs. Flowers are always needed. However, providing stats on floristry in Ukraine is challenging as there is no clear definition of who must be considered a florist. In Ukraine, people import flowers and grow flowers at home, and everyone who sells flowers calls themselves a florist. But some see this profession as an art. We cordially invite flower professionals who want to participate in our organisation to learn about sales strategies and exhibitions and those who want to develop in this industry. Until February last year, our organisation included 200 permanent members, and the organising committee comprised ten active leaders. And thousands of flower ambassadors from different cities gathered for anti-war events.”

How does floral distribution work in Ukraine?

“There are several flower delivery services, including the international one called Interflora and the Ukrainian delivery service called UFL. These are online flower shops and brick-and-mortar stores. Freelance florists in different cities across the country are connected.”

What can you tell us about Ukrainian buying patterns regarding flowers and plants?

“Many flowers are imported from the Netherlands, Kenya, Colombia, and Ecuador. Also, Ukraine hosts a few good producers of roses, Alstroemeria, Lisianthus, tulips, Matthiola, lilies, and irises. New flower farms opened for growing Hydrangeas, peonies, lavender, and summer flowers. Many florists have their area to grow a range of speciality flowers for their shops. Ukraine has fertile land, and growing flowers can be profitable. However, today’s situation looks grim, with many production fields being bombed and destroyed. In some greenhouses, heating was disrupted, and production stopped altogether.”

Can you share any estimate of the retail value of the Ukrainian flower industry?

“Flowers in Ukraine have always been expensive and something special. Ukrainians and flowers are a long-lasting love affair and something which is in our tradition. Due to the war, providing any stats on retail value is impossible. I can only say that the flower industry did not come to a standstill. Everyone who remained in the country is working in full force. Sales volumes are down, but they are there. Everyone is trying to restructure activities for their customers. Suppliers are looking for on-trend merchandising concepts while also focusing on cutting costs and giving a good price to the end consumer. It is amazing how resilient our florists adapt to new conditions.”

What has been the impact on Ukrainian floristry?

“Florists operate in an extremely challenging business environment. Many florists fled the country and took their families abroad; others moved to safer cities, and some changed professions. But I also know that several Ukrainian florists have set up communities abroad. There are around 2,000 Ukrainian florists worldwide

Iryna Bielobrova continues to champion the power of flowers at the helm of the Association of Ukrainian Florists.

that have banded together. They work in flower shops and floral wholesale and continue to be professionally active in floristry even abroad. Our profession is famed for its craftsmanship and dedicated handwork. You can be active in floristry abroad, which is often a good way to learn the language of a country. Meanwhile, many Ukrainian flower shops were forced to close; some moved online. I also would like to commemorate those florists during this terrible year who have held many charity events in different countries and participated in exhibitions and festivals. We promoted our floristry on the pages of magazines and stands of international companies - hardship and the love of flowers unite us.”

When did you decide to leave your country, and tell us about your journey?

“I was caught up in an attack by Russian troops in Western Ukraine. We fled to a sanatorium. In the morning, my son called from Kharkiv, telling me they were being bombed by planes and artillery. I did not return home. I waited for my son’s family to take them to safety. We met in Mukachevo and fled to the Netherlands.”

What made you decide to go to the Netherlands?

“I have known the Netherlands since 1993 and have many friends there in the flower sector. For me, the Netherlands is a calm, positive and reliable country. So, this was not a random choice. I love the Netherlands and want my children and grandchildren to be safe during the hardest years of their lives.”

What does your daily life in the Netherlands look like?

“I am grateful to everyone who welcomed us in the Netherlands. It took quite some time to recover mentally. We travelled the country, visited parks, and my grandson learned to ride a bike. My daughter-in-law works as a florist in a flower shop. The grandson is at school and is learning Dutch. We participate in different programmes. Everything is going well.”

Can you still be active in your area of expertise: floristry?

“I set up floral projects in Belgium, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands with the support of other Ukrainian florists who moved to the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. The floral installations told people about Ukraine, its culture and traditions, and focused on peace and uniting everyone against war. We communicated in the universal language of flowers and received help from friends across Europe. Their support meant the world to us.”

Did you visit flower shows in Aalsmeer and Vijfhuizen in November 2022, when Ukrainian flower professionals took to social media to criticise the presence of many Russians?

“Yes, of course. We meet our business partners and friends at these shows every year. This year was no exception. Life goes on, and we should not lose touch.”

On 8 April 2022, the European Union published its “Restrictive Measures Regarding Russia’s Actions Destabilising the Situation in Ukraine,” prohibiting EU member states from exporting flower bulbs and seedling

products to Russia. This export ban does not apply to freshly cut flowers and potted plants. What are your thoughts about this?

“I believe the isolation of the aggressor country and the terrorist regime should be unequivocal. The world must unite in this. Russia must feel that modern humanity does not want to deal with them.”

You were brave enough to write a letter to Smithers-Oasis, a global flower feed manufacturer, asking them to stop sponsoring the Russian Floristry Cup 2022. Why did you do it?

“The manufacturer is an American company. The European office is in Germany. Are they not our allies?

We thought it an opportune moment to point out to the company that their products indirectly sponsored Russia’s revenue. It was a collective decision, and we discussed it with our country’s florists in social media groups.”

Have you written more letters, and what have been the results?

“We strongly advised the organisers of last year’s European championship in floristry, the Europa Cup in Katowice, Poland, to refuse Russia’s participation in the contest. After the postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meeting face-to-face was a great joy for the entire floristry industry. But we didn’t want to see participants from Russia. Organisers of the Florint Championship held a vote among all representatives. As a result, our request was fulfilled. Russian florists came to the championship and covered the event but could not compete for the title of European champion.”

Unlike the Netherlands, International Women’s Day is widely celebrated in Eastern Europe, and Ukraine is no exception. What part of the annual flower sales falls on the Ukraine holiday?

“In Ukraine, there’s a saying between florists; If March sales are good, so will the rest of the year. There’s also an increased focus on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. These three celebrations are undoubtedly the country’s most important floral holidays.”

The Ukrainian entry at the FleurAmour event in Alden Biesen, Belgium.

What about the floral taste of Ukrainians?

“The country is divided into conservatives and modern flower lovers. The first category loves tradition, which often entails giving roses. The other part prefers spring flowers, mixed bouquets, bouquets with exotic flowers and greenery, and dried flowers. I would say that Ukrainian caters to happy and grateful customers. People love creative work and ask for interesting new varieties.”

Will a country under siege continue to celebrate its holidays with flowers?

“The answer is unequivocal: YES, it will. Flowers are emotions; they are beautiful and project our love and care. There are very few positive emotions in wartime, and flowers are a way to bring joy.”

What about product availability?

“There will be flowers in Ukraine. They bloom in our greenhouses and come to us via the Dutch auctions.”

Speaking about women in floriculture and floristry, what one piece of advice would you give to a woman starting in this field?

“Flowers often take people on a journey of a lifetime. You must be positive, resourceful, have good health and love people. The industry will teach you the rest.”

How important is the issue of gender balance?

“I see no reason to worry about gender balance. Floristry is for the delicate soul and lovers of beauty. It is for those who love nature, art, show and handicraft. They are creative people. It does not matter what gender they are. It is generally believed that these qualities are more apparent in women. But some men are sophisticated and creative. However, we must not forget that floristry is physically taxing work, and there is a need for male ingenuity, strength, abilities and skills. In our country, there are many florist families. A woman creates them, and a man helps finance her fantasies. Which one is the florist?”

Currently, what helps you to progress in life?

“I strongly believe that the good will always conquer the evil. In that beauty will save the world. Friendship and human interaction can defeat a sick mind and aggression. I believe the world will be better if we all work together to get rid of guns and war. I believe that my country will rebuild its cities and grow new gardens. I believe our children and grandchildren will return to build a new Ukraine. This faith helps me to live and progress.”

This war will not end anytime soon. What does the future hold for your family?

“I have a very patriotic family. Certainly, now our task is to save lives and learn to live under different conditions. Personally, I want to return home as soon as possible. We need to stay as safe as possible for the kids. Learn languages, play sports, develop, and make connections. To preserve their identity. To tell the world about their traditions. My ten-year-old grandson said he will study hard and return to build his Ukraine. My hopes for the future? The answer is likely to be the same as any other Ukrainian: The hope is to defeat terrorism, terrorism in any country. The world must liberate the planet from Russian terror.”

What final message would you like to give to the world community of flower professionals?

“I want to tell my colleagues in the flower profession that we have a great opportunity to improve the world through flowers. We must always stay in the line of work and do our part with quality and great love. The plant gives us its example, how from a small seed is born a beautiful flower, then the fruit. This is how life goes on the planet yearly for millions of years. We, florists, create moments of admiring the flower and the plant. It brings us back to our roots. It allows us to make the world beautiful and harmonious. Ultimately, we are lucky to work in such a beautiful sector.”

Iryna at work in Alden Biesen.

From October 2nd 2023 to March 28th 2024

A LIFE, LESS THROWAWAY: DELIVERING GREENER PACKAGING FOR ORNAMENTALS

Greenport West-Holland, in collaboration with the Dutch cluster for innovative greenhouse horticulture SIGN, hosted a seminar on 18 October at the horticultural supplier Houweling Group headquarters in Lansingerland to learn more about biobased and circular packaging.

Greenport West-Holland is a triple-helix knowledge-sharing platform, a trilateral network of organisational links between the university, the government and industry.

This seminar attracted 85 attendees from the horticultural industry, including growers, floral wholesalers, auction reps, and horticultural suppliers. This third business event was among Greenport West-Holland’s bestvisited ones.

The first speaker and Lansingerland’s Alderman, Leon Hoek, could easily understand why.

“Today’s topic shows us how the

horticulture industry should go forward. There’s a new generation out there who demand employers enshrine values and ethics in their business model, not just profit. As such, I am delighted to see that today’s event also taps into the potential of universities and students because it is the youth that is cementing our society.”

HOUWELING GROUP

Moderator Else Boutkan subsequently announced Fred van Beek, commercial director at Houweling Group as the next speaker. He referenced the company’s happening, loungelike corporate canteen - which on this occasion was transformed

into a mini-conference venue – explaining that the room is much about DTD (doing things differently). “This is where people have lunch, can unwind, recharge, bond together, and have their Friday afternoon beer. We strive to design a workplace where people feel at home just like in a family setting.”

Founder Cor Houweling senior established the company in 1925 in Ouderkerk aan den IJssel after developing a chalk-based whitewash to protect his coldframe-grown vegetables from too intense sunlight.

Today, the company continues to be family-run, selling more than 180,000 products to 300 customers

John Zwaan (right), marketing manager Floral Trade Group at the Greenovation Awards ceremony where it ended third with its Refleur marketing concept.

in 30 countries. The company’s flagship product La Blanche is used by greenhouses worldwide. In recent years, the company has proliferated, generating a €90 million per year turnover, up from €30 million one decade ago.

Houweling uses vertical business integration to incorporate multiple stages of its production process. The business has come a long way, from an owned chalk mine in Romania to manufacturing biostimulants in Bleiswijk to venturing into recycling packaging material.

Rene Bunnik is the sales manager within the EcoVadis-certified company. He says EcoVadis is one of the world’s most comprehensive sustainability rating tools, assessing the company on social, ethical, and environmental impacts. Among the 65,000 EcoVadis-rated companies around the globe, Houweling ranks among the 25 per cent most sustainable ones.

The EcoVadis Silver Medal recognises the company’s Recoservice, which aims to protect the environment by reducing waste and preserving raw materials. Recoservice collects used packaging, work clothing and PPE to inspect, clean and re-use/process it. The range of packaging granted a second life includes Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), jerrycans, barrels and buckets.

Bunnik explained that postconsumer resin (PCR) is an environmentally friendly packaging option that supports the company’s recycling programme. This year the company’s production of PCR-made items stood at more than 1.5 million.

ecoExpert by Modiform combines cardboard clam packaging and in-box trays, ensuring sustainable and optimally protected shipping of potted plants.

MULTIPLE QUESTIONS, NO SINGLE ANSWER

Eelke Westra, programme manager at WUR University, dived into the complexity of sustainable packaging using perforated produce bags as an example.

Westra pronounced: “How small must perforated holes be to promote healthy air circulation? What packaging choice is best: recycled, biobased or omitting plastics altogether? These are just a few questions surrounding the sustainable packaging debate.”

He thinks a debate should focus on using a comprehensive approach to replace, reuse, rethink, reduce and redesign packaging. “What about the packed product itself? How sustainable is that? Frequently you will need extra, not-thought-of dimensions in your packaging models. Introducing cardboard packaging, for example, may seem a wonderful way to reduce carbon footprints. Until you discover that it reduces a product’s visibility, one of the prerequisites of consumers.”

Invited to give his view on the future of packaging, he said there is no single best solution but that the world will continue to shift away from virgin plastic, albeit not entirely. In choosing suitable packaging, he thinks, the lead question should be, do we need to pack, and if so, what sustainable solutions are available?

POLYSTYRENE IS A NO-GO

Matthijs Plas, who oversees Modiform’s sustainable strategy, explains that his company supplies pots, containers and packaging for breeders, growers, and online plant delivery services, with EcoExpert for e-tailers being its latest product. The latter combines cardboard clam packaging and in-box trays,

ensuring sustainable and optimally protected shipping of potted plants. Clampack is a packaging that ‘clamps’ around the pot with an opening at the top through which the plant sticks out. Clampack was among this year’s Greenovation Awards nominees at Trade Fair Aalsmeer.

In citing the Ellen MacArthur Foundation – “waste and pollution are not accidents, but the consequences of decisions made at the design stage, where around 80 per cent of environmental impacts are determined”- Plas urges the industry to jump on the sustainable packaging bandwagon without further delay because consumers have more power than we think and ready to call for action when they feel corporate decisions are unsustainable.

Greener packaging, he says, is also a way to anticipate existing or upcoming legislation. “In the UK, environmental taxes are already very high; in Germany, there is compulsory registration.”

Plas continued to summarise where different EU members stand regarding recycling rates. In Belgium, Germany and Norway, PET is accepted in most recycling programmes. In the Netherlands and the UK, polystyrene is a no-go as it needs to be separated in kerbside collection recycling programmes and is not separated and recycled where it is taken. In Denmark, Italy, Sweden or Poland, there is so much to improve in recycling that paper and cardboard are the best options,” explained Plas, adding that the hundreds

of differently coloured pots are not helping the industry on its path to sustainability. “In the future, we must bid farewell to all these colours and hues, sticking to five main colours in pot manufacturing.”

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION IN A BIOBASED SOCIETY

Tomato grower Ted Duijvesteijn from Pijnacker-based Duijvesteijn Tomaten mentioned that in the search for more sustainable packaging, it is crucial to team up with the many stakeholders within the value chain. “The search comes with a good dose of pressure, with our customers questioning whether new packaging will perform as well as existing ones and not disrupt the supply chain. Frequently, there is a mismatch. Customers find sustainable packaging either too expensive or too disrupting in terms of recycling coordination.”

Duijvestein believes that too often, the industry focuses on problem-solving only while getting industry recognition in a biobased economy is no less important.

REFLEUR

John Zwaan, marketing manager at the Netherlands’ third-largest floral wholesaler Floral Trade Group proudly presented Refleur. This marketing concept incorporates FSI-certified grown tulips, lilies, or peonies packed in a paper sleeve made from natural plant fibres, fibres made from discarded flowers during processing. These flowers are placed in a bucket made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. A percentage of the bouquet sale proceeds go to a charity in Cote d’Ivoire to help locals build schools from bricks made from recycled plastic.

Refleur was one of the nine nominees for Royal FloraHolland’s coveted Greenovation Awards, where it ended third. Zwaan describes Refleur’s aim as a way to liaise with florists and traditional wholesalers, who, contrary to retail customers, are not always convinced about the necessity of sustainable packaging.

Refleur was already successful in its initial stage, with several customers doing the ‘cherry-picking.’ Zwaan elaborates, “Some show interest in the bouquet, while others are keen to work with the purposed-design buckets. Others would like to sell Refleur using their logo and corporate identity.”

Refleur incorporates FSI-certified grown tulips, lilies, or peonies packed in a paper sleeve made from natural plant fibres, fibres made from discarded flowers during processing. These flowers are placed in a bucket made from 100 per cent recycled plastic.

• Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals

• Formula 1 Grand Prix, USA and Abu Dhabi

• Commonwealth Games Australia and Scotland

• FIFA World Cup, Qatar

• FIFA World Cup, South Africa

• London Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games

• Salt Lake City & Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

AIPH SPRING MEETING

With rising energy and production costs, countries like Portugal are proving to be increasingly important for a growing ornamentals market. For this reason, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) invites industry professionals to attend the AIPH Spring Meeting in the country’s capital: Lisbon.

Taking place from 12th-15th March 2023, the AIPH Spring Meeting will provide delegates with a packed schedule focused on learning and sharing together. AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe said: “In AIPH we are always looking to see how we can tackle the challenges of today in order to create a stronger industry for the future. For this meeting we have a unique opportunity to experience ornamentals production in the Portuguese climate while also enjoying amazing local hospitality.”

AIPH INTERNATIONAL EXPO CONFERENCE13TH MARCH

For more than 60 years, AIPH has had a mandate agreed upon by the 1928 Paris Convention and subsequent protocols to approve and regulate these major horticultural events. Expo organisers from future AIPH-approved Expos will present their progress reports.

Additionally, Mr John Boon, Director of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at ARCADIS – a global design, engineering, and management consulting company –will talk about his collaboration with AIPH and present a new master planning guide for World and International Horticultural Expos.

ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE IN PORTUGAL CONFERENCE - 14 MARCH

The Ornamental Horticulture in Portugal Conference will explore developments and opportunities in light of the energy cost crisis. Experts from the country’s industry will discuss how the sector operates in the country and lessons learned by those who have moved there.

One such speaker is Miguel Costa, a professor and researcher at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon. Miguel’s research over the last decade has focused on stress and sustainability issues in viticulture and horticulture.

Rick van Woudenberg, Co-Owner of Van Woudenberg Tuinplanten, will also join the conference to share his experiences as a Dutch grower in Portugal. Established in 1968, the company began producing perennial garden plants in 1985. They utilise Portugal’s climate to grow their products in time for the seasonal demands.

GREEN CITY TOURS - 15TH MARCH

Included in the schedule are tours at two key Green City locations in Lisbon: the Lisboa Greenhouse and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Park. The Lisboa Greenhouse is found within Parque Eduardo VII in the heart of

Lisbon. Established in 1933, the complex comprises three unique greenhouses. Named after an Armenian art collector, Gulbenkian Park is a cultural hub for the city. It was designed by landscape architects Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles and António Viana Barreiro in 1969.

PROFESSIONAL VISITS - 15TH MARCH

The Meeting will conclude with professional visits to local growers, including: Florineve - Established in 1996, Florineve produces 50 varieties of cut flowers in the microclimate of Montijo –the main flower producing region in the country.

Sjaak van Schie - A Dutch company specialising in hydrangeas, Sjaak van Schie expanded to Portugal in 1999 where cuttings can be produced all year round.

Visit the AIPH Website to register: aiph.org/event/spring-meeting-2023

AIPH thanks Headline Sponsor Biblo, Conferences Headline Sponsors

Transportation Managment Services (TMS) and GLOBALG.A.P., and Event Partner The Portuguese Association of Producers of Natural Plants and Flowers (APPPFN).

Green City Post

WEBINAR SHOWCASES USE IN URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT

Urban water management and green infrastructure were the focus of the fifth AIPH Green City Briefing.

Organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners (WCoG) and sponsor Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the AIPH Green City Briefings 2022/23 are a series of one-hour webinars focussing on cities around the world that demonstrate significant progress in including plants and nature in their city’s form and function.

Tim Badman, Head of the Heritage, Culture and Youth Team in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), introduced the fifth session in the series.

The Montréal Botanical Garden has installed two further Phytotechnology Stations to address different issues. Find out more in the Green City Case Study on AIPH’s website.

Expanding on the use of plants in city water management, Gary Grant, Technical Director at the Green Infrastructure Consultancy, highlighted the benefits of green walls. In particular, he emphasised the use of plants to keep buildings cool.

WE WANTED TO SHOWCASE HOW PLANTS CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

This briefing featured Montréal, Canada, winner of the ‘Living Green for Water’ category of the inaugural AIPH World Green City Awards. The city received the award for the Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden. These stations have dual goals of addressing environmental issues on the site and demonstrating the use of the technology.

Joan Laur, Scientific Director of the Pathway to Phytotechnology for the Research and Development Division of the Montréal Botanical Garden, explained: “We wanted to showcase how plants can be used to address environmental problems.”

“This is a historic Botanical Garden, but we are moving towards something more resilient. In our first Phytotechnology Station, we implemented two filtering marshes on the edge of the existing aquatic garden.”

The marshes filter the water used in the garden to ensure it is of good quality (i.e. by removing phosphorus and nitrate surpluses and removing suspended solids). Joan added: “The water is in a closed loop so we are not wasting anything. It was a huge success and showcased how beautiful green infrastructure can be.”

“Ornamental features or features that provide biodiversity can also save water and you get the evaporative cooling in summer as well. We’re all concerned about climate change and heatwaves.”

Gary presented a thermal image of buildings in Southhampton Row, London, which shows a very hot day. A conventional building’s wall reached 40°C, but the green wall maintained a temperature of 28.4°C due to evaporative cooling.

However, green walls are not without their challenges. Gary explained that one of the criticisms of green walls is that they waste water. Innovative solutions have been used to prevent water wastage by utilising rain water. Gary said: “We divert downwater from drains into tanks that sit behind a green wall. That water is then fed into the planters. Although this was an experiment, it’s worked incredibly well.”

The next AIPH Green City Briefing will focus on the winner of the ‘Living Green for Social Cohesion’ category of the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022: Paris, France. The award was given for the ‘OASIS Schoolyard Project’, which sought to renew existing public schoolyards. By December 2021, 72 schoolyards had been transformed into green spaces for children to enjoy.

The briefing will take place on 21st March 2023 at 1pm GMT. For more information and to register, visit AIPH's Event Page.

AUTHOR: HANNAH PINNELLS

USE OF PLANTS

NEW WORLD SALVIAS

Martin Deasy is a tutor on the RHS Mhort. He also runs his own landscape design business.

"Salvias have become valuable contributors to the urban landscape in recent decades, notably the many cultivars of Salvia nemorosa (S. x sylvestris) valued for their rich blue tones, long flowering and pest resistance. Reliably hardy salvias used in urban plantings tend to be herbaceous and of European or Asian origin, preferring free draining, relatively rich soils.

Currently under-explored are some of the woody American/Mexican species whose performance under significant heat and water stress offers significant landscape potential in the face of increasingly extreme urban summers. Healthy, resilient, and potentially long-lived when grown in poor mineral soils, they are ideally suited to Green City contexts, particularly when using engineered substrates.

Aromatic like their Eurasian cousins, instead of a "sagey" herbal scent, the leaves of these New World species tend to emit a sweeter, floral or fruity fragrance when bruised or brushed against, adding sensory enrichment to the plant-people interactions that promote a sense of well-being in built-up environments.

Pollinated in the wild by bees and hummingbirds, their nectar-rich flowers are potentially valuable in addressing the urban “nectar drought” warned of by city bee-keepers and ecologists - very relevant given the increasing prominence of biodiversity requirements in urban design briefs. (Italian researchers have observed native bee species exploiting floral resources from exotic salvias.)

The catch is that many of the New World species (e.g. Salvia greggii) do not reliably survive cold winters unprotected. However, recent data from Germany and the UK suggests that several are hardier than generally realised: the low-growing, strongly aromatic Salvia lycioides (canyon sage), with deep violet-purple flowers, has proven hardy to -18°C; the tall, orange-red Salvia darcyi to -15°C; and the blue-flowered groundcover Salvia chamaedryoides to -12°C. These New World salvias are worth closer attention, particularly if an advantage can be taken of local microclimates and the protection afforded by buildings.

The Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden / Space for Life

IPM Essen 2023

January is a time for fresh starts, longer days and…IPM Essen, one of the most important events on the global horticulture calendar, it finally happened after a two-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic.

From 24 January to 27, IPM Essen at Messe Essen finally welcomed visitors to the world of horticulture again.

According to show organiser Messe Essen, 1,330 exhibitors (1,538 in the pre-corona year 2019) from 46 countries presented plants, cut flowers, young plants, tech, floristry, and equipment for the ornamental horticulture industry on a 100,000m2 show floor.

‘THE JOY WAS PALPABLE’ Messe Essen boss Oliver Kuhrt was delighted that the industry has returned to face-to-face trade events despite uncertain times. He told FCI, “the joy was palpable in every hall and at every stand.” He went on to say that IPM’s return was buzzing and more international than expected, with over 40,000 (54,000 in the pre-corona year 2019) industry professionals from 100 countries,

occupying eight adjoining halls (ten if you include the floristry Hall 1A at basement level and the Galería exhibition corridor).

THE STATE OF ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE IN GERMANY

On the eve of the 39th edition of IPM Essen, Jürgen Mertz, president of Germany’s Central Horticultural Association (ZVG), gave insight into the state of ornamental horticulture in Germany. He thinks it is safe to assume that for all the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, many growers would not mind returning to the first months when the lockdowns forced consumers to spend more time at home, driving demand for home decorating, gardening, and garden projects. However, by September 2021, the industry showed initial signs of a slowdown. Five months later, Russia invaded Ukraine, which has had a massive impact on Europe.

Mertz continues: “The economy and consumers alike have been unsettled, and secure energy supplies have taken on a new significance for people who are increasingly unable to pay their soaring energy bills. Growers of flowers and plants are no different. I vividly recall my discussions with ZVG members last year, desperately asking how they can afford it?”

In 2022, Germany’s combined cut flower, houseplant, garden plant, and nursery stock market stood at an estimated €9 billion. This market value is more or less equal to the pre-corona year of 2019 and is down from €10.2 billion in 2021. Many German growers are on edge with a ten per cent inflation rate (in comparison, Luxembourg: four per cent and the Netherlands: 17 per cent), market volatility, and rising energy prices hampering consumer demand and confidence.

AUTHOR & PHOTOS: :RON VAN DER PLOEG.

“The joy was palpable in every hall and at every stand.”

SAVINGS GLUT

In terms of spending habits, the national spending on flowers and plants per capita was €107 in 2022, down from €108 in the precorona year 2019. 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).

Interestingly, many German citizens are not necessarily affected by a fundamental deterioration in their financial situation at the moment but are worried about this being the case in the future. The subjective mood is, therefore, worse than the reality. In this context, it is worth mentioning that

Germany’s savings glut continues as it does in the Netherlands and the UK. Between July 2020 and June 2021, German residents saved a massive €160 billion, Brits €170 bn and Dutch €38bn. The billions of euros the three nationalities put into their savings accounts during the coronavirus crisis will stay where they are now. According to a Rabobank survey, most people don’t plan on spending their savings in the near future.

RECESSION PROOF?

Still, Mertz strikes a hopeful tone for the new selling season. “Several studies for 2023 show that the interest in gardening will continue and that houseplants, for example, haven’t yet reached their peak of popularity. People may save additional money, cut back on luxury items or vacations, and delay a new car purchase, but ornamentals could turn out to be more recession-proof than what is commonly believed. However, extra effort is needed to create awareness and demand for our products. The industry must get and stay in touch with the consumers.”

When asked how satisfied he is with the level of government

SUSTAINABILITY

Van der Starre is a leading producer of clematis and climbing plants from Boskoop, the Netherlands, supplying garden retailers at home and exporting across Europe.

Bart van der Starre founded his nursery Van der Starre in 1982, with his cousin Bert joining him two years later. Today, the 17ha company – named Dutch Horticultural Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 - operates from different sites in the western part of the Netherlands. Taco van der Heijden explains that one of the aims is to reduce the nursery’s impact on the environment. “Following many years of trialling biological control agents and biostimulants in propagation, Van der Starre grows all of its plants 100 per cent chemical free effective 1 January 2023. If the disease pressure mounts to an alarming level, we will use crop protection products but only those with a low environmental impact.”

Van der Starre combines natural enemies -biological control agents, biostimulants, biofungicides and vacuum systems for insect extraction to keep harmful pests and diseases away.

Their 1 Metre Privacy Hedge is a new marketing concept, including 4 Hedera hibernica and 1 Flowering Clematis or Lonicera species that lose their leaves in the winter but produce masses of flowers throughout the summer season. The 1 Metre Privacy tagline reference Hedera hibernica that retain its leaves during the winter and gives customers a hedge all year round; for a hedge of 1- 1.5 metres, gardeners need 4 Hederas with 1 Clematis/Lonicera every 1.5 metres.

Australian waxflower farm Nir from Israel won the IPM Novelty award in the Cut Flower category.

TRULY INTERNATIONAL

Standing proudly on the 100,000m 2 show floor were 15 country pavilions flying their flags for Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, Türkiye, and the USA.

The UK pavilion, organised by the Commercial Horticulture Association, presented a collection of solutions for the ornamental horticulture industry, garden plants, technology, and services under the British flag in hall 7 and hall 3. The British exhibitors included Air-Pot, Bluepoint Tags and Labels, Clong Design Studio, David Austin Roses, Fairweather’s Nursery, Guernsey Clematis, Indo-Lighting, PPC Labels, Tyne Moulds&Machinery, and Whetman Plants International. Whetman Plants International launches drought tolerant Choisya: Choisya x Dewitteana’ Little Bee’ and Choisya x Dewitteana ‘Little Honey Bee’ Guernsey Clematis Nursery showed new compact clematis from the Raymond J. Evison range. Exhibitor Fairweather’s Nurseries presented more than 50 varieties of Agapanthus. At the CHA Horticultural Forum, UK Government representatives from the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) provided an overview of the UK’s new approach to border controls, highlighting how the future of plant health checks will look like when importing or exporting goods into or out of Great Britain. Other speakers included plant breeders Raymond Evison and Lindsay Reid from Guernsey Clematis and Patrick Fairweather from Fairweather’s Nurseries, all chaired by Matt Appleby, Editor of the leading UK horticultural journal, Horticulture Week

support for the industry in Germany, he said, “Since November 2021, Germany has had a coalition government between the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, and the Free Democratic Party. So, from our side, we need stronger convincing skills. In talking with politicians, the discussion always veers to renewable energy. The reality, however, is that 60 per cent of the horticultural businesses are heated with natural gas. Apart from promoting renewables, I think grants should also be available for energy-saving technologies.” Mertz continued to plea for tax reforms. “Raising taxes at times when horticultural entrepreneurs need to put aside additional money

to invest in sustainable practices is so wrong.”

WATER SCARCITY

In joining the discussion with Jürgen Mertz, chairwoman of industry body Landesverband Gartenbau Nordrhein-Westfalen and ZVG-vice president, Eva Kähler-Theuerkauf signalled how heat waves and low rainfall had taken a toll on Germany’s groundwater. “Despite the heavy rains over the past few weeks, water bodies are far from sufficiently filled, and there’s little moisture deeper underground. In the advent of extended periods of drought, the pertinent question is what will happen to the water

Kientzler’s award-winning Pollyanna primulas from tissue culture.

BEST IN IPM ESSEN SHOW AWARDS

During IPM Essen’s grand opening on 24 January, chairman of the trade association Landesverbandes Gartenbau Rheinland Eva KählerTheuerkauf and Germany’s reigning flower queen Regina Haindl announced the winners of the IPM ESSEN’s Novelty Showcase. Entries had been coming in thick and fast, with over 63 novelty plants submitted by 33 exhibitors in six categories.

Winning the first prize in the Spring Flowering Plants category were the Primula polyantha cultivars ‘Flame’, ‘Frosty White’ and ‘Sunny Yellow’, all three members of Kientzler’s Pollyanna series, which also includes Primula polyantha’ ‘Crystal Fountain’ (blue), Primula polyantha’ Fresh Lemon’ (yellow), Primula polyantha ‘Touch of Gold’ (dark

red) and Primula polyantha

‘Pink Fountain’ (pink). The seven Pollyanna varieties – the blooming result of joint breeding work by Kientzler and UK-based Kerley&Co, breeder of novel patio plants - have revolutionised the colour range and flower shape within the species, dominated by seed annuals.

‘Pollyanna’ is a series of double primroses with light green, slightly wrinkly foliage contrasting with double blooms.

The plant is suited for potting from January to March in commercial production. ‘Pollyanna’ stands 25cm tall and needs a little chill to start flowering while growing plants, mainly on the drier side.

Anthurium andreanum ‘Delicata’, submitted by Anthura from the Netherlands, reigned supreme in the Flowering Houseplant category.

UK Pavilion IPM Essen 2023

availability for our sector. We need to work with government, water companies and others to manage water resources during a drought and give the SMEs – the backbone of our industry – access to funding to survive water scarcity.”

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

To conclude, Klaus Götz from the German florist association FDF explained how uncertainty affects consumer behaviour. “Fortunately, our customers continue to have expectations and meeting them is crucial to ensuring customer satisfaction and coming out on top during a purchase decision. However, more generally speaking, there is much uncertainty; customers feel

insecure and are cautious. I would welcome more consistency.” Götz thinks that with bad news dominating the headlines, the flower shop may be an easy way to escape the stresses of everyday life. “When people shop, they forget. Our job is to turn all the beautiful products from the grower into tailormade, individual bouquets and arrangements. My message to the growers is to stay on trend and meet today’s quality requirements. The Covid-19 pandemic, in the end, was not that bad for our sector, with many new and young people taking an interest in flowers and plants. It is important to meet the novice gardeners and home decorators and act as a role model.”

The dark-leaved plant with nicely contrasting burgundy red blooms is ideal for bringing drama to home interiors.

In the Tropical Foliage Plant category, Philodendron erubescens’ Pink Bikini’ submitted by Dutch-based Ornamantex B.V. walked away with the IPM Novelty Award. The plant features thick red stems and stunningly variegated foliage. Acer campestre’ Street Pillar’, submitted by Dutch-based Concept Plants and bred by Boomkwekerij Ruijgrok, was convincing in the Woody Plants category. Grower Leen Ruijgrok explains that ‘Street Pillar’ stood out from a batch of wild seedlings planted at the nursery 15 years ago, showing narrow, compact and slow growth (standing five metres tall after 15 years) with a dense crown, which makes it very suitable for planting in small places, including flower boxes.

Other advantages are:

■ Drought and wind resistance.

■ Winter hardiness.

■ Tolerance of road salt.

■ Not being sensitive to mildew and spider mites.

Leen said that the success of ‘Street Pillar’ has prompted the nursery to increase production on all four of its nursery sites (Germany, Poland, France, and Holland) to be ready for high demand.

In the Tub Plants category, GootjesAllPlant from the Netherlands

submitted the Mangave succulent ‘Blazing Saddles’ (bred by Hans Hansen) and walked away with the highest honour.

The first Mangave was created by unintentional cross-pollination and discovered in a batch of Manfreda seedlings. The plant has since been developed by its breeder, and its collection now includes more than 30 varieties. Drought resistant ‘Blazing Saddles’ stands 20cm tall, is hardy to -five degrees Celsius and makes a perfect feature in patio pots, tubs and rockery gardens.

Australian waxflower farm Nir from Israel won the IPM Novelty award in the Cut Flower category. Chamelaucium’ Ever Flowering Wax’ impressed the jury because it can almost be harvested year-round. This capability increases the cultivation value of this drought-tolerant variety, breaks harvest peaks, and enables a continuous supply to the trade and, thus, to the consumer.

LITTLE PISTOIA IN ALBANIA

In the mid-2000s, Ethiopia emerged as the next production hot spot for fresh-cut roses. In nursery stock, something similar happens in Albania. One-hour drive north of Tirana, arable crop growers swopped their corn and wheat for predominantly Cupressocyparis, Acer, Catalpa, Liquidambar, Thuja, Prunus, Photinia and Trachycarpus.

Playing a pivotal role in further expanding the estimated 200-300ha under nursery stock production partially protected against strong and cold northern winds by the Sharr mountain range is Agrocoop Albania, a cooperative active in the production and sales of trees and shrubs for export markets in Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The company’s sales rep, Ardit Limani, admits that trees and shrubs are not really a big part of Albanian culture. “Albanian workers learned the ropes in Italy’s epicentre for nursery stock production Pistoia. Some returned home and acquired land to grow conifers predominantly in a mild climate, with cool winters and hot, dry, clear summers. Soils are good, and the mountain supply enough water to irrigate crops. The only factor holding back growth is labour shortage as so many young workers left the country to work abroad.”

The current law foresaw Albania’s accession to the UPOV Convention of 1978, but plant breeders’ rights (PBR) are not yet operational, and PBR is not included in the draft law on intellectual property.

Anthurium andreanum ‘Delicata’.

CERTIFICATION

In 1997, members of the EHI Retail Institute, including the German retailers EDEKA and Spar, the British retailer Safeway, and crop protection products manufacturer Ciba-Geigy laid the foundation for EUREP, which later became EurepG.A.P. to finally become GLOBALG.A.P in 2007 to reflect its increasingly global scope. The scheme was created in the aftermath of the BSE crisis in the UK and several cases of pesticide residue level exceedances in Spanish fruit and vegetables. Its primary goal was to actively restore the consumer’s faith in the food system by developing good agricultural practices (GAP) adopted by producers.

In a meeting with the press at IPM Essen, GLOBALG.A.P. managing director Dr Kristian Moeller, in the 1990s EUREPGAP’s first Secretary General, recalled how Tesco at the turn of the Millennium questioned whether GLOBALG.A.P.’s success in fruit and vegetables could be replicated in flowers and plants which eventually led to the GLOBALG.A.P. Flowers and Ornamentals standard in 2003. GLOBALG.A.P. F&O harmonised the established producer standards from three continents and introduced new measures to improve production controls.

Two decades on, GLOBALG.A.P.’s business-to-business Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard for flowers and ornamentals has 2,495 producers under certification worldwide, who combined equal to 39,480ha of certified non-covered production and 4,592ha of certified, covered production. IFA has just undergone a revision process, with IFAVersion6 becoming mandatory in December 2024. The retooled IFAV6 is specific to flowers and ornamentals and is a much leaner standard as it comprises 30 fewer principles and criteria. It is better aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addresses plant health and product quality issues, and includes a renewed focus on sustainability. This attention includes the health and safety of workers and the controlling and monitoring of energy, water, plant protection products, peat, and fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphorous). IFAV6 also supports the calculation of producers’ environmental footprint.

The Impact-Driven Approach to Sustainability (IDA) add-on, GLOBALG.A.P.’s Impact-Driven Approach (IDA) sustainability module, was highlighted. This system helps flower and ornamentals farms collect, process, and store their data on inputs

such as energy, water, plant protection products, nitrogen, and phosphorus. They then share their farm data with GLOBALG.A.P., which processes it and returns it as personalised trend graphs and progress reports. These reports show producers how they compare to similar (anonymous) producers regarding input consumption and help identify areas for ongoing improvement. The new IDA module builds on the existing IFA standard as an add-on. Still, it can also be a smaller, independent standard or combined with a different farm assurance scheme.

GLOBALG.A.P. expert Alexandre GarciaDevís Flores updated IPM attendees about the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) version 2, a farm-level social/labour management tool for global supply chains that producers of flowers and plants, fruit, vegetables, and fish can voluntarily add to the IFA standard.

GRASP v2’s main objective, he said, is to monitor the social risks within the floriculture sector. It contains efficient principles and criteria for forced labour risk indicators, the protection of human rights, and potential exposure to worker discrimination.The principles and criteria in GRASP were adapted to the reality of migrant labour flows, short-

GLOBALG.A.P. Press Conference

term contracting, and subcontracted labour risks. Producers now have access to better processes for social compliance to complicated labour resources.

GRASP can be applied directly to small family farms without hired labour. This criterion opens the opportunity for smallholders to participate in the international market.Under GRASPv2, workers have the right to association and representation and access to labour regulation information. Last year saw over 110,000 producers with GRASP certification employing more than 1.7 million agricultural workers worldwide. GRASP v2 was released in September 2022 and will become mandatory on 1 January 2024.The GLOBALG.A.P. standard has been the base for developing the GGN (GLOBALG.A.P. Number) consumer label, including 220 license agreements in 2022 and 367 GGN.ORG farm profiles in the same year. The label, launched in 2018, connects consumers with the origins of the flowers and plants they buy. Cleverly, each 13-digit number on the GGN label identifies the grower of the plant by locating them on the GLOBALG.A.P. database.

The GGN label confirms, for instance, that an auditor from an accredited and independent certification body approved by GLOBALG.A.P. has checked to see if the farm complies with strict rules and regulations to protect its workers’ health, safety, and welfare.

Fruit and vegetable plants in pots are a special case as they are primarily produced by flowers and ornamentals growers and traded in the floriculture supply chain under the general category of “plants”. However, the products themselves – such as vegetable plants, fruit trees, berry bushes, and herbs – are classified under the product category fruit and vegetables (under the IFA v6 standard), with additional food safety considerations.

For the GGN label to be used on fruit and vegetable plants in pots, producers must have a fully compliant GRASP assessment, and supply chain members must have GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody certification. While fruit and vegetable producers participating in the GGN label initiative must participate in a GLOBALG.A.P.-approved residue monitoring system, this is only necessary for fruit and vegetable plants in pots if the plants are edible or bear edible parts at the time of sale.

The first fruit and vegetable plants in pots with a GGN label are projected to be available in stores beginning in spring 2023.

In wrapping up the press call, Peter Opschroef, a third-generation anthurium and hebe grower from Straelen, Germany, stressed that certification is the way forward as “society is increasingly looking for answers from producers. Consumers want to know how we grow our plants.”

Consumers have higher standards for corporate dedication to sustainability and social rights. Meanwhile, Opschroef says the biggest challenge is finding the right answers to often complex matters. “What does sustainability exactly entail, what is sustainable, what not and how to achieve the right level of sustainability with fewer crop protection products available, set against rising commodity prices? And how will sustainability impact the shelf life of our products, and what will the end consumer’s reaction be?”

Opschroef also referenced the growing pressure on using peat as growing media, saying that the peat debate should also address the difficult questions.

“You can grow your plants on coco coir alternatively. But coco peat needs washing, and how does this impact water consumption and the quality of water affluents?”

Raimon Loman manages Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Dutch Flower Group (DFG). DFG posted a €2bn turnover last year. It is a globally acting conglomerate of more than 30 trading companies selling bouquets, flowers, plants, and everything in between to traditional wholesale, retailers, and online flower and plant delivery services.

Loman explained that DFG’s biggest challenge today is to increase the percentage of FSI-compliant products bought through the auction clock, as data show that up to 80 per cent of auctionbought volumes are non-FSI compliant DFG moved heaven and earth and talked to all its purchasers. Eventually, it hopes that growers will realise what continuing as non-certified means, that sustainability is here to stay and that in the light of the Green Deal and CSR, the sector needs transparency and that companies like DFG will be pretty much forced to purchase only FSI-compliant products.

Read more here The Green Masters of CSR.

A GROWING INTEREST IN PORTUGAL

The ornamentals sector in Europe reports significant interest in growers of bulbs, cacti, young plants, perennials and grasses and horticultural supply and agtech companies to invest for the long term in Portugal. The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) will host its spring meeting in Lisbon between 15-17 March, while the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) is checking the feasibility of a horticultural trade mission which could help win horticultural companies win business in Portugal.

In hall 6, industry professionals could hear first-hand from Frederico Pinheiro Chagas, general manager of the 30ha ViPlant nursery, how to successfully grow Mediterranean plants and run garden centres in the Algarve. Labour is cheap, and the Algarve’s climate is benign, but access to irrigation water can be challenging.

Also exhibiting in Portugal’s country pavilion was the 40ha Monterosa Viveiros, situated over five sites across the country, four in southern Moncarapacho and one in Perosinho, Northern Portugal. José Dâmaso and Eduardo Martins run Monterosa, respectively, commercial director and general manager of the firm that offers garden centres and wholesalers an excellent plant range including Mediterranean plants, succulents, potted herbs, gourmet vegetables, climbers, grasses and trees.

The Portuguese climate is well suited to growing ornamental grasses, with Stauden Peters from Germany running a production site – Colossus Plant – in Colos, Portugal. The third-generation producer of ornamental grasses and perennials from Niederrhein, Germany, grows an excessive range of ornamental grasses in six-packs, and pot sizes 10.5cm, 14cm, three-litre pots and six-litre pots, sold under the Elegrass brand.

The fourth exhibitor in the Portugal Fresh pavilion, Schroll Flavours is an offspring of the famed Danish/ German Hydrangea breeder and grower Schroll. Founded in 2018 in Lagoa, Algarve, the organic herb grower offers wholesale customers and garden centres a vast range of basil, thyme, mint, dill and chives.

MARCH 2023

3-5. UNITED STATES

Great Lakes Floral & Event Expo 2023 at DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan. ww.glfee.com

4-19. CHINESE TAIPEI

TIOS at Orchid Biotechnology Park in Tainan. www.tios.tw

6-8. UNITED STATES

WF&FSA’s 2023 Floral Distribution Conference. www.wffsa.org

7. BELGIUM

Florall, Belgium’s leading horticultural trade show at Waregem Expo. www.florall.be

8-10. ETHIOPIA

Hortiflora Expo at the Millenium Hall in Addis Ababa. www.hortifloraexpo.com

13-15. PORTUGAL

AIPH Spring Meeting in Lisbon. Topic: Ornamental Horticulture in Portugal .org/ event/spring-meeting-2023/

21-23. MEXICO

GreenTech Americas at the Querétaro Centro de Congresos, in Querétaro, Mexico. www.greentech.nl/americas

23.03-14.05. NETHERLANDS

Keukenhof, one of the world’s most beautiful spring gardens. www.keukenhof.nl

29.03-02.04. AUSTRALIA

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show at the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens. www.melbflowershow.com.au

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

BELGIUM

Waregem Belgium prepares for spring edition Florall

Florall returns for its spring edition this March, bringing together an exciting and comprehensive collection of some of the world’s finest potted plants, nursery stock products and spring offerings such as potted bulbs, pansies and Primulas.

If you haven’t already done so, plan to attend Florall, Belgium’s premier horticultural trade show exclusively for industry professionals. The one-day event is set to take place on Tuesday, 7 March 2023, at Waregem Expo, Waregem, Belgium.

Florall is increasingly becoming THE Belgian meeting place for growers, arboriculturists, garden centre retailers, plant brokers, wholesalers, cash and carry stores, landscaping companies, exporters and purchasing organisations.

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

Nearly 150 growers will show their products and services to industry professionals. New plants will be in the spotlight at Florall’s spring edition, with the Innovation Area near the main entrance showcasing the latest breeding breakthroughs.Opening times: Tuesday 7 March 2023 – Waregem Expo / 9am – 6pm Free entrance, but registration is required. Free Parking For more information, visit www.florall.be

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

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/ biopesticides-europe/

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

IFA V6 FOR FLOWERS AND ORNAMENTALS

A global standard for responsible farming practices that is dedicated to the floriculture sector, IFA v6 is streamlined, impact-driven, and connected A smarter standard – fit for the future

Discover more at: www.globalgap.org/IFAv6