20 reasons to visit the FlowerTrials in The Netherlands and Germany
The industry trials take place this June - hunt down new plants and more...
There’s only one place I want to be during week 24 (also known as the 2nd week of June) and that’s in the middle of a glasshouse, surrounded by colour and fragrance.
The FlowerTrials are a non-negotiable in my yearly calendar, as 59 worldwide breeding companies (literally!) open their greenhouse doors and welcome visitors from every corner of the globe, as they showcase their latest plant breeding and extensive back catalogues. 2024 will be the 20th edition of the event, too.
It’s an opportunity for people, and plants, to meet face-to-face and for horticultural business to be done. The trial locations mostly occupy the areas of Westland (so convenient as it’s just five minutes from the ferry terminal) and Aalsmeer (so convenient as it’s five minutes from the airport!) in The Netherlands, but there’s also a cluster in Germany for visitors who may find that more convenient.
I would recommend two days minimum, in order to soak up the atmosphere and view as many innovations as possible. The FlowerTrials website has excellent route planners, so you can make the most of your time too. Something you won’t need though, is a packed lunch, as most locations are serving coffee and snacks through the day, and with some key locations doing a rather good lunch too!
So, if you’re working in the industry - buying plants, writing about plants, simply enjoying plants, why not get your transport booked, and plan a visit to the FlowerTrials. You won’t regret it, and here’s 20 reasons why…
1. See new products in person
Most breeding companies wait until week 24 to launch their new plants and products, as they know it will create the biggest buzz. You can expect elaborate and unique displays (with plenty of POS inspiration) and plenty of people on hand to explain the virtues of the new plants to you.
Here’s an example where Sakata launched their weather-proof BeautiCal Series, with awesome themed displays, and a real rain machine…
2. Networking opportunities
Even though we now have social media and the capabilities of Zoom, nothing beats a real-life conversation, where you can bounce around ideas, touch and smell the plants and so on. It can be a mixture of meeting up with people you already know, or meeting new contacts - during the FlowerTrials, most members of staff will be on hand, and you may even get to have a conversation with a plant breeder, where you can learn the nitty gritty about the plant they’ve created!
3. See old products through new eyes
It is not always about new products; it’s sometimes about re-discovering products that we already know, or finding ways to promote them in different ways. Especially as most companies will be displaying their whole catalogue of plant varieties, there’s so much potential for spying a few old favourites.
I was particularly enthralled to see Salpiglossis growing in containers at the Floranova trials last year; this is a plant that has all but been forgotten, and once I put it onto social media, followers were keen to find out where they could buy it - many had never seen it before!
4. Buy products on the spot
The FlowerTrials, after all, is all about trading. If you like what you see, conversations can easily be had with salespeople, and you could start to piece together your catalogue or inventory for the next season, right there on the spot.
You won’t even need to bring a notepad, as there are always plenty available!
5. Good food all around
Grabbing food on the road can be a hassle, and you might end up with a few disappointing soggy sandwiches. This is not the case with the FlowerTrials as many of the key locations provide snacks and often lunch too.
It takes the pressure off finding a lunch spot, saves you some expense, and gives you more time to spend in the flowers…
6. Good coffee, but go easy…
It goes without saying that the coffee in The Netherlands (and Germany) is better than the instant we are often served in the UK - don’t @ me as you know it’s true…
There is always coffee available, but don’t overdo it; the Dutch cups might be small but the coffee is strong!!
7. See people from around the world
Simply walking around the FlowerTrials for a day, you’ll experience faces from all around the world - from both established and emerging markets. This can be a wonderful sight to see, and there is always something to learn from each other.
As you sit down to lunch at one of the locations, you might easily start chatting to some new friends on the table next to you - go on, introduce yourself!!
8. See the full inventory of companies
In my experience of releasing new products, it is not always about new genetics, it is sometimes about re-packaging genetics we already know. Seeing a breeding company’s full plant range can offer plenty of inspiration, and help you see where there might be gaps in your ranging too.
Or, perhaps sometimes it’s about timing. For example, these Cuphea types were released over 15 years ago originally, but the market wasn’t talking about their drought tolerance as much as the marketplace is demanding now in 2024. Their time has come…
9. Get sneak peeks!
Some breeding companies are bold, and might show plants way ahead of release time. You won’t be able to buy them, or even reserve them, but they are simply there as an amuse bouche…
10. Get acquainted with the FleuroStar
Throughout the event, you will see displays of the FleuroStar award entries, with the awards evening taking place on the Thursday. This award is designed to celebrate the garden centre bench impact of new genetics, and has led to some strong introductions over the years, in recent times Petunia ‘Bee’s Knees’ by Florensis, or Strawberry ‘Toscana’ by ABZ Seeds, for example. It completely changed their fortunes in the industry!
The Fleuroselect organisation then goes on to support the promotion of any winning variety, so it’s a great way to get the message out there on any newbie plants!
11. Connect with your Fleuroselect contacts
The FlowerTrials and Fleuroselect teams are always on site during the event, so why not go say hi to them, and get to know more about what the organisations do!
12. Get inspiration for your POS
I love new ideas, and it’s really fun to see how plant companies display their plants. My favourite year is probably when Beekenkamp Plants BV re-arranged their whole glasshouse to resemble and airport, with departures and luggage belts, etc. So clever! You might sometimes get some ideas that you can copy in your own catalogues, or on the garden centre bench, the companies won’t mind - they’re happy to inspire you to sell more of their plants!
13. Get your own photography
Getting photography of plants can be difficult; the difference between natural and set-up can be a very slim margin. Why not take the opportunity of taking your ‘good camera’ to the FlowerTrials, as you can get images of some of the plants that you choose to run with in your catalogues? That’s one big job ticked off your list!
14. Film your own short videos
As social media becomes a popular platform for selling plants, it is more and more important to record explanatory videos, so why not take the opportunity of the fantastic displays at the FlowerTrials to film some to ‘to camera’ content? Or, simply get some B-roll, it's up to you!
15. Capture some social media coverage
As I've mentioned, social media is the perfect platform for your customer to learn more about what you do, so why not bring them along to FlowerTrials digitally, and show them the plants that you're considering for your catalogue range?
You could even get some real-time feedback which influences your purchasing decisions on the day.
16. Make an efficient schedule!
Use the integrated route planner, so you won’t miss out on any of the planty fun. You can make sure you give yourself enough time to see as much as possible. Remember, locations are open 8am-6pm Tues-Thurs, and til 3pm on the Friday!
17. Get combination planting ideas
Even the way they display plants at the FlowerTrials can inspire you to create mixed containers for your own garden centre sales. Over the years, the displays have got more and more elaborate, and there is so much inspiration as the plant companies often get floristry skills involved as well. It's a sight to behold!
18. Enjoy merchandise and freebies
If you’re into freebies, there are plenty around at the FlowerTrials, as there is a lot of promotional material available!
So, don't be shy about stocking up on your notepads, candies, keyrings or mugs for the rest of the year, as you'll be advertising the company at the very same time!
19. Still not convinced yet?
Have I not convinced you to visit yet? Why not have a look at the highlights from 2023, so you can see which amazing plants were launched, and get all the lowdown on what to expect during your visit!
It’s a lot of fun, and there are always plenty of photo opportunities too. Here’s how we celebrated the new ‘Double Shot’ Antirrhinum by Hem Genetics…
20. But, if you really can’t make it..
If you reaallllly can't make it this year, then there is still plenty to find out about the key new products on the FlowerTrials website, so why not have a little peek?
A crew will also be recording videos during the week, which will showcase even more exciting new lines! And, stay up to date by following the FlowerTrials on social media too.
Great article and insight into this event! I hope to work this into my calendar for next year.