From seed to stardom: The colourful tale of van der Velden and their blossoming empire
From humble beginnings to a household name
Welcome to van der Velden, a company with roots (literally!) going back 120 years and reaching well into the future. A key member of the Decorum Plants and Flowers brand, I took a visit to see how the world of Gerbera works…
What I found was a Dutch flower farm cultivating a legacy, and doing it with the kind of resilience and innovation that makes their story as interesting as their world-famous Gerberas.
It all started with veg
The van der Velden family actually began their growing journey with vegetables. Then came the cut flower roses. And like a determined bud pushing through spring frost, their business kept growing. In 2014, they planted themselves at their current location, and let’s just say things really blossomed from there.
Now, they’re the biggest Gerbera grower in Holland. Not the cheapest (quality comes with a few extra petals), but definitely the best. Think of them as the Kylie of Gerbera: always on point, always in full bloom! I concur fully on this, having attended her recent concert!
Gerbera glory and flower power
Growing Gerberas from seed? That’s next-level. Most growers cut corners with tissue culture. But, van der Velden go from seed to stunning, ensuring unique varieties and super-strong plants.
They’ve also branched out with “Sundayz”, a line tailored for outdoor lovers, because who wouldn’t want a spot of sunshine on their patio, even if the Dutch (and let’s face it, English) weather says otherwise?
Still, life in the Gerbera world isn’t always rosy. It’s not the trendiest flower on the catwalk right now, and innovating doesn’t always bring instant returns. As they say at the nursery, “Sometimes, you just have to wait for the market to catch up… like a cat pretending it didn’t mean to fall off the sofa.”
Oh, and it’s not just cut flowers that are competition. Pot plants are getting in on the Gerbera action too. Talk about a crowded bouquet!
The English market was once fertile ground for Gerbera production, but then - dun dun dunnn - whiteflies swarmed in and wiped out their hold. This gives van ver Velden an edge over any home turf supplies.
The Agapanthus: Tall, proud, and peat-free
You think your Eremurus are cool? Try an Agapanthus that grows up to 1.4 meters tall in a 40cm container. It’s practically a tree with flowers. Using old roots (leftovers from the cut flower industry) and a bit of wizardry, van der Velden has turned this majestic bloom into a showstopper… with a €200 retail price tag to match. But they are worth every euro.
What’s more, the Agapanthus is grown completely peat-free. Because while Velden isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty, they’re not about dirtying the planet…!
So, what does a grower do in the off-season? Take up knitting? Go on holiday? Not van der Velden. They started dabbling in hellebores over winter to stay busy… and, well, that side hustle got out of hand. Now, they’re specialists in 7cm pot hellebores, adding some winter wonder to the world when everything else goes bare.
The peat predicament
Speaking of soil… at this moment, van der Velden still uses a small percentage of peat in their Gerbera mix, but for good reason. It keeps the plants from drying out on retail benches. So they keep it in to protect quality and reflect well on themselves as a top-tier supplier. After all, no one wants to be known for selling a droopy daisy.
About van der Velden
Van der Velden is growing a philosophy. One that says tradition and innovation can grow side by side, that quality is worth the wait, and that sometimes, the best ideas start when you’re just trying to stay busy.
Whether you’re a grower, retailer, or plant parent, van der Velden is the name to know.
Casting round for chrysanthemums? Read about the work of LIONPLANT here, in my Beneath the Glass series.