The 33rd edition of the Groot Groen Plus trade fair, held from October 4th to 6th, 2023 in Zundert, The Netherlands was well attended. This year, the trade fair was organized for the first time at the Business Centre Treeport (BCT) grounds. While some people found the location a bit challenging to find, many others were extremely enthusiastic. Given the increased number of visitors, people generally managed to find their way. The layout was spacious and clear, and thanks to the continuation of the ‘IKEA’ route and ambiance, the atmosphere in the halls was just like in the past. There were a total of 261 participants, spread across three colored routes (red, blue, and grey), covering a length of over 1.2 kilometers.

On 4 October at 9:00, GrootGroenPlus 2023 was officially opened. During this word of welcome, the new activity ‘ggp.news’ was also launched. This news website was created with the support of Stichting EPS, the license holder of the trade fair. On this platform, all updates – and there are quite a few – are collected in both Dutch and English. In total, there was an 8.2 percent increase in visitors over the entire fair compared to 2022. The higher percentage of international visitors was characteristic, with the largest groups coming from Germany, France, Poland, Italy, England, Portugal, Denmark, Serbia, and Montenegro. The number of international visitors increased from 27 percent in 2022 to 31 percent in 2023.

Thursday saw a 12 percent increase in visitors compared to that day in the previous year. This immediately became the busiest day of the trade fair. On the same day, the external press tour and the children’s tour took place. The children’s tour is a new addition and was a resounding success and good PR for the nursery stock industry. The mayor and the newly appointed child mayor of the tree nursery municipality of Zundert joined to add even more appeal.

Once again this year, there was the novelty inspection by the KVBC, in combination with the Green Grand Prix. This year, a plant did get a gold medal. This medal was awarded to Ficus carica ‘LMF01’ (LITTLE MISS FIGGY), submitted by Van de Peijl Tuinplanten from Zundert and Handelskwekerij G. Hoogenraad from Ederveen. The reasoning was: “Good uniform plants, beautifully grown and presented. Beautifully healthy, deeply incised and graceful leaves. Very many edible fruits on the plants. Easy to propagate. Widely applicable, thanks to the edible fruits.” The Zunderts Groen Imago Prijs, the Jac Lodders Award, and the Jan van Dongen Award were all distributed as usual. All award ceremonies can be digitally reviewed through the app, the website, and the YouTube channel.

The Dutch press was well-represented during these three days, but the international press was also present in greater numbers. There were no less than 20 foreign trade journalists present. As always, the excellent press tours organized by Frank Van Suchtelen’s All-Round Communications inside the fair at some stands and outside the fair at some nurseries highlighted the excellence of Dutch production in the area.

At the fairground, Van der Peijl Garden Plants, in Zundert, predominantly cultivates shrubs for landscaping projects and cultivates a million ornamental shrubs in pots annually, with 22,000 square meters of greenhouse and over 10 hectares of container fields. Varieties of Ceanothus, Cordyline, Escallonia, Euonymus, Hydrangea, Photinia, Prunus, Rhododendron, Rhodoxis, Symphoricarpos, and Viburnum are grown. The assortment also includes many exclusive varieties, such as the Hydrangea ‘Little XS’ collection.

Huverba, in Opheusden, is one of the largest tree nurseries and green providers in the Netherlands and comprises 1600 different species and cultivars on 100 hectares of sandy and clay fields, along with 12 hectares of container fields and greenhouses. The aim is to relieve green buyers as effectively as possible. What the company doesn’t grow itself, is sourced from trusted suppliers. Huverba places great importance on sustainability. Modern cultivation floors assist in preventing fungi and minimizing the wastage of excess water. Adopting a conscious greenhouse climate reduces energy and resource waste.

Wm J. Hooftman Nursery, in Boskoop, has gained significant recognition over the years for its cultivation of robust Acers. Currently, about 80 varieties of Acers with leaf types from Asia are cultivated. The smallest pot size is 10 liters. Additionally, the company offers a selection of real eyecatchers up to multi-stemmed solitaires in 500-liter containers. In total, there are about 100 different Acer species grown in a 5000 square meter polytunnel. In addition to the Acer assortment, Wm J. Hooftman has also developed two other specializations: Cercis and Lagerstroemia.

OptiPlug, in De Lier, has over thirty years of experience in the industry and the flexible company provides growers with swift deliveries of paper pots. With the latest machinery, OptiPlug produces paper pots in a fixed form, making them easy to sort and pot. All their products are biodegradable and OptiPlug delivers its organic paper pots in any conceivable substrate form.

During the external tour, Jongenelen Plants, in Klundert, specializing in trees and plants, with a focus on top-quality forest and hedge plants, and Agrarische Handelsonderneming Jongenelen, dealing in new and used machinery, constitute the two business sectors of Michel Jongenelen. They grow primarily Fagus, Carpinus, Ligustrum, Prunus, and Taxus. Jongenelen has also developed a concept for fruit growers. Hedges around fruit cultivation plots have become an integral part of the landscape. Traditionally dominated by the black alder. There is a growing interest in mixed hedges, driven in part by the increasing focus on biodiversity.

Den Eldert Nursery, in Klein-Zundert with an area of approximately 30 hectares, specializes in the cultivation of predominantly shrubs and conifers in open fields. The nursery is run by Frank and Gerard Jochems. On their premises, there is also a depot of Laxsjon Plants, managed by Henk Huijsman, Loek Jochems, and Evert Jansen.

Laxsjon Plants, named after Lake Laxsjön in northern Sweden, trades in supplying forest plants with specific forestry origins from seed for the European market. Their assortment includes also seedlings with origin certificates, standard and fruit trees, multi-stemmed trees, Christmas trees, formed plants and trees, (solitary) shrubs, conifers, hedges, ornamental and container planting material, tree seeds, and perennial plants. Laxsjon Plants is PlanetProof certified: a hallmark for more sustainably cultivated plants, trees, and flower bulbs.

From October 2023 Laxsjon Plants has become the official dealer for United Kingdom, Ireland and France for the Anti-Knabb® range from the producer PVE – Peter van Eyk Kunsstoff-Rohre in Germany. The Anti-Knabb® tree guards are very well known in the market and Laxsjon Plants is the official dealer of the high-quality, sustainable product. Easy to use and blend in with nature, without altering the landscape, it is quick and easy to install, after a long life providing reliable protection against wildlife damage, the product will be 100% recycled.

Meer Plant Nursery, in Meer, Belgium, delivers exceptional plants under three brand names: Naturosa, Hedge-On, and Ceci n’est pas une Rose. Naturosa represents a selection of new, more natural, healthy, abundantly blooming roses. Under the Hedge-On brand, ready-made pre-shaped hedge plants are offered in two new rose selections: one with white and one with pink flowers. Ceci n’est pas une Rose was awarded the best concept at the autumn edition of Florall 2023. These unique rose plants falling under the Ceci n’est pas une Rose brand, with miniature flowers that do not resemble traditional roses, have been carefully selected for their disease resistance, climate resilience, abundance of blooms, user-friendliness, and vibrant colours. Currently, alongside Rosa ‘Green Summer’, Rosa ‘Palsy-Walsy’ and Rosa ‘Minie-Pinkie’ also fall under the Ceci n’est pas une Rose brand.

At the end of the tour, there was the official initial foundation and speech for the Development and Knowledge centre Rootz: one of the key components that will arise at the Business Centre Treeport (BCT) in Zundert. The BCT is set to become the hub of the European arboriculture sector, and this knowledge center will be the heart of the industrial area.

However, the fair is not over yet; the current offerings of the participants remain available through Varb in the trade fair app and on the website under the heading ‘current offerings’. In addition to the current offerings, the extensive participant profiles will also be available until December. The routes have also been fully filmed, so reviewing them is very easy.

Overall, the positive ‘vibe’ was palpable at the trade fair. The positive feedback is also confirmed by the registrations already received for the 34th edition of the trade fair, which will take place from 2 – 4 October 2024.