From 30 September to 2 October, the 36th edition of GrootGroenPlus trade fair brought together the international tree nursery sector at the BCT site near Zundert, in the Netherlands. With more than 285 participants from the Netherlands and abroad, the 2026 edition focused on the theme “Growing Together”, emphasising collaboration, innovation and a sustainable future for the green industry.

For an international visitor, however, GrootGroenPlus is more than a trade fair. Its particular character lies in the opportunity to move between the exhibition floor and the nursery landscape itself: meeting growers, discovering new cultivars, seeing mature plants and understanding how cultivation, technology, logistics and landscape applications are connected.

Walking through the exhibition, the extraordinary diversity of the nursery sector becomes immediately apparent. Companies present everything from propagation material and young plants to mature trees, alongside machinery, technology and cultivation solutions. Among the exhibitors, the italian Ghelardeschi Piante brought the tradition of the Pistoia nursery district to the Dutch fair, with deciduous trees, conifers, evergreen shrubs, climbers and Mediterranean plants, as well as its speciality, Camellia japonica, grown from young plants to specimens more than ten years old.

Other exhibitors represented different stages and specialisations within the sector. Voltz Pépinière focuses on propagation stock and young plants, while Van den Akker Bomen specialises in espalier trees, including large, fully trained specimens for landscape and development projects. Leenders Plants, meanwhile, grows an extensive range of container-grown conifers and shrubs for both domestic and international markets.

One of the most interesting aspects of GrootGroenPlus is the attention given to plant innovation. New cultivars are not presented simply as novelties: they are assessed for what they can add to an existing assortment and for their potential value to growers, professionals and ultimately garden owners. The KVBC, the Royal Boskoop Horticultural Society, independently assesses new cultivars, considering aspects such as novelty value, overall impression and market potential. In longer field inspections, plants can also be followed over several years for health, ornamental and practical value.

At this year’s Green Grand Prix, 18 plants were entered and 16 assessed. Three received Gold: Cardiandra ‘Suapc 1707’ (AUTUMN BOUQUET), Miscanthus sinensis ‘Vica 21’ (VOLCANO) and Quercus ilex ‘Pyramidia’ (IDEAPYRA). The criteria went beyond appearance, including presentation, uniformity, novelty value, resilience and value to nature. Cardiandra was particularly appreciated for its deep green foliage, lilac-pink flowers and late flowering period, while Quercus ilex ‘Pyramidia’ was described as an example of a “plant of tomorrow”.

The KVBC novelty inspection offered an even closer look at emerging cultivars. Cardiandra ‘Suapc 1707’ received Gold with a score of 8.1 and was named the best novelty of GrootGroenPlus 2026. Its compact, densely branched habit, abundant flowering and striking colour combination impressed the jury, which also highlighted the significance of innovation beyond the better-known genera. Other recognised novelties included Picea glauca ‘Klavercon’ (LITTLE NORDIC), awarded Silver, and the Bronze-winning Leucothoe ‘Opstal12’ (SPARKLING GOLD) and Phillyrea angustifolia ‘HUGP16’ (GRAND PRIX).

The experience continued beyond the exhibition. On 1 October, an international press and buyers’ tour travelled through the nursery region around Opheusden before returning to GrootGroenPlus for the network dinner. At Crum Boomkwekerijen in Dodewaard, the group encountered a broad range of avenue, ornamental and fruit trees, supported by in-house production and logistics. At Damcon, the focus shifted to mechanisation, with more than 55 years of experience in developing machinery for tree nurseries, including equipment designed for the heavy river clay of the region.

The tour continued at Cor Huibers Tree Nurseries, with ornamental and park trees, multi-stemmed and shaped trees, conifers and fruit trees grown both in open ground and containers. At De Batterijen, a nursery tradition dating back to the post-war period was combined with a strong contemporary sustainability approach: everything produced at the nursery is certified under the European On the way to PlanetProof scheme.

The final stop was De Bosrand Garden Centre in Rijsbergen, near Zundert, before returning to GrootGroenPlus. The 7,000 m² indoor space combines plants with products for the home, garden and pets, while a further 3,000 m² outdoor area is dedicated to an extensive assortment of garden plants.

This journey from exhibition stand to nursery field is perhaps the most tangible expression of Growing Together. The plant is only the starting point: behind it are years of selection and cultivation, growers and breeders, technology and logistics, landscape professionals and an increasingly international network. At GrootGroenPlus, all these elements meet in one place and then continue growing beyond the fair.